Here we are, squinting at sold out signs through blurry eyes of nostalgia again. It must be Predator remake season. As adidas celebrate 25 years of the iconic Predator series, their limited edition releases for David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane have quietly taken the number of Predator remakes up to double digits. Ten of the best.
The remakes began in 2014 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Predator. Five years on and ten remakes later and we've got ourselves quite the collection of physics-defying curl merchants. Each arriving on a bigger wave of limited edition hype than the last, and selling out in a matter of minutes. Shall we rank them? Yeah, let's rank them. Scores out of ten below please.
adidas Predator Revenge Instinct 94 | The boot to kick off the wave of Predator re-releases was quite fittingly the boot that began this whole shindig back in 1994. Landing as part of the adidas 'Revenge Pack' in August 2014, the '94 edition was restricted to just 1,825 pairs worldwide. Big old rubbery son of a gun, this. 7/10
adidas Predator Revenge Mania | The Three Stripes chucked a Mania re-release into the Revenge Pack as part of their 20 year anniversary celebrations. But rather than falling into a nostalgia-induced coma, the fully synthetic upper and much lighter red tongue left players with a somewhat unfulfilled feeling. Launched 12 years after the OG took centre stage at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. 5/10
adidas Predator Revenge Accelerator | Completing the Revenge Pack was a model from the Predator series that adidas would re-visit numerous times. A synthetic upper was dropped onto the Predator Instinct soleplate, but the Revenge Accelerator encountered the same problem as the Mania in that the red was a bit off and it was void of stitching, giving it an odd aesthetic. Still, it was a starting point for better things to come. 5/10
adidas Predator Mania Champagne | Raising a glass to one of football's finest, adidas re-released a limited edition Predator Mania Champagne in May 2017. Celebrating 15 years since Beckham wore them at the 2002 World Cup, the re-release once again featured a slightly frustrating synthetic upper. The red was a much better match, mind. Getting closer. 7/10
adidas Predator Precision 2017 | Reaching further back into their prestigious archives adidas pulled out some more magic in September 2017. Opting for the distinctive blue colourway, the Three Stripes delivered their first Precision re-make. This was the turning point in Predator re-releases. This was a boot that stayed as close to the original as possible. One-to-one colour matching from the original on a K-Leather upper and fold-over tongue with velcro strap, and trademark rubber elements. Yes please. 9/10
adidas Predator Accelerator DB | October 2017 saw the arrival of the adidas Predator Accelerator from the adidas x David Beckham Capsule Collection. Launched in limited numbers ahead of the return of the Predator seres in the form of the Predator 18+, the all white vibe was designed by Beckham himself with a knitted mid-cut collar, and based on the Accelerator from 1998. 9/10
adidas Predator Accelerator Electricity 2018 | Returning from the archive with real K-leather and original Accelerator tooling, including rubber shooting fins, the July 2018 edition arrived to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Predator Accelerator. It was essentially the original 1998 Accelerator sat on a streamlined, lightweight soleplate. Just 300 pairs dropped worldwide. 8/10
adidas Predator Accelerator OG 2018 | Just one month later and adidas served up another double shot of nostalgia. The 2018 Predator Accelerator OG was everything the 2014 Revenge Pack should have been. Lift the original upper and stick it on a lightweight soleplate. Done. Take our £300. Go make some more. Only 1998 pairs of these in circulation. Now excuse us for slipping into lucid daydreams of a floppy-haired, baby-faced David Beckham doing seductive, physics-defying things to Mitre footballs. 8/10
adidas '25 Years of Predator' DB Precision | It's 2019, and adidas are celebrating 25 years of the famed Predator series. Seems only right that they would get a man so heavily responsible for the success of the collection involved. Nobody's getting mad at a remake of the boot he wore to score that free-kick against Greece in 2001. 7/10
adidas '25 Years of Predator' ZZ Accelerator | Bringing the Predator remakes up to double digits is a re-release of Zidane's golden Accelerator to celebrate his 1998 Ballon d'Or success. Is this the most complete Predator re-make to date? The longer we look at it the harder it is to argue that. Get that on your mantelpiece. 9/10
Got a favourite? Got any of the collection? Hang on to them. They precious.
