The first step in breaking the stranglehold of the biggest brands is by giving the world a choice. The next step is by making that choice superior to the other options. With the arrival of New Balance boots it's the Visaro that has been enrolled as the lead asset for the brand but what's it got to offer? We lace up to find out. New Balance heritage isn’t just about decades-old craftsmanship, it’s also a celebration of timeless style. Classic New Balance designs have proved to be ageless, but we never stop trying to innovate and take the New Balance aesthetic forward with daring new styles and exciting collaborations. The new Visaro 2.0 focusses on endless creativity. Data driven Hexaprene control and strike zones, an athlete inspired pro form last, and one piece form fitting moccasin construction deliver ultra-precise long and short passing, and game changing invention. There are several key areas of the boot where New Balance has tried to focus on improved comfort. Take for example the soleplate, where they use “Fresh Foam” as part of the Super-Flex design. This is the same style they use in their running shoes, where a foam material is placed between the built-in insole and the soleplate. So you basically have three layers of material between your feet and the ground. To the touch, the insole is very solid, not like other insoles with a spongy feel. There is very little squish to the Fresh Foam design. But, when you actually run on them, the middle layer of foam compresses and reduces the amount of stress under foot.

Football Boots - New Balance Football Boots - New Balance

With that ridged construction in place across the strikezone, it is important to offer thoughts on how they feel striking the ball. To the touch, there is obviously enough material to reduce impact and provide a padded feel. For a boot that weighs in at 7.7oz, that is awfully impressive! I found that in game, you do get a solid feel on the ball with clean connection. Adding such high texturing in a prime area also ensures you have the potential to really get solid spin. NB are using the natural construction of the material for this rather than implementing outside elements and that gives the boot a uniqueness. If you are a player interested in the Visaro and wondering if it is enough of a draw to splash out on a pair, I’d say go for it! This is not a boot that is Predatoresque, but it does provide performance along the lines of the CTR360 and that should be enough! Our expansive collection of New Balance clothing, footwear and accessories is designed to cater to absolutely everyone. Whether you’re looking for serious sporting gear for pro athletes or fashion forward leisurewear to complete your latest look, there’s plenty to explore in the New Balance men’s and the New Balance women’scollections. To the general touch, the upper material has a buttery soft feel. It almost feels like a leather. But, as you bend it you will notice there is a much stiffer feel that you would generally expect from a synthetic. What that means is you will need to wear these a few times to really break the upper down and get them moving in a more unison fashion with your foot. They have a tight feel from day 1 and it is the type of boot you need to break in over a few sessions rather than taking them into game right out of the box. That leaves us with the Visaro, and as I’ve pointed out, there are positives to work with here. We have already seen some of the next generation prototypes that are in testing and we anticipate a much improved end product. Critics Notes The Visaro 2.0 is engineered for creative players who excel in possession, defense-splitting passes, creating space and assisting their teammates. They attain the comfort, stability and control features that are synonymous with the Visaro range. Data driven Hexaprene control and strike zones, an athlete inspired pro form last, and one piece form-fitting moccasin construction deliver ultra-precise long and short passing, and game changing invention. Data driven multi-directional stud placement, an engineered soleplate with lightweight chassis, and Fresh Foam midsole unit all contribute to outstanding dynamic maneuverability and enhanced comfort.Before digging into this review, I think there it is important to go over the release details that New Balance has offered on the silo, as it gives you some in-sight into how they perceive the boots. Then I’ll offer up my slightly different take.

Visaro 2.0 Control FG - New Balance

In general, this is a true to size fitting boots that is very much on par with the market. They do, however, have a slight Puma V-series feel about them with the region around the little toe dipping in at an angle toward the big toe. That is something to watch out for if you like extra space toward the outside of a boot. Starting out, they do feel very snug but as you wear them and the Ariaprene synthetic upper material molds, you get a much more natural fit. The nice thing about the upper is it doesn’t overstretch, so you are left with a very secure fitting boot. The Furon range also come in soft, artificial and indoor ground versions, with and without spikes. Or for a boot that was created solely for artificial surfaces, there’s the Audazo range, which was designed for Futsal and features a lightweight synthetic leather upper for optimum ball control and feel. Plus, a high abrasion toe cap and heel counter give superior durability, so you can stay on your game match after match. NB Football Boots for All Ages The soleplate was dependable, but the FG pattern is a bit short for anybody running around a soggy pitch. On dry surfaces, we never even noticed the studs or had any issues, but this set-up is not made for players that occasionally have to deal with pitches that are watered down right between the FG and SG line. While the Visaro would definitely last a player over a full season, one of our “N” logos on the outside of the boot did start to peel near the end of testing. Only a cosmetic issue, the Visaro definitely doesn’t have any durability issues. When it comes to sizing on the Visaro, we found that the boot fit true to size in terms of the length. However, it isn’t an overly wide boot, but New Balance offers a wide version to anybody that finds most boots to be too narrow for their needs. The Visaro is an impressive boot. New Balance definitely took all their time with Warrior in preparation to make a boot of this calibre, and the brand is certainly moving in the right direction. The thin/slightly padded upper, build, and comfort will make the Visaro find a home with many boot fans that are looking for something new. While a brand needs a solid line-up all around to truly create major change, the Visaro is a good base for New Balance to move forward from. Is this the greatest boot we’ve ever seen? No. Is it the best boot Warrior/New Balance has created in the last decade? Definitely. Would I Buy Them: They are one to consider, especially on sale. But there is nothing special about them that sets them apart as a must have.There are positives to take from this boot, including the suede like inner lining that holds your foot firmly in place. I’m a big fan of this. But, comfort wise I was left wanting more from the Visaro, most notably in the general feel of the upper material. Data driven multi-directional stud placement, an engineered soleplate with lightweight chassis, and FreshFoam midsole unit all contribute to outstanding dynamic maneuverability and enhanced comfort. The new Visaro will hit the pitch for the first time during the upcoming weekend of Premier League fixtures. Highlight: An updated “creator” boot that features foam through the upper in specifically designated regions for improved control and strike power.

New Balance Visaro II K Leather FG - Mens Soccer Cleats New Balance Visaro II K Leather FG - Mens Soccer Cleats

Something else important to note is that the insole is glued in place, so it is not removable. It is a pretty impressive insole with plenty of spring and a very comfortable feel. You also get the positive of knowing it won’t move right through wear. But, if you use an insert, make sure to keep this in mind. You will essentially be placing personal insert on a padded insole, resulting in what will be a tighter fit right across the upper. The Furon provides the best boot for ‘destructive’ players, New Balance’s Global Product Manager Rob Ashcroft tells us. If your game is about being ‘forward facing, scoring goals and winning the game’ then this is the boot that New Balance have aimed your way. Fast-paced play and beating your man are also standout attributes of the Furon-wearing player. Creativity, control, distribution and dictating the play – these are the key aspects of your game if the Visaro boot is for you. The materials and torque (pressure points) are designed to facilitate the playmaking parts of your game. It’s an interesting idea to have boots tailored to positions and roles on the pitch, but what do poor goalkeepers and defenders go for? The material New Balance use through the upper is a synthetic with areas of foam placed underneath. Each individual area has been researched and developed through testing, ensuring you get a different feel from whatever region of the boot you are using to strike the ball. First thing to note here is that New Balance has got the zones right on this boot. They have absolutely nailed the areas down and used perfect amounts of foam material in the areas where they are needed most. And I love the process they undertook to determine individual regions, where Aaron Ramsey wore white boots and performed different types of passes/shots using soccer balls covered in colored paper. The colors coated the different regions of the boot, giving them the opportunity to label each region. If anything, this is a modified CTR360 Maestri style, with softer foam along the instep for controlling passes and a firmer region through the strike zone for getting extra pop on shots. We know that New Balance took over Warrior Sports, but what does that mean in terms of boots and the type released to market? Realistically, it should only be a minor rebrand with NB finding areas where Warrior might have shown weakness. Warrior actually did a very decent job during their short time on the market. Although they didn’t break into the upper echelons of sales, they did leave players considering their boots and talking about them. While stepping in, NB should have considered that, looked at numbers and tweaked what was needed. That is the theory of it anyway.

In a lot of online places, the upper is actually referred to as “moccasin”, but that is not entirely true. Moccasin refers to the use of a leather upper, but here the upper is a synthetic. So, New Balance are referring to style rather than materials. What they are trying to emphasize is the fact the style is a 1-piece upper (with no stitching) and the fit mimics a moccasin shoe where the sole is soft and flexible and the upper is intended to stand out. Highlight: A fresh market option from New Balance, designed to offer players creative freedom. A heavily textured upper provides increased cushion and control on the ball. My experience with them was like this. In a standing position, there is a pretty solid feel to the sole. It is almost like standing on a wooden board. But, as you run on them you don’t have the same feel, as the foam starts to compress in stride. It worked well, but not as well as other insoles, like for example what Under Armour have on offer. Here, New Balance rely on something that is proven for runners. But, running insoles are not what soccer players need, especially where increased cuts and turns on grass is concerned! What’s so special about New Balance? Perhaps the most important thing - the characteristic we aim to preserve in everything we do – is heritage. Independent since 1906, we empower people through sport and craftmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. Every New Balance trainer and item of New Balance clothing is the product of time-honoured principles that will never fail to stand the test of time. Along the inner regions, four studs feature a polygon shape, while the studs on the outer side match the feel studs with a triangular shape. There is also a jagged tooth right on the front lip to help grab the surface as you cut. When broken in, they worked well on AG and FG surfaces. So, the actual configuration is pretty solid. How do they Fit?