The latest rugby boots by Adidas

Adidas is one of the best sportswear manufacturers across Europe and the world. It sells apparel, footwear and accessories for men, women and youth. You name it, from football to gymnastics, golf to cricket and basketball to rugby, Adidas has established itself well in the sports apparel industry. Rugby boots are one of Adidas’ main strengths. The boots range includes adiPure Flanker, adiZero and Predator. These boots are amongst the best in the world, are improved upon every year, and are highly sought after by the most discerning player.

Adidas adiZero RS7 Pro SG Rugby Boots

These are the brand new Adidas RS7 pro soft ground rugby boots, which were launched on the back of the success of the adiZero football boot. It is the lightest ever rugby specific boot, and is made from Sprint Skin upper, which is lighter than all other synthetics. The striking zone of the boot has a Synthetic Print which helps improve control when striking the ball, especially in wet conditions. The heel of the boot also features a Synthetic Print to help prevent slippage issues. This makes the boot easy to break into and makes it a great fit as well. Also, Adidas has used a Sprint frame which is lighter than other regular outsoles. The sole has a mix sole plate using rounded studs and moulded studs, which gives maximum traxion without increasing the weight of the boot.

Adidas adiPure Flanker Rugby Boots

The classic Rugby boots has been reinvented with these soft ground versions. These boots offer excellent grip in the scrum with an 8 studded outsole and new shield protection on a wide boot for stronger players. Its upper is made from new super league leather, which helps provide more forefoot support for those in the scrums. The boots offer additional protection in areas that you need most with shield protection foam. The super league leather is also cemented into leather in the forefoot to prevent shoe deformation and stretching, enabling the boot to stay in shape for longer and mould quickly to the players feet. These boots also have Synthetic Print on the heel lining to prevent heel slippage, which also makes the boot easier to break in and increases comfort levels.

Adidas Predator X SG Rugby Boots

This is the tenth generation of Predator shoes and is one of the world’s top boots. It features full grain calf leather to provide a natural look and has greater tear and abrasion resistance, so these boots can last longer. The insole is anatomically moulded so that your feet will have the most comfort possible when playing, and the outsole system features the Traxion SG Hybrid stud sole system.

The history of football boots

Football boots are essential tools of the trade for any footballer and have been in existence for centuries now. The first ever football boot is credited to King Henry VIII in 1500’s. They were made by his personal shoemaker and were made of strong leather, ankle high in length and heavier than normal shoes of those days.

In the 1800’s, football increased in popularity and the rules became more formalised. Accordingly, football boots were designed specifically with the game in mind. The boots were ankle length for protection, and studs were incorporated to give the player more stability on the pitch. These studs were made of leather and were hammered into the soles of existing boots. Unfortunately, these boots were rather cumbersome to wear as they were very heavy, and weighed even more when they were wet.

This led to a change in boots in 1925 with the invention of changeable studs. Players were now able to change their studs according to weather conditions and the state of the pitch. The boots were still ankle length in style though. In the 1940’s, players and manufacturers began to analyse how boots affected the kicking and control of the ball, and this led to newly designed boots.

In the 1950’s, it became obvious that football boots that were lighter would be desirable. This led to the incorporation of plastic and rubber studs and the usage of synthetic materials in an attempt to make the boots lighter. Ten years later, the first below ankle slipper style boots were introduced, which also happened to increase ball control, shooting power, and give the players more freedom and agility.

From then onwards, manufacturers focussed on producing lighter weight boots, by using various types of synthetic material. Also, in the 1970’s and 1980’s, manufacturers began to market football boots as a fashion accessory. They began producing boots with different colours, and started sponsorship deals with impressive players to wear their footwear exclusively, thus began the commercial phase of football boots.

Over the years, three companies have dominated the football boot industry – Adidas, Nike and Puma. These companies strive for further improvements in design and technology in order to produce the best Football boots ever. From ball spin and precision, to speed and comfort, the race is on between these companies and others to keep on top of the game, and protect and improve player’s performance.