Nike T90 Laser III Play Test
As part of the official launch event for the Nike Total 90 Laser III football boots, a selection of VIPs were given the opportunity to experience this new boot first hand. Naturally, the SoccerBible's resident boot experts were on hand to sample this highly anticipated boot.
Fresh from receiving an inspirational pep talk from Wayne Rooney we arrived at the Salford Sports Village, just a stones throw away from the famous Manchester United 'Cliff' training ground, which played host to such greats as Bobby Charlton, George Best, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.
Arriving in similar superstar fashion, we stepped off the team coach to be individually shown to our changing rooms where our kits were named and laid out, along with a brand new pair of Nike T90 Laser III football boots. But there was no time to revel in our Premier League status, as we were soon called to the 3G pitch and put through our paces!
As we made our way down to the pitch we could see the Nike coaches were going to be giving us a thorough workout, as there were various cones, markers and goals layed out. And after a brisk warm-up, we were soon into the drills so we could really find out how the T90 Laser III's perform. The first thing we noticed was how comfortable the boots are, which is always the sign of a quality boot if they can be worn straight from the box onto the pitch.
According to Nike, the T90 Laser III football boots have been designed in conjunction with both Rooney and Torres, so when we began the shooting drills we really had no excuses! The drills tested our ball control, one-touch passing and shooting accuracy, and you definitely felt that when you wrapped your foot round the ball, the boots were giving you something extra.
With everyone suitably warmed up (,some more breathless than others!) it was time for the Master Accuracy Torres Challenge. A training drill involving six poles, an open goal and three balls for three shots, depending on which part of the goal you hit depends on your points rewarded with the maximum haul being 30 points. Although this may sound easy, you begin to appreciate the level the professionals play at, as they are expected to hit the back of the net on every occasion.
Amongst the assembled media guests the average points tally was 8 points, but it's with pride we report that the SoccerBible did our fans proud and reigned supreme. After two steady shots our boot expert had found his range and inspired by his T90 boots, he smashed the ball into the top corner to win the Torres challenge with a mighty 14 points!
This event had been a genuine chance to find out how the Nike T90 Laser III football boots perform. And the feedback from our experts was good, the boot was comfortable with the upper soft and feeling like leather, whilst the new ShotShield area is also flexible and comfortable. The outsole and sole-plate is similar to the Laser II football boots, and certainly benefitted movement and turning during drills with no discomfort to the feet.
Striking the ball and shooting accuracy are the main features of the T90 Laser III football boots, and we found the technology did help. Particularly when striking the ball across the goal and curling it into the far corner, despite minimal contact between the boot and the ball it still swung into the far corner, and we also found the pods assisted ball control, especially when our boot expert changed direction and flicked the ball behind his standing heel ;-)
Overall, the Nike T90 Laser III football boots got a big thumbs up from our SoccerBible boot experts, and the feedback from everyone at the training ground was the boots are comfortable, give you confidence to play, and although opinions may be divided over their appearance, everyone enjoyed playing in them.
Of course, we may be some way off challenging Rooney or Torres, but the most important thing is you feel equipped with the same weapons as the stars, and on that note a slightly exhausted SoccerBible team departed to reflect on a great day. Check out our verdict on the Nike T90 Laser III football boots:
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