The Predator arrived in the mid-90s, and the Mania, Accelerator and Precisions defined a generation of footballers. Made famous by the likes or Raul, Zidane, Del Piero, Nuno Gomes and David Beckham, the Predator, was more than a boot. It was a culture.
We live in a consumerist society, manufacturers are keen to milk the market dry and the Predator's story is a familiar one. From around 2010-14 the boot design became stale, the design had morphed and had lost it's DNA. The cleat had become a Predator in name only. Adidas discontinued the silo in 2015, many tears were shed.
But wait...
Adidas relaunched it in 2018, the Predator was back. But Adidas hadn't learnt any lessons, what returned, to much fanfare, was a boot, again, that was purely Predator in name.
Cue 2020...and the Predator Mutator 20+ was released.....the world waited with baited breath, was it the return of the beast?
I can safely say, that the Predator is back.
Everything that made the Predator...the Predator was back. Demonskin, had replaced the ridges, and grippy patching. It's new, but it just smacks of the Predator DNA. It's modern and different but it's true to it's past. The Demonskin, derives from the Komodo dragon.....and yes, it's super aggressive.
The low cut version (which everyone was super looking forward to) has less spikes (approx. 200) than the superlative edition which packs in over 400 but it still packs a punch.
You can read about the 20+ tier here: https://footballclubse7en.wixsite.com/fcse7en/post/adidas-predator-mutator-20
This boot delivers the roar of the 20+ but strips it all down by being retrofitted in a low cut design with lacing. A lot of people loved the 20+ but high cut sock boots have struggled to to win many over, personally I welcome any improvements and I can see the benefits, but it's new, so there's gonna be a learning curve.
The 20.1 low cuts, deliver the soul of the Predator in it's truest form. The upper is aggressive and brims with control, it can take you back at first and does require a little acclimatising but once you find your touch, these boots make you feel powerful. You stand taller and every shot just hits the sweet spot.
The sole plate is modern, a 2 piece design which adds flexibility to the mid foot, which I felt the boot needed (we'll get onto that soon) and the flyknit lining around the ankle is tight and provides lockdown as does the heel unit.
BUT....
The fit. Ohhhh the fit. I just feel that Adidas got this wrong. The mid foot is soo tight. To the point of strangulation. Tight boots are nothing new, but if it's all over your foot, I feel the effects are suppressed. The 20.1 suffers from a wide toe box, which I enjoy but the mid foot pinches so badly that its borderline unwearable. It suffers from Copa Gloro syndrome, but to a much lesser extent.
It's important to note that this just requires wearing in, it begins to stretch and become a lot more relaxed over time but you will never lose that slight restriction.
Personally, I can live with it. I have fairly average feet, but this just wouldn't work if you have even slightly wide feet.
It's a shame.
Everything about this boot screams "a classic". The Predator is most certainly back, but it's still a work in progress.
The argument to be had nowadays is how acceptable as consumers do we find the need to wear boots in. In the past we had leather, so out of the box comfort was standard. We've come a long way with synthetic materials now, the trade off is this wearing in period. But when I whacked my Nike Tiempos on, they were comfy on first use. BUT they are leather. Is it something we need to accept, the trade off for this modern tech? Yes and No...
I've said before, personally, I am lucky that the Mutators are the right fit for me. Boots will fall into normal and wide-footed categories, which is sad but it is the way. These are most definitely not for the Yetis. But for me they needed time, which I'm happy to give it.....only because it delivers on so many other fronts. The Copa Gloro just weren't worthy. I wasn't willing to give it time, not when there were no tangible benefits or tech to want me to.
Maybe I'm convincing myself that the aesthetic is enough to forgive the faults in sizing, maybe I'm wishing it away too much. Give it some time is my advice to you and you will be rewarded with an amazing boot. Other boots, I'd mark down severely, because they never get better, but the Predators do and everything else about them is off the charts.
Truthfully, I'm just happy that the Predators are back.
Price: £120
Fit: 1/2 a size up. A whole size if you remotely consider yourself wide footed
Tech: Demonskin, around 250, give you grip & control aplenty. Boss the Game!
Look: These look sick. This is the new Predator, a classic in the making and the colourway is everything the Predator historically stands for.
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