Nike Thread [19] - Post all info, pics & questions here!

When

When is the release date for these on soccer.com?

 

"As recommended by Scunthorpe's reserve centre forward".

 

Wish I could find a pair of those 2.1 Merc's in my size...

 

wish they would. was lucky enough that the shop i went to only had them in half a size smaller than my usual size. haha

 

What size are you mate I can try and help

 

Size US 9... Would love to try and get my hands on a pair.

 

I remember seeing an ad for the mercurial 2.1 with Ronaldo dressed for a Safari hunt! Anyone can find it / remember is?

 

Which ones were these??

 

Since I've only been in the boot loving game for a few years, my favourites would have to be the IV's, as Dr.B said, the IV SL's though. I think the IV's had better colour ways for me than any boot I've seen released as a series and the black carbon fibre was just a wickedly mean looking addition! Add on to the fact, and I'm waiting for David89 to chime in here, that they used pine green (hands down besides black, my favourite boot colour ever), top notch boot for me anyway.

 

These: http://korki.com.pl/photos/korki-lanki-nike-mercurial-2-1-roz-43-44-5-45-1662815959.jpg
It says something like, Ronaldo hunting for goals or something like that...awesome stuff!!

And yes, the Mercurial 2.1 had a fantastic outsole and great upper.
I still prefer the III tho, especially the Zinc/Tart really molded on my foot after a short while. I love that snug slightly restricted feel, it seems to contain my feet better than K leather.
The yellow heel foam worked nicely although it seemed to fall apart pretty quickly along with that useless carbon fiber piece in the midf0ot. Also the cement that secured the heel studs to the plate starts to fail after a while making the whole cleat quite unstable.
Nike lost me with the Vapor IV. Never liked it esthetically, hated the cover over the laces and size wise it felt different.
Now the IX are definitely growing on me, the FG pattern performs ok on turf, the chassis seems very compact (more than the IIIs) and the upper fits great and is very soft.

The other alternative I've had were the Air Legend. Loved the fit of the Air Legend I. Upper was very nice, could feel and strike the ball perfectly, seams over the toebox fail quickly tho. I liked the deep conical studs in the front and blades in the heel, always good traction.
Air Legend II was pretty similar to the previous model but the upper didn't fit as nicely as the other and it felt a bit more boxy. Definitely a step down.
Tiempo (III) this is where Nike lost me and I stopped getting Tiempos. I bought a pair of Tiempo Elites. Right out of the box they felt like useless Chinese knockoffs. Assembled terribly, they felt even worse, the K-lite upper was the worst I've ever had. I bought them the same size I've always had in the older models and now it was incredibly tight and short. I sold them on the bay.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Yetk1w-gY

Ronaldo hunts goals great shout!!

My winner is always the airport though : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YePFGhCC7ro

So……Nike released the original Mercurial (117214 FG) in Black/Pearl/Comet Red with a long tongue and long tab on the back. The tab was removed for the Hyper Blue/White/Black pair he wore whilst at Inter and then the Silver/Varsity Blue/Varsity Maize R9. These two colourways also features a smaller swoosh. Ronaldo wore the Hyper Blue/White/Black and the Silver/Varsity Blue/Varsity Maize with short tongues and his R9 logo. Both types with the tab and not carried the same product code

The Mercurial 2 then came out in Black/Pearl/Varisty Royal (117298 FG) with the above advert and as part of the Alpha project. First commercial use of the short tongue. They did make slight changes to the last using the 'Nike Fit', the toe box and heel counter, although the heel material stayed the same as 'leather' based. The soleplate seemed to be more flexible and one piece moulded, where as the originals i believe had the stud sections layered on the soleplate. Also it had a fixed printed label under the tongue instead of hanging tag if that makes sense.

The Mercurial R9 followed (117314 FG), strangely called the Mercurial R9 when really it should have been a Merc 2.1 R9 taking into account its product code and tech! It took all of the changes above and then changed the inner heel material to almost a soft touch coating, which actually over time peeled but was much better than the original ones. It also features a spotted soleplate which was different to any of the others in colourway style to all of the other original mercurial. I have these boots in the original black/red boxes and the silver box from 2.1 and match mercurial……….odd

Then the mercurial 2.1 was a reissue of the original Black/Pearl/Comet Red colourway but with a small swoosh and small tongue, it carried the same product code as the 2’s (117298). It continued with the leather inner heel and really should have just been called a mercurial 2 as the product code was the same as the 2's! Think nike just had some naming issues back in the day!!

Finally a 2.1 reissue was done of the original R9 Silver/Varsity Blue/Varsity Maize I believe through Eurosport but need that clarifying. It carried all of the updates above, updated soleplate and new heel material. So basically the same boot at the Black/White R9 but with an ‘original colourway style’ striped soleplate. Although amazingly it carried the (117298) product code!

Potted history of Merc pre Match Merc.

So in short you want to wear the best Merc go for the ‘2.1’ R9 Black/white, as they are the only ones you’ll find for a decent price. The 2.1 Silver/Varsity Royal/Varsity Maize are impossible to find and ridiculously expensive.
If i was at home i'm check the manufacturing dates to make sure i'm nailed on with timing but its not far off

 

Sorry for the double post wouldnt let me edit
Merc 1 1997/98
Merc 2 99
Merc R9 2000
Merc 2.1 reissues 2001 (some manufactured later than Match mercurials)

 

Haha so funny you say that. I remember scoffing at the original blue/black mercurials thinking they were gross and years later I now love them! The plain black soleplate on them is so slick.
I'd love to have some 2.1 r9 silver/blue in my size to wear but can't find any, only got some new in a bigger size.
I wore the black/white r9 and 2.1 black/red to death. I picked up the later a few years after release in some discount shop for £30, I was ecstatic!
Love the SpeedTract just wish they had continued the match mercurial for a bit longer, ronaldos injuries at the time didn't help not did the emergence of the vapor! The match's were so light but still comfortable and the tacky 'touch' material was just about at the right level

 

I wish I could double or triple rep.
Ronaldo is my hero end of, theres no one i would rather watch when he was in his prime and it was such a shame the amount of injuries he had. To snap 2 patella tendons is unheard of and how he managed to recover was unbelievable. I was almost shedding a tear watching Nikes #pra sempre fenomeno video. I used to have a sticker on my window, it was like a little speech about how quick he was and a mercurial talent. Wish i still had it. I do however still own a massive shop window front sign of him from about 98/99 ill have to try and get a pic someday soon.

I think he started wearing the Grey/Red Vapor at the start of the 02 WC, and when Nike saw he was back on form and Brazil were going great guns they cracked out the Chrome/Limes in the semi's.
I still wear a pair of Black/Chrome's now and they are awesome so light but also structurally sound.

 

Yeah I've seen a pair of cinder R9's before but only a non descript picture. I've seen a grey/red sg proper studded pair in a guys collection and all of the things you speak of on the match worn r9's are spot on. I've got one boot here which was made as a sample pre World Cup of the chrome lime and its signed by him. I've attached a pic. It doesn't have the r9 logo on but like you said they didn't know who to use for it and Henry at other points did wear the 'stock' chrome/lime with TH on the tongue. I didn't know about Totti being a possibility but I did know about Figo and ronaldinho, was a great Brazilian team though!
The ones that were made for Ronaldo though were a different chrome if that makes sense more of a mirror finish its amazing when you see them in the flesh! I have some stock pairs now but never had them back in the day I wouldn't have been able to afford them at Uni!!
You're right tho everything fell into place perfectly and it seems at every World Cup he had a blinder and I've never been more happy than in 02 for him coming back from everything to show his true class!
CR and Messi have a long way to go to match his achievements as mental as that might sound to some people. Ronaldo @ Barcelona as a young lad was just irrepressible.

 

You guys need to stop. *sniff* I miss the big guy already.

To take things aside, I'm curious that the Legend Elites never made it to anyone's top 5 or Any honourable mentions. I thought it was a really great boot, leather was pretty nice (not Morelia nice though) but the fly wire really made it tight to your foot and feel abit like a speed boot. Just wondering, what are some criticisms of the atiempo 4 Elites for you?

 

Those REAL chrome ones, with te Ronaldo tape...wow!!! So shiney! I too remember looking at those boots...and thinking...maybe I should switch to Nikes?

Never happened though. I actually burnt out of soccer going into college...my dark years.

Ronaldo was my hero though; remember watching him beat Bolivia livei n the final of the Copa America 97' when he was at his BEST! He tore mexico a new a hole, and essentially any team he played then. They beat Peru I think 6-0? That's insane!

Beat them like they were Venezuela.

I picked up my little 'moves' growing up because of him. I'd look at any video clips I could download to copy what he did lol. Wish they had youtube back then....

 

The only thing that made the legend IV elites not amazing was the fit, people where either half a size too small or half a size too big

 

Well I was very surprised that no one mentioned the Super Ligera!

 

Me who remember them running small...