Why the devil was the first thread locked? I can just picture a hunchbacked, beetle-type man behind his computer, getting his rocks off, by blocking some healthy discussion. What are you mods paid by Nike? Didn't like my comments on the Tiempo Legend IV? I speak the Truth and Seek Truth, in all areas of life, so please do not censor intellectual discussion. Hello fellow boot enthusiasts, I am a 3-year-wearer of the Mizuno Morelia MiJ. Love them, and will stay with them until they are discontinued. Wore Copas all of my years before that. However two years ago, on a whim, I decided to try the Nike Tiempo Legend 4. It was in-between finding another pair of Morelias (they are pricey). After observing a certain Ebay auction with a hunter's eye, I was able to score the Tiempo IV's for $50! Not bad. So I tried them out in many pickup games. They are casual to slightly-competitive depending on which group I play with. For about 6 months. I concluded that the Legend IV's were garbage IMHO. No matter how tight I would tie them, they would get loose after about 15 minutes of play. Twisted my ankle Very Badly three times within the 6 months. That had never happened in 10+ years with the trusty Copa Mundial. The Tiempo's would get loose, coupled with the rear Blade area of the soleplate getting caught in the ground at high speeds, causing my ankle to twist sometimes. Or my ankle would just Twist during a quick turn because they had gotten loose. The touch was very good at least. That could not redeem them however. They had an aura of Chinese cheapness. The laces would sharply dig into my feet, because of how tight they had to be tied, simply to semi-grip my foot. They felt cheap. After my third twisted ankle I violently threw them into the trash can, and spit on them while they were surrounded by rubbish. It was dramatic. Screw them. Anyway, on to the main question: I am at another crossroads where I want to get a backup pair of boots, and experiment simultaneously. An opportunity to get the Umbro Speciali 4, for cheap, has come my way. I am considering them. I have heard that they are a better fit than the Tiempo Legend IV, due to the A-frame design and an extra lace hole at the very top of the boot. Is this true? Any experienced users? Or are they simply a re-branded Legend IV? Or maybe, just another cheap-Chinese boot not worth considering. If anyone has tried both of them out, or used both the Morelia MiJ and Speciali 4, please write your thoughts down on this thread. It will be greatly appreciated. I have a feeling that the Indonesian Morelia would be a much better backup option but those are too expensive to justify, more than double the cost of the Umbro Speciali 4 that I can get. The main thing I am searching for is: a similar touch to the Copa, a good tight fit on the foot (that doesn't get too loose during the game), comfort, and a decent lifespan of at least 6 months ( I play once a week in pickup games that last about 1.5 hours every time).
Here at Bigsoccer you should try to post in threads that already exist. Re-post this in the general boot thread
Yea! Fight the man! That'll show them! All general questions go here: http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads...-pictures-on-any-boot-brand-here-pls.1995078/ But I really don't understand why you don't just buy a pair of Copas?
Copas are heavy and slow me down after about 30 minutes into a game. They restrain your quickness IMHO, although the touch is sublime. That precious 2 ounces of lighter weight in the Morelia really makes a difference. A player can make quicker moves, run faster, and not feel fatigue so early. Weight is a weapon. Furthermore the Copas have a stiff soleplate that leaves me sore for a few days after playing. Especially in the knees, ligaments, and ankles.
You are a marketers dream! Assuming you weigh 80kg that extra 100grams of wearing Copa's = 0.125% of your total weight. You will not physically notice any difference. Edit: by all means don't choose the boot on other reasons but it winds me up when people worry about a difference in weight the same as a packet of crisps
What does a human's total body weight have to do with this? The weight is concentrated on your foot. When you are walking in Timberland boots do you feel as agile and light-footed as you do when barefoot? The difference is around 12 ounces, but the experience is black and white. The difference here is less drastic but definitely there. Ever switched from a light, plastic, digital watch on your wrist, to a Rolex? You feel the weight, although supposedly small, in the area of your body and it has an affect. I have been playing for many years, and notice the lightness between Morelia's and Copa's. It is very clear and present. Stepovers, jogging for long periods, last-minute flick passes, etc are all easier in the Morelia. My stamina lasts longer. In general the game of football opened up to me after the change. Weight does make a big difference in boots, 1 ounce, maybe not, but 2 ounces did make a clear difference.
OK, I'll bite. I wear a watch every few days when office based. I can honestly say no the weight does not have an affect. I don't find it more strenuous to drink a coffee, change gear or wipe my ass because the additional weight is so irrelevant. 50 grams (2oz) is such a small difference between boots. You must be playing at a high level to notice it! Maybe ask your nutritionist before the game if they can increase your calorie intake to compensate for this. I do think there may be a psychological difference. In your head you feel quicker and stronger in the Morelia's. But in reality you can do your stepovers et al just as well in a pair of Copas, Kings or Vapors.
Ok well the watch may have been a bad example. In football you are lifting your leg a thousand times while running in a game. Something slightly heavier on that part of your body will start to slow you down. Doing a stepover, with Copa's, 1 hour into a game, requires Strain and Effort for me vs. the Morelia. I can barely do stepovers period in Copa's. These are the real physics that I feel while playing. In fact, I wish it was all in my head, because Copa's are cheaper and much easier to find than Japanese Morelia's. You have your opinion. If Copa's gave me the same quickness, agility, speed, and stamina then I wouldn't be posting on this thread. For over 10 years I was dedicated to them. However the two faults mentioned earlier caused me to change. Their weight and flexibility. It is a shame, because they are built like a bullet-proof Mercedes Benz E-300 from 1991. German made and solid. One of my pairs lasted for 5 years of continuous play. However IMHO they do slow you down, it becomes harder to lift your feet up while the game progresses. It is true that companies push the Weight concept too far. However it is a valid aspect of a football boot. Weight is a weapon. How can I be a "marketer's dream" if my only boots have been: Adidas Copa Mundial, Lotto Stadio (Made in Italy), Mizuno Morelia MiJ, and Nike Tiempo Legend IV? The Nike was an experiment btw. The Morelia would in fact be considered "eccentric" and non-commerical to me. Where I play in the Southwest United States, have only seen one other player with them, in 15+ years. All my life: solid, kangaroo leather, Black, good boots. No neon plastic, no Blades that get caught in the ground and rip your ankles apart....or amputate other player's calves when you slide into them, etc. Anyway I appreciate this discussion it is very fun for me.
Hmm... following above discussion I have a different perspective. My perspective probably comfort IMHO, like when you carrying a backpack a heavier load will feels lighter when you have a good backpack with good padding and a good structure in your back, even with the same backpack and the same heavy load it will feels lighter and easy to carry with a good structure of packing (where you should put the heaviest content and the lightest one). So IMHO people have different foot structure, whatever shoes that fit in size and shape will feels lighter makes our foot easy to move or loonger to use, but weight is sure is will show its self probably when we use it in endurance test or in a time that is not normal 3 or 4 times longer perhaps. My example is Mercurial series in my experience I felt much better playing with Veloce or miracle series rather than vapor, it feels much comfort on those series since what i feel about vapor is (which is lighter and shpuld be more comfortable) the weight to power ration doesnt distributed very well on my feet. Thank You.
You do make very good points. The boots I own are of the same ilk as yourself. A couple of MiJ Morelia's, Copas and beat up Kings. We will have to agree to disagree as every player will have there own views. (I'm less grouchy now I've had a coffee! [emoji6] )
While I'll agree that the MIJ Morelia is a slightly superior boot to the Copa, your reasoning for the rant is absurd. If you truly think the grams make a difference to you on the level you are describing you need to get physically stronger. When I close this for wasting space, don't start another one.