As far as sizing goes, the Absolion definitely fits true to size in the length, and I was able to wear my usual size 9US with no problems, but keep in mind that these definitely do fit on the narrow side.
The overall fit and feel of the shoe is somewhat on the bulky side, mainly due to the stiff sole, the synthetic tongue and the striking element. The Absolion weighs in at an average 10oz, which is not heavy by any means, but is significantly more than the adiPower, which weighs in at 7. It is clear that the extra weight is gained in the soleplate, but like I said earlier, they offer a much stiffer, more solid feel than the adiPower, which is alright with me.
The stud pattern on the Absolion is nearly identical to that of the adiPower, minus the central stud in the forefoot, which is swapped out for two bladed studs. So, essentially what you have is the standard Predator Traxion stud pattern that has been on the last couple of Predators, as well as the last four adiPures. It is one of those stud patterns that has stuck around for so long simply because it is very reliable.
It offers a solid amount of grip, is very stable and performs well on a variety of surfaces. It is also a stud pattern that can be used on turf, but keep in mind that the studs are a little on the longer side. The stud pattern also does a very good job of gripping when planting your foot for a strike. As I have already described, the overall feel of the Absolion is very bulky.
The main reason for this has to be the striking element, which just seems to feel very thick, and because of how the shoe fits, the striking element ends up being positioned more on the instep rather than the top of the of the foot. The forefoot of the shoe offers a leather touch, but the instep and outstep of the shoe just feels fairly cheap to be honest, almost like plastic. This is the first Predator in a while to not offer the classic Adidas bladed stud pattern.
Adidas has instead opted to change all of their shoe lines to variations on the adizero stud pattern, which is the most popular shoe in the line. With all of that aside, the LZ offers a stud pattern that is nearly identical to that of the adizero line.
The studs are all triangular shaped, offering somewhat of a combination feel between blades and conical studs. The stud pattern is best suited for firm to slightly softer ground, simply because the studs are slightly on the longer side, and because of the larger surface area of the studs, they will not penetrate the ground unless the ground is a little softer.
Given that the conditions are right, the stud pattern performs and feels very good. It offers plenty of grip when pushing off for a sprint, which is great. This is a stud pattern that is definitely usable on turf, but again, I do find the studs to be a little on the long side. While no shoe is going to improve your control, or any skill based attribute for that matter, if you are looking at the Absolado as a budget version of the high-end Predator LZ, than you may be disappointed.
The top end Predator LZ is all about grip on the ball, which is achieved through various rubber strips positioned in the most commonly used parts of the foot. On the Absolado, all of the zones are there visually, but in terms of feel on the ball, have next to no impact when making touches on the ball. Instead of five Lethal Zones, you get one.
To go through them quickly, the zone on top of the foot, the first touch zone, as well as the dribble zone, located on the outside of the foot, are pretty much just paint.
There are slight indentations in the upper for each strip in the zones, but instead of rubber, all you get is paint, which adds nothing in terms of feel on the ball. They have texture to them, but add nothing the way of grip, and have no major impact on the feel of the boot. The only zone that remains is the Pass Pad, located on the instep of the shoe.
You'd struggle to pin-point the exact differences that qualify the Predator LZ as a top-end boot. For many footballer's, it's easy to fall into the trap of becoming a 'boot-snob' we've been guilty of that ourselves!
But nowadays turning a blind eye to any take-down football boots would be a mistake. As the adidas Predator Absolado LZ shows, entry-level boots are no longer just wannabe look-a-likes. While the construction between the two is impressively similar, if you're a strong believer in boot technology then this is where the Absolado understandably falls short. While adidas have done their best to replicate the Lethal Zones of the top-tier Predator, any performance benefits will noticeable lower on the Absolado.
The Predator LZ uses a silicon rubber material for each of the five Lethal Zones, providing enhanced ball touch across the shoe.
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