give 'em the boot!
indulge your inner cahill with some flash new kit
Upgrade your swag right now with this free-scoring soccer gear...
the boots 1/ Mizuno Basara Japan’s premier boot purveyor has historically been a sucker for speed. The Basaras are no different, injecting pace by swapping kangaroo leather for synthetic Prime Skin. Weighing just 185g, they’re more malleable yet still durable enough for the toughest of pitches. Perfect for pacey wingers. $210, activeinstinct.com/au 2/ Warrior Skreamer II Many modern boots are sacrificing protection in favour of quickness and a more natural feel, but Warrior aims to achieve both with its lightweight Thorax Exo-Skeleton. Essentially a cage around the mid-foot, it will fully protect you when you decide to belt the ball the length of the pitch. US$180, warriorfootball.com 3/ Under Armour ClutchFit Force This is compression wear for your feet, hugging the contours of your muscles nice and tightly. The subtly textured surface also gives good feel and control of the ball, making these a fine choice for the engine-room roamers among us. $297, underarmour.com thekitbag 4/ Trusox Ever been asked to “pull your socks up” by the coach? No more. These clever foot sacks, sported by Suarez and “Cor” Vidal, have grip pads on the inside and out that secure your feet. These not only add power to your late, darting runs, but also gain grip as you get sweatier to prevent sagging. $40, trusox.com.au 5/ Hexoskin This biometric shirt contains a packed midfield of stitched-in, stretchable sensors, measuring heart rate, breathing and the volume of your lungs in real-time. Data is sent to an iOS or Android app, where you can study just how ineffective you were strutting about in the “Makélélé role”. CA$399, hexoskin.com 6/ Mitre Aircell Pro Guard The honeycomb structure of these shin guards promises to alleviate the hell of sweaty shin syndrome, as well as
holding firm against the raking studs of back-four hatchet men. Dual-density foam adds an extra level of shock absorption, without layering on too much bulk, which is ideal if you favour a Thomas Müller-esque, socks-down look on match days. US$17, mitre.com 7/ Tombag Waxed Canvas bag Sponsorship deal still out of reach? Keep your kit stylishly understated and refreshingly unbranded, then, in this waxed, 22-litre canvas bag, which can be held like a duffel or slung over the shoulder nonchalantly. Tombag designs for the Royal Marines, too, so it’s definitely more than up to the odd locker-room beating. $190, tombag.com 8/ Nike Football It may have taken longer to arrive than an Aussie win, but the sports giant’s latest bespoke app was well worth the wait. You can use it to chew the latest soccerball fat, arrange local games and participate in live Q&As with pros. Best of all, it alerts you to Nike Academy trials nearby, for when you decide you can be arsed to turn pro. Free on iOS and Android, nike.com/au the keeper’s net stash 9/ Reusch Goalie For “Keeps”, no piece of kit is more precious than gloves. So keep them suitably safe and separate from the rest of your dirty gear in this waterproof bag. $9, prodirectsoccer.com 10/ McDavid Long-Sleeve Hex Goalkeeper Shirt Dive II Hanging out between the sticks can get chilly if your defence is doing its job. This compression top will keep you toasty, while shock-absorbing pads protect you during full-length dives. $118, mcdavid.eu 11/ Adidas Predator Zones Ultimate Designed for, and with the help of, German shot-stopper extraordinaire Manuel Neuer, these mighty mitts maximise the surface area with grippy latex, while it even has removable spines to protect your poor fingers. $235, prodirectsoccer.com