Adidas Predator

Adidas Predator is a range of football boots developed by German sportswear manufacturers, Adidas. The common feature of the Predator range is the presence of rubber patches or strips on the top of the shoe that, according to Adidas, increase power, swerve, and accuracy when kicking the football.

The first Predator boot was launched in 1994 after Craig Johnston, a retired Australian footballer who played for Liverpool, came up with the idea of attaching rubber patches with teeth-like dimples to the outside of the kicking area of the boot in order to allow the wearer to apply extra spin to the ball when passing and shooting. The second Predator boot, the Predator Rapier, very similar to the first, was launched in 1995. Ever since, Adidas has launched a new model every two years to coincide the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Football Championship. The Predator range of boots has placed a particular emphasis on technological innovations in boot technology, while an increased attention to design has allowed increasingly sophisticated marketing strategies.

Adidas' current product line includes two models incorporating Predator technology:
*the Predator PowerSwerve, with a kangaroo leather upper, a two-piece studded outsole and PowerPulse technology in the forefoot. It is available in firm ground (FG) and soft ground (SG) configurations. A model of the boot developed specifically for David Beckham includes an upper made from a lightweight microfibre, in response to protests from the Viva! animal rights group. [cite web |url=http://www.savethekangaroo.com/adidas/beckham.shtml |title=KEEP THE KANGAROO BOOTS OFF BECK'S FEET! |accessdate=2008-01-22 |publisher=Viva! ] [cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/beckham-gets-off-on-the-right-foot/2007/08/10/1186530617052.html |title=Beckham gets off on the right foot |accessdate=2008-01-22 |last=Huck |first=Peter |date=2007-08-11 |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald ]
*Predator Absolado PowerSwerve, aesthetically similar to the Predator PowerSwerve, but without PowerPulse technology.

History of Predator models

For almost every major tournament, a new Predator was released:
* Predator (World)
* Predator Rapier (1995, not released for a major tournament)
* Predator Touch (EURO 1996)
* Predator Accelerator (World Cup 1998)
* Predator Precision (EURO 2000; minor update in 2001 Precision 2)
* Predator Mania (World Cup 2002; minor update in late 2002 'Mania 2')
* Predator Pulse (EURO 2004; minor update in 2005 Pulse 2)
* Predator Absolute (World Cup 2006; Rugby version in November 2006 Absolute Rugby)
* Predator PowerSwerve (EURO 2008; Rugby version in February 2008 Powerswerve Rugby)
* Predator Concept (World Cup 2010; 2 Rugby versions September 2010 Concept Rugby)

The eponymous Predator elements have developed over time. However, the principle behind the project involves attaching rubber strips to the forefoot, in order to increase the acceleration of the ball. Originally, the focus in Predator commercials was on shooting strength, but this gradually changed to focus more on the effect on ball spin and precision.

The first Predators were also available without Predator elements under a different name. While the Predators were made of black Kangaroo-Leather with white stripes and red elements, the equivalent boots without Predator technology were black with white stripes and blue accents. However, the Precision equivalent was black and white only, while the Supernova (Predator Mania without the Predator elements) was black with either silver or gold heel caps and stripes.

The Predator Touch meant a change in many ways. It featured the Traxion (trx) studs, which were rectangular and anatomically placed. Before, studs had always been round. For professional players who preferred the old studs, Adidas produced special Predators with a different outsole. However, these were not made available publicly.

The Predator Rapiers also were the first Adidas soccer boots available in different colours. Up to then, Adidas soccer boots had always been made out of black leather. The Rapid, however, was also (as a limited series) available in white and red. The same is true for the following two models. Beginning with the Mania, Adidas started to produce its Predator boots in countless colour variants. Moreover, one color was called David Beckham's style.

The Predator Precision introduced replaceable Traxion studs that were fitted by the tightening of a minute screw. These studs were available in various lengths that made the boot adjustable to ground conditions as is possible with the classic screw-in soft-ground studs. There were however some reliability problems, as the studs would come loose quite often, thus needing more constant maintenance than the classic screw-ins.

Predator Mania was released to coincide with the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea and came in various colour schemes in addition to the traditional black/red/white design. These included the 'Champagne' which was a champagne white colour, a 'Lunar' which was a pearl like white, and also candy red. These were available in the XTRX blades for soft ground use which came with a stud key and could be loosened or tightened at the owners comfort and also the red firm ground blades for hard surfaces. These were not detachable and came fixated to the boot. Problems with the reliability of the XTRX blades meant a revised version was released in late 2003 'Mania 2' which incorporated minor changes to the layout and design of the studs. In addition to this with the revision Adidas also released the boots with traditional screw in studs which were previously only available to professional players who had the boots custom designed by Adidas. The final revision of this boot came with the release of the HG (Hard Ground) sole which was the same as the FG except the studs were black instead of red and were joined up and more robust with the boots intended to be used on 3rd generation and synthetic surfaces. These were only released in small numbers primarily in the North American market and are rare in Europe. Special custom designs were also released in Japan and Korea to coincide with the world cup including a Blue leather version and others with small variations to the sole colouring and design.

With the success of the Mania in 2002 Adidas launched a cheaper alternative of the boot called the Manic. This featured all the key characteristics of the Mania boot but with small cosmetic differences. A cheaper and inferior leather was used in comparison the Manias kangaroo skin leather, also there was a difference in the size and length of the tongues on each boot compared to the Mania and the achillies protector on the heel was less prominent. Differences in the studs and colouring of the under sole are also evident although the differences can be hard to notice at a glance the Manics are often mistaken for Manias even though the RRP of the Manics was £60 opposed to the £120 of the Manias with the difference in build quality being significant.

With the increase in quality of leather, general comfort and added durability the Predator Mania FG is widely considered to be the peak of the Predator range. With the line discontinued in late 2003 the boot has long been out of stock however 2nd hand prices for the boots still dwarf the original £120 RRP when the boots were new, giving testament to the popularity and demand for the boots some six years later.

PowerPulse technology was introduced in the Predator Pulse in late 2003, and was continued with the Predator Absolute in November 2005. The PowerPulse sockliner shifts the boot’s centre of gravity closer to the point of impact, allowing more powerful shots on goal.

The Predator PowerSwerve (launched November 2007) saw this time around the introduction of hi-tech foam, used in the Predator element to allow more rebound power, more swerve and improved control through longer contact with the ball.Football legend Zinédine Zidane helped to develop the new Predator PowerSwerve boot. After ending his active career, he worked together with the adidas innovation team (a.i.t) in the further evolution of the new boot.Scientific tests have shown that, in comparison to its predecessor, the Predator PowerSwerve can achieve up to eight percent more swerve and increase the power behind every shot by around three percent. The Dynamic PowerPulse technology in the sole of the boot and the special hi-tech foam in the forefoot upper material make these improvements possible. The PowerPulse element filled with tungsten powder, which shifts weight toward the point of impact, enables players to put more power behind every shot.

The development of the Powerswerve Special (a rugby version) continued the tradition. A wider last in the boot, and rugby hybrid studs were added, along with many other features.

References