5 years after - a look back at Mizuno Morelia AF KR 2 - very limited release back in 2013

There are very few football shoe silos that stand the test of time. Almost everyone can name Adidas Copa and Puma King which in all honesty stand above rest of the brands in the nostalgic heritage category of boots. Yet these models very much like the Umbro Speciali series explore very little and provide very few limited once in a lifetime releases. Copa has remained unchanged and maybe that's a good thing. On the other hand Mizuno's classic boot Morelia, now in second or third variant of the silo, packs more punch with its tip to detail and luxury. That said, Mizuno has set the stage for leather crafted football boots with extra care and class with its made in Japan series. These boots are hand made with Japanese workers with top quality kangaroo leather and it shows.

Mizuno Morelia AF KR 2 is most likely one of the first boots that have boasted the elite made in Japan sign on quality even though only later on the brand truly embraced this trait as a part of its marketing. Its release is also very sneaky and the boot incorporated many features of what turned out to become integral parts in the light-weight Mizuno Morelia Neo series. Most notable aesthetic feature is probably the Adidas Samba pack imitating colorway even though Samba pack was released way later in time for the 2014 Brazil world cup. Another visual detail was placing the word Morelia to the back of heel whereas in previous and later releases the word is placed outside foot on the heel side. Then again one notable feature of the boot is the short tongue instead of the classic fold-over tongue which would from time to time appear in future Morelia II colorways. Third feature which sets the boot definitely apart from other Morelias is the stitching across the toe box in similar fashion to Morelia Neo to prevent too much stretching. That said the overall fit of the boot is considerably tighter to regular Morelias. However, when the fit lengthwise is right, the boot will start to mold to your feet after 25 minutes of wear and soon after the feel is responsive and glove-like.

The sad part of Morelia AF KR 2 is that the supply these days is extremely limited and finding a new pair online easier said than done. Fortunately some Russian online retailers seem to have few pairs in their storage but the hefty 200€ price tag might turn out to be a hurdle too high for Western customers with no experience with no-English sites. Limited supply, sizes and prices...

 

It would be nice if Mizuno were able to revive this model like it has done many times with previous limited colorways. To me, the biggest downside of the release is most likely a more rigid and narrow Morelia which after breaking in turned out to be the best boot to date which I've ever worn. 5+ years in use and still no deterioration. Top quality, built to last. Rarest of the rare, Mizuno Morelia will most likely continue to surprise us all on and off the pitch.

Mizuno Morelia AF KR2 Mij and Morelia NEO Mij side by side

Similar stitching across the toe box

Neo has a more aggressive stud pattern, less stitching inside of the toe box

Morelia AF KR2 has overall a wider shape

Front profile reveals some similarities

Only downside I can think of is obviously wet and rainy conditions which in many ways put a lot strain on leather boots. First of all, enough water will eventually enter the leather and make it swell like a sponge even though some leather treatment, like wax and shoe polish, will reduce the absorption. Second, the stud pattern is less effective with soft and wet grass and the mud will stick to the outsole.

My rating:  9/10

Best value leather football boot of 2017/18 season is Mizuno Rebula V1

With a price approximating 100€ at some select retailers, I find the Mizuno Rebula V1 (top tier not in Japan made model) to be best value leather football boot of the current season. That said one can expects even lower prices for the top made in Japan variation since this June we saw the release of second installation of Rebulas, Rebula II with passion red pack released just in time for the World Cup in Russia. Notable players wearing the Rebula model, include Japanese nationals like Keisuke Honda, Shinji Takazaki and Maya Yoshida.

Screenshot from Mizuno US site - Rebula II v1 World Cup Colorway

Rebula can be defined as a leather control boot that has incorporated some of the current trends and previous innovations from the brand into a top quality leather boot. Previous Mizuno lines, such as the Supersonic Wave, Wave Ignitus and Basara, have given some inspiration to the Rebulas design.  However, one should keep in mind that this model is solely for firm grass and will probably suffer both in durability and performance if the surface is different.

Rebula V1 with Stability Outsole

My own experience was indeed a surprise because out of the box, the boots felt light and the outsole maybe even too thin. That fear soon subsided as I noticed that in firm grass conditions the fits and the feel felt perfect. I can definitely imagine that on harder surfaces the stud pressure can be an issue. There are two main reasons for this. First, the outsole is very light and on the thin side; second, the insole is very slimsy too, not unlike what Puma has incorporated with great success.

Those two things are probably the only to downsides to the boot and the latter can be fixed with custom insoles that support both your feet and relieve that stud pressure. Compared to other leather models in the market currently, notably Nike Tiempo line and Adidas Copas, I feel that Mizuno is quality and comfort superior to both. If I had to rank them, I would say that Mizuno Rebula V1 would be number one, then the Copa 18.1 and after that would arrive the Nike Tiempo Legend 7. If I would've added the Made in Japan model to this comparison, the distance between number one and two brands would've grown easily. And with the addition of Rebula 2's to the race this summer, I'm confident that Mizuno's leather superiority is in no way under threat by the major brands.

Mizuno Supersonic Wave 3 (Black/Yellow) & Mizuno Basara 001 KL (Red)

There are several ways point out that Rebula, Copa and Tiempo offer a modernized leather boot experience. First of all, obviously the material is leather, be it kangaroo or calf. Other uniting design is the inner support frame of each model that is there to reduced stitching seen in the conventional leather boot models. One thing that sets them apart, but what is narrowed down considerably with the release of Rebula 2's, is the tongue or the lack of it. Both Copa and Tiempo have given up the tradtional tongue, but the Rebula still has a limited tongue which is redesigned for the next line of the brand. The tongue in boots these days seem to be replaced more and more with a seamless sock like collar or elasticated low cut collar.

Adidas Copa 18.1 & Puma Evopower Vigor Leather

It is a shame that Mizuno boots are hard to come by since very few retailers have them in stock where you could walk in a store and try a pair out for the right size. Just for reference, I can give a size comparison between different brands that should help one choose the correct size. Most of Mizunos I have are either size 42 or 42,5 (9 or 9,5 in Mizuno scale). To be precise, my Rebula size is 42,5 (9,5 US). As for my Tiempo Legend 7 AG, my size is 44 (US 10). My Copa 18.1 size is 43 1/3 (9.5 US). Each of those boots are lengthwise perfect fit. Getting the right size is still problematic because brands from time to time decide to alter either the size or the fit of the boot and boots that look lengthwise equal on the outside might have different space inside. One can wear a boot half size too big, but not the other way round. As for width, I can vouch the Rebula to be quite accommodating. However it is good to note, that Mizuno is perhaps one of the few brands that make wider models for some of their boots.

Nike Tiempo Legend 7 AG version review

I've been wearing the Nike tiempo line a long time, but at long last I was able to go back to the 7th Tiempo Legend version. This time though I was lucky enough to a find a pair of the artificial grass version on sale.

Puma Evopower Vigor Leather & Nike Tiempo Legend 7 AG

There are three features that make this leather boot stand out from the market. However Nike seems to be following the trend of tongueless boots with inner frames for stabilty that have become the norm in the market. For instance in the same category, we have leather boots such as Mizuno Rebula (not tongueless), Adidas Copa 18.1 and even the latest Puma One 18.1. I want to remind also that the leather version on Puma Evopower Vigor has similar tongueless sock-like seamless design.

When it comes to performance, the legend 7 is a quality choice even though the durability in in question since after only a couple of abrasive sessions one boot started to show some tearing of the leather upper so much so that I had to reconsider using the boot for high-speed training sessions. That said, I found the performance otherwise to be outstanding. The internal frame supports your foot but the lock-in sensation is lacking although the suede heel liner is cushioned and velvety. So far the touted grip insole feels no different from regular insoles. In reality, with abrasive surfaces and hard turns, your feet is likely rub against the insides of the shoe and cause blisters no matter what innovation is added to the the concept.

The stud pattern is befitting for the modern AG surfaces and the stud length provides necessary grip for firm ground natural grass. However the outsole and the stud pattern combined feel a bit inadequate when playing on harder surfaces and you can expect enough stud pressure to make you want to reconsider at least a thicker insole. Overall feel of the shoe is light and compact, unlike some of the leather models in the market which do feel more stiff and clunky compared to sleek and lightweight. Shooting and touching the ball feels seamless in spite of the fact that the cow leather is not of premium quality compared to some of the kangaroo leather models of rival brands.

Overall Nike Tiempo Legend 7 is a solid leather boot with some modern innovative features. However compared to the leather boot market available at the moment, Nike's leather game is lamentably under performing in regard to the synthetic boots choice the company is promoting. The little brother of the Nike leather football boots, Nike Premier II, is equally marred with quality problems though the softness of the leather, lower price and classic design has equal appeal to Adidas Copa Mundial models.

Overall score 8/10

Mizuno Morelia Made In Japan version review

It's been a while I updated this blog. Hoping to bring new wind here, I will some provide football boot reviews to spice things up.

Mizuno Morelia Made in Japan

Japanese sports brand Mizuno might be unfamiliar to many football lovers, however the likes of Brazilian power forward Hulk, Japanese star Keisuke Honda and Italian midfielder Thiago Motta wear each different model of Mizuno. Just during last summer's world cup, Motta wore the black & white classic looking Morelia.

A classic heritage boot

Mizuno Morelia trusts in aeon's old recipe of kangaroo leather with minimalistic clear design. No gimmicks there, you can easily compare it to rivals such as Adidas Copa Mundial & Nike Tiempo series. That said, what really makes Mizuno Morelia MIJ version stand out is the fantastic quality that oozes out of this release. Although the boot is really pricey because of fact that the boot is hand made in mainland Japan & a part of limited professional series, a boot enthusiast might not want to miss a chance of owning a pair of extremely elusive release. Mizuno also makes MIJ-versions of the speed model Morelia Neo that might suit speedsters more than this heritage boot. Getting a pair of Mizunos at all in Europe or in North America can be troublesome. First of all, it's hard to get the size right without an opportunity to try out different fits. Needless to say I was lucky to find just the right size with just a guess. Sizewise I'd say Mizunos are roomy and wider set of players because of the spacious fit. I'd say this release can be compared to sizing of Adipure or 11pro.

Regular Morelia vs Morelia MIJ 

There are some major difference between the two, but first you'll probably notice there's a variety of different looking Morelias, for instance some models have tongue whereas others don't. A MIJ version lacks the tongue as well. There might also be a difference in the stitching of the boot. The Morelia MIJ has similar crossing stitching like the 11pros which will eventually prevent the leather from streching, even in wet conditions. The MIJ only has firm ground (FG) soleplate with 13 round studs which will work well with newer generations of artificial grass as well.

No matter which Morelia you might or might not end up with, comfort is guaranteed. Same thing with leather as always, it works best if kept in top condition. That means a lot care and clean up. I recommend avoiding too wet conditions, because soaking the boot isn't going to do good with leather and all.

Here's to show a comparison between European size 42 (US 9) cleats. First one on the right is Adidas Adipure IV SL. Next to it is Mizuno Supersonic Wave 2, then Mizuno Morelia MiJ and the last one is  a second generation Adidas Adizero F50 leather version.  We can obviously see in this photo that the both Adidas cleats have a narrower heel, whereas Mizunos both are a more round at the heel. You can see the Adidas has a slimmer fit due to the sprint frame soleplate.

Overall score 8,5/10 

Mizuno Morelia II FG Japan Edition (not a sponsor site):

http://www.prodirectsoccer.com/Products/Mizuno-Football-Boots-Mizuno-Morelia-II-FG-Japan-Edition-Firm-Ground-Soccer-Cleats-WhiteMorpho-82612.aspx