Inside Look: Adidas adiZero Silo

In a world where every boot has to be brighter and lighter than the previous incarnation, one boot silo has constantly set the bar. The adiZero series has completely changed the face of the boot world by forcing every boot producing company to attempt to shave as many ounces as possible off of their releases. It also saw the balance of power in the boot world shift away from a market that was once dominated by any and every release that Nike put out into the world. Although the F-series has been a long-running franchise for Adidas, the adiZero was a massive change that saw the F50 become the standard bearer in lightweight boots.

In this article we will take a look at the hugely successful boot produced by Adidas from the top to the bottom, letting you know all the differences in this boot from tier to tier. We know that everyone can’t go out and drop big money on the F50, but we want you to be as prepared as possible when you walk into your local boot store or when you are prepared to order online. We hope you have enjoyed the ‘Inside Look’ series so far, and we hope that this offering is as helpful as the others.

This silo has some significant differences from tier to tier, but the differences aren’t all immediately noticeable from just looking at the boot. This is one boot series that will have significant weight differences that you will notice if you actually pick any of the boots up, and most of the differences will become obvious upon closer inspection. There are already quite a few colorway releases on the market, so we won’t delve too deeply into specific colors. I will, however, point out any differences that the tiers may have cosmetically. We also won’t be talking too extensively about the leather F50 release, but you can read a fantastic review on that boot right here. We also have a comparison post of the leather/synthetic versions here if you are wondering about the subtle differences. Also make sure to ask any questions that you may have in the comments.

F50 adiZero

The F50 adiZero is a boot that could be seen as the most important boot release in the last several years. It dominates the boot scoring charts every year and has changed the way every boot on the market is produced. The upper on the adiZero is an incredibly thin synthetic that feels amazing in your hands. The thin nature of the upper provides as close as possible a feeling to that elusive ‘barefoot’ feel that all boot companies strive for. The touch on the boot is absolutely amazing, definitely making you want to immediately run out and try to mimic every move you’ve ever seen on YouTube. The thinness of the upper definitely puts you in a position where every touch you make allows you to feel in control of where the ball goes (if you shank the pass or shot, you can’t blame the boot). Lastly, there are TPU bands (ribs) running along the inside of the boot that allow the boot to hug your foot and make sure the boot feels locked in place…a nice touch by Adidas.

The F-series definitely has one big issue inherent in every tier, and the adiZero is not exempt from the same flaw. The break-in time on every boot in this silo is painful and I would not say that any of them are wearable into a game situation straight out-of-the-box. The comfort of the F50 is much better than I expected, but you definitely have to wander through the wilderness before you get to the promised land. Make sure that you have (at least) two to three full practice sessions available before you want/need to use the adiZero in a game. As stated in the review, this boot actually has some inherent pain involved AFTER you take the boot off. My foot actually felt sore after removing the F50 during the break-in period, and the pain stayed with me for a few hours after removal. After fighting through a few days of pain, the boot does eventually bend to your will and it provides the comfort that should be associated with a boot attempting to try and provide the ‘barefoot’ feel.

The soleplate on the current F50 is supposedly a change from the previous versions (Sprintframe 2.0), but the only noticeable difference is a small groove on the front two studs and some slight triangular divots on the tops of each stud. Although the small groove is a decent idea/addition, I am not sure it deserves to be considered a big enough change to go from version 1.0 to version 2.0. The other big addition is the add-in of the MiCoach slot, which, although I worried about it when I saw the first pictures, is practically unnoticeable when actually wearing and using the boot (which is good, considering that we definitely weren’t impressed with the miCoach system).

This boot definitely has some negatives associated with it. The break-in period is the first to come to mind, but the Adidas definitely made sure that you wouldn’t be able to complain too much about their premier speed boot. With the thinness of the upper, you can’t really complain about protection or anything related to something that would be sacrificed in return for such a light boot. Another complaint that we have here at SR is the fact that (even in a size 9) these boots weigh more than the advertised weight. I realize that it doesn’t affect your performance at all, but if Adidas is going to shove a number in our face (5.8 oz) then I expect them to honor it.

F30

One of the most worn boots at the rec/beginner footy level, it is one of the few boots that I’ve worn during my ‘Inside Look’ articles that I did not enjoy. The upper is only similar to the F50 in terms of the colors used on the boot. It is amazingly thick for a synthetic and it seems to even have a few layers of, dare I say, unnecessary material. For a boot that goes from a very light 5.8 oz (the adiZero) to 9.8 oz (the F30), it also doesn’t seem to really seem like a quality material (adidas calls it their Singmax synthetic). The boot bends and folds in awkward places, and this might actually be the first boot that I did not enjoy just holding in my hands. Although it will certainly provide a little more protection than its nicer brother, the lack of quality in a boot that still costs over $100 is a bit worrying to me.

This boot has certainly left me with my mouth agape, and it doesn’t save itself any points in the comfort department. The boot has a long break-in time, but I had more issues with discomfort/blisters in the heel of the boot than I’ve had with any other boot. By the time the boot has conformed to your foot (if you can even call it ‘conforming’) it has actually formed odd issues with the outside of the boot. I never really felt any joy when putting this boot on, and the F30 continued to disappoint the longer I used it.

The soleplate of the F30 is extremely similar to the bottom of what you would have seen on previous forms of the adiZero. The newest colorway release does offer miCoach compatibility on the soleplate and the small cut out of the front two studs, but the older colorway releases are the ‘old’ soleplate. You will also notice small grooves running down the bottom, but that is purely cosmetic and is actually found on the F30 and F10. I did find this soleplate extremely stiff, and wonder if the fact that it doesn’t extend into a heel counter like the F50 has some affect on that.

The negatives involved with this boot are numerous (and, hopefully, all referred to in earlier segments). For the price, there is very little that should draw you to this boot. The break-in time is inconveniently long and you don’t get that satisfying ‘post break-in’ moment (that moment where you go, ‘ahhhhhh’). The price-tag should imply that this is a very high quality boot, but the F30 is the biggest disappointment that I’ve encountered in the entirety of the IL articles. Unless someone is giving you this boot, I would stay away.

F10

The F10 seems to be the boot tier of choice for sports megastores. I’ve seen more of these boots on the shelves in the United States than ANY other boot. The upper involved with the F10 is the first tier where the lower quality starts to visually show. The upper seems to be three small pieces of synthetic stitched together (very visibly stitched), with a shiny sheen and feel that truly seems a lot like a cheap/thin plastic. Although it is amazing durable for what it is, it has the feel of what you would expect from a boot that can easily be found for under $50. No owner should be surprised, but it allows a decent touch and would be a great boot choice for young players that will outgrow their boots quickly or for beginners being introduced to the beautiful game. The lower two tiers also have asymmetrical lacing (an odd choice, in my opinion).

The comfort is decent, and it definitely outshines the more expensive F30. Once the upper has actually broken in, it still retains its shape (unlike the F30) and it provides a nice tight fit. I wouldn’t put this into the category of comfort that I reserve for my future ‘house shoes,’ but it certainly will be comfortable enough to prevent any post break-in blisters and discomfort. Plus, as stated earlier, if this boot is used for younger players and beginners, they will be too busy enjoying their boots that are ‘just like Messi’s’ to care about the fact that these are F10′s.

The soleplate on the F10 is almost identical the F30, but the new Euro colorway is not miCoach compatible and it does not have the small divot that allows adidas to call something “2.0.” You would notice that there is a slight difference in how the upper is cut to connect with this boot in comparison the F30, but it doesn’t seem to cause anything to feel different. The cosmetic grooves are still present, and I really think the only difference between this boot and the F30 occurs on the new Euro colorway releases.

The negatives involved with this boot are nothing that you shouldn’t expect with a third tier of a boot silo. The cosmetic stitching is somewhat off-putting and you would never doubt that you are wearing a lower tier release. I would certainly recommend this boot over the F30 any day of the week.

F5

A tier that many of you probably didn’t know existed. A boot that, to be honest, I wouldn’t know existed if I hadn’t decided to do this article. The F5 actually turned out to be one of my favorite bottom tier releases that I’ve had the pleasure of wearing. The upper is similar to the F10, but, while it still has that similar feel, the plastic sheen isn’t quite as obvious. There is a massive difference involved with touch, but that is something that will be more affected by the comfort (I’ll explain) than with the upper. Once again, a great boot for beginners or young players (this boot is primarily available in youth sizes anyway).

The comfort on this boot is, surprisingly, amazing. It is padded everywhere, and although it will affect your touch a bit, the comfort is great. For parents that want to have as few “boo-boo’s” and blisters to deal with as possible, this is the boot for you. The heel on the F5 is the only one to have something that doesn’t feel like a synthetic against your heel and achilles tendon…it, as you would guess, is also padded to the max.

The soleplate on the F5 is completely different from the other tiers. It has a bladed stud pattern that is similar to what you would see on the lower tiers of a typical (non-LZ) Predator release, and it might actually be preferred by some to the triangular stud-pattern found on the other boots in this silo. It will be a soleplate that is dependable and will be as durable as the upper that sits upon it. Did you really expect any bells and whistles on a bottom tier release?

The negatives involved with the F5 are there, but you have to consider the price-tag and the tier that we are looking at. The padding on the inside of the boot does affect your touch, but I seriously doubt that you will be wearing this boot if you are hoping for a boot with a superior touch. A decent boot for what it actually is, and a great choice for 1st year players.

Adidas must feel like the adiZero silo has to be pushing the edge of the lightweight race with every new addition the the boot. With the way they exploded onto the market, it would be surprising for Adidas to change a lot about this boot going forward as it is now a major player in the boot world. I definitely feel that the F50 is one of the most polarizing boots on the planet today, with there being very little middle ground on these boots. As a reviewer that accepts no bias involved in this process and believes that there is no true ‘best boot’, the F30 definitely shocked me with how huge a step down it was from the F50. SR hopes this Inside Look article was helpful, and we hope that you are looking forward to our tackling of the newest Adidas Adipure offering. Do you agree with our assessment? Do you have any of these boots and how do you feel about them? Could we have said anything else about these boots to help you in the process of purchasing your next boots?

Also, check out the Inside Look articles on the current Tiempo, T90, CTR360, and Mercurial silo.