Here at the SoccerBible, we don't find ourselves venturing outside the world of football boots too often. But when a great looking alternative to the adidas Predator comes along, we're more than happy to make an exception. We think boot fans will agree the Predator Incurza is worthy of it's time in the spotlight...
Many years ago, on a pitch far far away, a sportsman accidentally sat on and crushed a football, he then preceded to pick the ball up with his hands and run, the result was the game of rugby! Okay so that might not be factually accurate, but the world of football and rugby will always be closely linked, and if the results are these adidas Predator Incurza boots then we don't think that's a bad thing.
It seems more often than not rugby boots are something of an afterthought from brands, who roll out their football silo's albeit with rugby branding. But with the creation of the Predator Incurza boots, we wonder if adidas might have reversed the roles? Of course you're not likely to see a professional footballer sporting the Incurza, but at the lower levels there's no reason why personal choice won't dictate a player opting for the boots on look, style and performance.
There's an element of old-school Pred about the new Incurza's which is what we're loving, but what performance do they offer for a footballer? The upper is constructed using a soft Taurus full grain leather, as featured on the adiPower Predator, and is enhanced with kicking technology for power, swerve and ball contact similar to that of the Lethal Zones Predator.
A pre-molded sockliner offers comfort, and additional anti-slip EVA inserts on the inner backside of the heel maintain fit along with the asymmetrical lacing. In addition on the rugby Predator, adidas have introduced a 5mm heel wedge to help you maintain a better running position which helps reduce injury and strain on your lower limbs.
The Predator Incurza features adidas' Sprintframe outsole, a game-changer when first launched on the F50 adizero range. Using geometrical learnings to offer the perfect balance between lightweight and stability, the Sprintframe combines maximum grip and optimum pressure distribution. Available in a firm ground sole-plate, which might be more fitting for a footballer than the soft ground, as the SG studs are longer than those featured on adidas football boots.
The adidas Predator Incurza joins the Lethal Zones as being a miCoach enabled Predator boot, which means players can now track their performance stats such as distance, sprint count and maximum speed, then wirelessly transfer the data to a mobile phone or PC to monitor and improve their performance.
The Predator Incurza boots are expected to launch globally on July 12th, although they are available to pre-order now from selected retailers and can already be seen on pro rugby players. These are the two colourways for launch – Punjab/Lab Lime/Bright Blue and Silver/Black/Energy – and you can expect to pay around £165.00 GBP / $210 USD / €200.00 EURO.
We have to admit it was touch and go whether to feature the adidas Predator Incurza's because of course they belong on a rugby pitch. But we love all boots here, and thought we'd offer them up for you the SoccerBible community to share us your opinions.
They remind us of an old-school Predator, and with the launch of the Lethal Zones are now the most modern leather adidas Predator, so let us know what you think of the adidas Predator Incurza. Share your thoughts and join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.