Two days ago, Adidas surprised us all with the unveiling of its laceless Adidas Ace boots for 2016, presented by Oscar, Mesut Özil, Ivan Rakitic and James Rodriguez. The new Adidas Ace GTI 2016 boots bring a completely new, laceless and knitted design to the Adidas lineup.
Let's take a detailed look at the different features of the all-new Adidas Ace GTI boots, as well as information about prices, release date and the launch colorway.
Adidas Ace 16+ GTI - Primeknit + Upper
The new Adidas Ace 16+ GTI football boots feature an advanced, knitted Primeknit upper, based on the foundations laid out by this year's Adidas Primeknit 2.0 cleats and the more recent Adidas Ace 15 and X 15 Primeknit soccer boots. Whereas the material itself appears to be the same, the upper of the upcoming Adidas Ace GTI cleats is molded differently than the latter two and reveals more a more distinct structure, similar to the Primeknit 2.0.
To increased stability and durability, Adidas has added a thin synthetic layer on top of the knitted upper, a technique already used by both Adidas and Nike for their knitted football boots. Just like with the Adidas Ace 16+ Primeknit boots, also set for a release next year, the laceless Adidas Ace GTI boots boast a larger area of Primeknit compared to earlier releases, going almost all the way to the heel.
Compared to the Adidas Ace Primeknit 2016 boots, the extended collar of the Adidas Ace 16+ GTI boots actually appears smaller, and also made from a different, more rough-textured material. Two straps are placed at the front and back of the collar to make it easier to put on the new laceless Adidas Ace football boots.
The same material is also used for the most futuristic feature of the Adidas Ace GTI, the part where the laces would be placed - if it had any. Offset towards the center, this construction is the key component to decide whether the Adidas Ace GTI cleats will work out as proposed by Adidas. It has to be both elastic and retain its shape over time to prevent the boots from widening too much after extensive use.
Contrary to the regular and Primeknit Adidas Ace 2016 boots, the Adidas Ace 16 GTI football boots only feature Adidas brandings on the lateral side, while the bold 3 Stripes also don't go all the way as on the other two variants. On top of that, Adidas has added a structure connecting the three stripes.
Adidas Ace 16+ GTI - Outsole + External Heel Counter
The sole plate of the Adidas Ace GTI is the exact same one as used for the regular Adidas Ace 16.1 and the knitted Adidas Ace 16+ Primeknit football boots. Completely redesigned from the FG / AG alignment introduced by the Adidas Ace 15 cleats, it boasts a much more traditional layout, designed to offer traction and control. Albeit it's still marketed for both firm ground (FG) and artificial grass (AG) surfaces, the Adidas Ace GTI 2016 boots' sole plate doesn't feature the second layer of studs which made the mixed design a success for the previous generation.
In fact, the 'new' sole plate for the Adidas Ace 2016 boots is already in use by professionals all-over, as the likes of Özil, Lahm, Neuer and Xabi Alonso received customized Adidas Ace 15.1 boots with the same layout of 11 traditional, conical studs.
The shape and height of the external heel counter of the all-new Adidas Ace 16+ GTI cleats has also been altered to complement the new sole plate and the overall design and look of the new laceless Adidas boots.
Adidas Ace 16+ GTI - Price + Release Date + Launch Colorway
Adidas is set to launch the all-new Adidas Ace GTI 2016 football boots in mid-January 2016. It will only be available in the FG / AG variant and retail at $300 (approx. 300 €, approx. £250), compared to the $250 and $200 of the Primeknit and regular versions, respectively.
The mid-January release means that the Adidas Ace 16.1 GTI boots will take the center stage for Adidas, with the other new models only expected to be launched in February. The Adidas Ace 16+ GTI soccer cleat will be dropped in a striking 'Solar Green / Shock Pink / Core Black' colorway initially (see the same paint job for the regular Adidas Ace 16.1 above).
Adidas Ace 16+ GTI - Who Will Wear Them?
It will be very interesting to see which players will lace up in the cutting-edge Adidas Ace GTI football boots come January, even more so after Adidas designers themselves announced that 'this type of boot is not going to be for everyone.' The likes of Mesut Özil, Ivan Rakitic, Oscar and James Rodriguez are expected to try the new boots in training shortly, and you may rest assured we'll update you if other players give them a runout during the next two months.
Generally, predicting the exact players to sport the new laceless Adidas Ace 2016 cleats is almost impossible, as many Adidas players have switched back and forth between the silos, especially since the reshaping of its football boot lineup this summer. James Rodriguez, for example, was expected to wear the Primeknit Adidas Ace 2015 boots and is currently playing in the regular, synthetic Adidas Ace 15.1 boots.
What do you think of the Adidas 16+ GTI soccer cleats? Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below.