Mizuno Morelia Neo

Rating: 

Twelve months ago, we only had one lightweight kangaroo leather boot on the market and, if anything, the adiPure IV SL was a concept model above all else. Today, though, the market is swimming with lightweight kangaroo leather boots, and among them is the Mizuno Morelia Neo/ It has floated under the radar a little when it comes to player uptake but they are currently on the feet of Hulk and Alan Dzagoev, two of the most wanted players on the market at the moment.

Other / Jordon EnglishThe Mizuno Morelia Neos are worn by two of Europe's most in-demand players: Alan Dzagoev and Hulk

DESIGN: 4.5/5

The Morelia range is going through a development stage at the moment as it's had to contend with the other lightweight boots on the market. It's difficult for Mizuno to maintain their traditional look with this new concept and their green colourway is a bit too bright for my taste, however the white/black/red colourway is a bit more conservative and sits better with the traditional Morelia. The Morelia Neo doesn't rise very much from the laces and the cut is about 0.5-1 cm shorter at the ankle than the Puma PowerCat 1.12; it gives the impression that the boot is down to its bare bones and certainly screams 'speed'.

COMFORT: 4/5

The old Morelia is known for its supreme levels of comfort, but with Mizuno shaving about 110 grams off the Morelia MD to create the Morelia Neo (280g to about 170g), it's near impossible for the boot to keep the same levels. While the break-in period for the boots was pretty smooth sailing (blister free for me), once you use them over a relatively lengthy period, the sockliner gets worn out and thin. Now there is only a little bit of padding offered by the sockliner that protects me from the hard base underneath. Besides that, it is a pretty comfortable though. The upper offers a nice snug fit and the aforementioned low cut has no affect on the comfort. It beats the synthetic miCoach adiZero in the comfort stakes plus several other speed boots I've reviewed. In terms of sizing, these fit true to size. It may feel a little (and I stress, only a little) loose around the toes, but you should still be okay.

PERFORMANCE: 3.5/5

What I like about the Morelia Neo is that it's simple, traditional and untouched. A lot of the sub-200g boots on the market come with strange stud configurations or over-the-top technology, but with the Mizuno Morelia Neo, what you see is what you get. Over-engineering the stud shape and can spectacularly fail but by sticking to the conical stud approach, it ensures that the pressure is distributed evenly and prevents traction issues. The upper has been slimmed down to reduce the weight of the boot, and I think it could be the thinnest leather upper I've ever seen. While this means dribbling is a delight because you feel so close to the ball, you are obviously sacrificing protection at the same time. However, the contact with the ball is outstanding, it's not like the thinner upper hurts your foot when you kick the ball - from 30-yard driven passes to finishes with finesse, you can do it all in the Morelia Neo. The upper provides such a clean kicking surface, plus the satisfaction you get from kicking in a K-Leather boot is something that you'll never achieve with synthetic leather.

VALUE: 3.5/5

The boots that are in direct competition with the Mizuno Morelia Neo are the Puma King SL, Tiempo Legend IV Elite, KL EvoSpeed and the K-Leather Pele Sports Trinity. The Morelia Neo retails for £150, which is the same as the Puma King SL and the KL EvoSpeed. It's a competitive price, plus it comes in with a boot bag. But while you can look around and get the Puma King SL for less than £150 (especially the launch colourway), the Mizuno Morelia Neo isn't going to be discounted any time soon.

Other / Jordon EnglishYou will have to part with arounf £150 to get yourself a pair of the Morelia Neos

In terms of durability, leather generally brings longevity. But if you're wearing a 170g boot, there's always going to be an issue. While they have been solidly built and Mizuno has a fantastic reputation for durability, you'll need to keep off the synthetic turf and look after them well (i.e. use leather food, wash them after each outing etc) if they are to last the whole season and beyond. However, the quality cannot be denied, you're going to have to go a long way to find such a lightweight boot that can match the Mizuno Morelia Neo.

OVERALL: 4/5

There was a massive storm of excitement when the Mizuno Morelia Neo was revealed to be weighing in at 170g, and in my eyes, it has delivered. The upper, while very thin and potentially susceptible to poor durability, is unique and offers an amazing feel for the ball. The conical stud configuration offers no traction issues, while the Pebax soleplate does a good job of keeping the weight of the boot down. Maintaining the tradition of the Morelia through the K-Leather upper, clean looks and conical studs, this is certainly an impressive football boot.