Post by teddyandtimmysdad on Jul 9, 2013 0:42:31 GMT 8
First Preview : A New Boot from a Famous Azkal!
to see more photos of this new boot, go to:
pff-g.com/2013/07/09/first-preview-a-new-boot-from-a-famous-azkal/
During the recent “Globe Football para sa Byan” tournament last Sunday, I stopped by the ACCEL tent to see what was new. As an up-and-coming brand, my boys have used their boots for several years. I have always been impressed with the quality of their boots, and they have been constantly changing the styles so that each season they are dynamic and fresh. Well, when I came into the tent, who should I find but a FAMOUS AZKAL promoting his signature line of professional quality boot! So here is a quick preview of these mystery boots with the name of a FAMOUS AZKAL on the heel!
Announcing: Chieffy’s signature boots!
Yup, that’s right, these are the Chieffy Caligdong signature football boots. In the Philippine national colors of Blue, White, Red and Yellow, these boots make a strong statement with their splash of national colors along with the bold lightning bolt. I was able to spend some time talking to Chieffy, to examine these boots in some detail and get a quick preview of these new items on the market.
First of all, as you can see in the closeup photo at the top of this post, the boots are carefully crafted with slightly padded uppers, including sturdy double stitching throughout. This double stitching is really critical to ensure the durability of the uppers, and is found on all high quality boots. The molded sole includes a unique spike patturn designed to provide a great grip in most conditions found here in the Philippines. The depth of the spikes on the shoes I examined looked especially effective for rainy season grips in muddy field conditions. I am unsure if the shoes are also available in other spike patturns which might be more suitable for the hardpack summer months, but I’ll try to get more details on this and report back.
Here they are – the new Chieffy Caligdong Signature Football Boots
One of the most prominent, and in my opinion most important, features of this boot is the heel cup. As you can see in the photo above, this boot has a very prominent heel cup molded as part of the sole. The heel cup is one of the most important elements of any pair of shoes, as they provide support and stability to the human frame as they move about with the shoes. This is even more important in active footwear for sports like football. This is because of the constant and high intensity lateral movements, you simply must have a boot which provides a stable and reliable platform – which starts from the heel cup. As I shop for athletic shoes, I am constantly amazed at how companies have started to save money by scrimping on the quality of the construction – starting with an inadequate heel cup. When shopping for a new pair of boots, or any shoes for that matter, you should always start with the heel cup. Try pinching the cup between two fingers. Try this test on several shoes for comparison. If the cup feels weak and flimsy, move on to another pair. It is essential to have good support from the heel. And the cup on Chieffy’s boots are firm and supportive – but not too stiff. Seems just about right!
In talking to Chieffy, he was very proud to discuss the pro features of the boot, including the spike patturn and overall shoe build quality. He was also proud of the lightweight nature of the boots. Although I was not able to weigh the boots, they seemed just a bit heavier than my older son’s Mercurials. One other element that Chieffy was proud of, and that is the price. ACCEL is known for providing good quality boots at reasonable prices, and the same goes for these as well. My younger son needs some new boots, so these will definitely be next on the list. When he gets a chance to give them a trial, I’ll report back with some more details. In the meantime, lets congratulate Chieffy on his new boots!