If you want a boot with all the tech you can get, then the Phantom GTs are the ones for you. The GT stands for the less exotic sounding; "Generative Texture", Nike's rival to Adidas' demonskin. How does it stack up? Personally the feel of the boot from the off, you can't really see if it can have the same impact as the glorious Demonskin spikes. But some people say the spikes fall off the Predators, so the GT could be the middle ground. Grip with not durability issues.
In real terms, out on the turf, I'm not 100% sure I felt a difference, it wasn't like the Predator. But it's easy to then turn around and forget about everything that is super about this boot.
FIT: Overall a great fit, they do feel tight much like any of the new boots but that's a sign of the times. Many people say that the Phantom GT is a larger boot, good if you're wider footed so something to bare in mind. I'm average sized and didn't think at any point that this negated the lockdown. My preference was to go True-to-Size but 1/2 a size down is an option for even tighter lockdown without too much sacrifice in comfort. I'm size 10, and I have average width feet. I've tried size 9.5, 10 and 10.5. Size 9.5 was a vacuum feel, so definitely do-able if you like an ultra tighter fit, they need a bit of wearing in though and pinched a little.
Remember synthetic materials don't wear in much too, so if its feeling painful after 5-10mins of walking round your house, they are too tight. Size 10 I had a bit more give but they were still tight, but I like that in boots, I think they need to be tighter than your usual walking trainers. 10.5, in my opinion was a little too large for me but in length only, the toe box became superfluous, they are workable but you lose a lot of the barefoot feel that you're ultimately looking for in boots. 10.5 were just about right for the Academy level though, which I'll review later, as the padding is thicker for the overall boot.
I have 2 pairs of the Phantom GT. Size 10 in the black and pink blast. Size 9.5 in the black and chile red. They both fit fine. It's literally performance vs comfort with GTs. The smaller boots feel better playing football, the larger, feel more comfortable playing football.
The Pro level of the Phantom GT AG is great value for money, coming in around £70-80. I've tried the Elite level and can't justify the £150 price tag. They both have flyknit upper tongues and ankle collars, which I quite like and the GT is negligible on the whole series in my opinion. Once you drop down to Academy level, everything takes a big hit, I'd say it's a different boot completely, so you can't compare them fairly.
Comfort-wise, these were nice. But it did take a game to wear them in. So don't get too downhearted if you're not 100% comfortable straight out of the box, you won't be dancing ballet as soon as they are delivered. Newer synthetic plastic based boots, do need wearing in, but at the same time, they don't need more than a couple of games.
The stud config of these Nike cleats is nice tho. They are low and evenly distributed, so your weight distribution is balanced, as a result there is less pressure points on your soles, which is what causes discomfort during a match. The studs aren't aggressive either, so lower risk of twisting your ankles, but the flipside is that you can't anchor yourself to sprint as much, these boots are perfect if your a midfielder as the touch is sweet and manoeuvrability is king. Nike widened the boot from previous iterations so that has improved the comfort factor too. They don't squeeze the mid foot as much as Adidas boots and don't cram you into an ill-fitting toebox like the Nike Mercurial silo.
Going further regarding the sole plate, for the Elite and Pro, they are substantially different from the Academy level boot. The mid sole has a thin bar (see pics below) so when you're stepping off or running, the flexibility is really good, compared to a plate which covers your whole sole. I like it and see it as a step up in boot design.
Overall these boots are really good. Comfort-wise, they can feel a tight at the beginning but stick with them and you're getting a modern boot with all the tech you could need for a game, for me, I felt my game improved at the cost of a little comfort. Stick to the Pro level for the best price and quality though. Elites are too pricey for not much gain and Academy tier lose so much of the quality, that you're not really buying a Phantom GT boot.
The GT away, and you still have a boot with a nice touch, stability is nice and overall comfort is high. It's quite a stripped down boot, it reminds me of wearing a welly, which doesn't sound incredibly flattering, but I mean in the sense that your foot is covered in a raw material. No dead space is filled in the interior with cushioning but your feet feel closer to the action. At it's core, it's an amazing boot, modern, sleek, comfortable, but comfortable for football.
Price: £120
Fit: True to Size or 1/2 a size down for a very tight but comfortable fit
Tech: Generative Texture, 2 piece sole plate.
Comfort: Tight but flexible, not as much padding and comfort but barefoot feel
Look: These look funky. The colourways allow you to tone down, but why?
Rating: 9/10
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