Now branded the ‘Predator Mania’, the new boot is said by the German sports brand to provide more swerve, increased accuracy and improved power transfer. A new stud configuration and new placement of an improved rubber compound enables the Predator Mania to outperform all earlier versions of the boot.

Other innovations include an external heel counter that creates a new anatomical shape for improved foot support, plus a cutaway design that reduces Achilles tendon stress. In tests conducted by adidas, the design exhibited an optimum performance-weight ratio, enhancing levels of stability while also ensuring levels of protection levels for the wearer. The aesthetic appeal of the boot is enhanced by its unique asymmetrical design, plus a three-stripe spiral that extends from heel to toe.

A key aspect of the Predator Mania is the level of spin control it affords the wearer. The more spin that is transmitted to the ball during a shot, the more rotations (per second) the ball will make, and the greater the swerve of the ball will be. In extensive trials undertaken at the adidas boot laboratory, swerve levels were carefully determined by measuring the amount of ball rotations per second.

As the Predator Mania hits the ball, the boot’s revised and re-configured rubber material makes a succession of contacts, thereby transferring energy and amplifying the spin on the ball. This specially placed and newly developed rubber material performs equally well under all weather and pitch conditions, consistently amplifying the grip between boot and ball. As a result, the player is able to strike with pinpoint accuracy, swerving shots with increased velocity and 1.48% more rotations per second.

With the introduction of the Predator Mania, adidas has also taken the opportunity to redesign the sole, which is now formed in two parts for reduced weight. The result is a boot that is more flexible and better to run, jump, stop and tackle in.