It’s been a beat, but Reebok are back in the boot game with the reveal of the Sidewinder, the brand’s first football performance footwear in almost three decades.
Once a force in football, Reebok are edging their way back into the game following a fairly significant period of absence. That reintroduction started with kits, but now the brand – who were once repped by some of the biggest players in the game including Ryan Giggs, Dennis Bergkamp, and Thierry Henry – is back with the reveal of the Sidewinder, a performance football boot pulled from a 1996 name and rebuilt for the modern game.
Those with a keen eye will have seen the boot doing the rounds on the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and even at the World Cup on the feet of late England call-up, Trevor Chalobah. But now it’s available to pick up and the question has to be: why would you buy this boot over any of its competitors? And at over £200, that’s a very valid question.
So, nostalgia for those vector aesthetics aside, what’s the boot all about? Sitting in the Control and Precision category, it’s up against the likes of the Nike Phantom and adidas Predator – tough opposition. So Reebok haven’t just leaned on archive vibes and called it a day here. Underneath the throwback name there’s a very modern setup that’s clearly been built to compete with the heavy hitters.
First thing you notice when you actually get your hands on the Sidewinder is how clean the upper feels. It’s a premium synthetic microfiber build that manages to strike that balance between lightweight and structured, so you’re not getting that overly plasticky feel that can sometimes creep into this category. The knit tongue and collar do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of fit as well, wrapping the foot nicely without feeling restrictive. It’s snug where you want it, forgiving where you need it, and crucially it just feels ready straight out of the box rather than something that’s going to need a handful of sessions to soften up.
From a touch perspective, which is where boots in this lane really live or die, Reebok have gone with what they’re calling Supra Skin across the upper. It’s essentially a textured print treatment, but it’s subtle enough that it doesn’t feel gimmicky. You’re not getting anything overly aggressive or rubberised; instead it just adds that little bit of grip on the ball when you’re receiving under pressure or shaping to play those quick passes. It’s more refinement than revolution, but honestly, that’s probably the right call.
Then you’ve got the striking side of things, and this is where its positioning as “Control and Precision” starts to make sense. The forefoot houses what they’re calling a Power Unit, which is basically designed to keep your energy transfer efficient when you’re connecting with the ball. In simple terms, it’s there to stop you losing power on strikes, whether you’re pinging passes from deep or trying to wrap one into the top corner. It’s not something you consciously feel working, but there’s a solid, responsive snap to the boot that feels in line with what you’d expect at this level.
Underfoot, things stay pretty standard in a good way. The use of a Vestamid (Pebax) plate puts it right in line with industry expectations for elite boots – lightweight, stable, and reactive without feeling flimsy. But Reebok have added their own spin with the Sidewinder stud configuration, which is geared towards supporting those quick changes of direction. It’s a setup that feels particularly suited to players who like to shift their weight and move laterally rather than just sprint in straight lines all game.
One of the more interesting additions is what they’ve dubbed the Shooting Brake, which is essentially an extra heel stud designed to give you a bit more grip on your plant foot when you strike the ball. It’s a small detail, but it speaks to the attention on shooting mechanics and stability, especially for players who rely on big connections rather than finesse finishes.
So where does that leave it overall? The Sidewinder doesn’t come in and blow the category wide open, but it doesn’t need to. What it does is tick all the right boxes, and it does so with a level of polish that suggests Reebok have taken this return seriously. It’s a boot that feels versatile enough to work across positions, whether you’re dictating play in midfield, stepping out from the back, or looking to make things happen further forward.
At that £200+ price point, it absolutely has to go toe-to-toe with the best, and while brand loyalty will always play a part in this space, the Sidewinder makes a convincing case for itself. If you’re into the nostalgia, that’s a bonus. But even if you’re not, there’s enough here in terms of performance, comfort, and detailing to justify giving it a proper look.
The Reebok Sidewinder is available exclusively at prodirectsport.com/soccer
