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).
I owned a Speciali IV, and from my experience it is definitely comfortable, holds on to your foot nicely, and light (it sure is if you compare it to Copa). As for durability, I have been abusing mine for a while now, especially in the wet season here in Malaysia, to wreck it and have a reason to buy a new pair of boots, but they are still going strong. The sole however had shown signs of separating at the usual area, and that is after almost one year of usage. It is a quality boot, and with luck, you can get it at a very knocked-down price. For me, Speciali IV is one of the very best open secret. I however do not own a Legend IV, so I cannot compare.