Landing alongside the ‘Future Lab’ pack, Nike dish out a darkened delight in the form of the ‘Kinetic Black’ collection, turning out the lights on the Mercurial, PhantomVNM and Tiempo, which join the PhantomVSN II to complete the numbers.
The next generation PhantomVSN II launched earlier this month, giving us a preview of what to expect from the rest of the collection when they arrived in both their ‘Future Lab’ and ‘Kinetic Black’ looks. While the ‘Future Lab’ will be supported on pitch, the ‘Kinetic Black’ will undoubtedly attract equal if not more attention from the wider game, thanks to its sleek and understated look, offering up the always-pleasing aesthetic of black-on-black. But there’s also an iridescent shimmer to the pack that separates them from previous blackout boots.
For the PhantomVNM, a matte black finish on the base is combined with shine on the Swoosh to ensure it stands out, and that’s carried across the pack, while a purple shimmer gives the effect of oil; fluid and dominating. It’s a look that’s even more effective through the Mercurial’s Flyknit upper, with the outlined and cropped Swoosh again taking on a shine to give it definition in the darkness.
Deliciously dark, but with the iridescent shimmer offering a nice point of difference. Yep, ‘Future Lab’ will be what the pros are wearing on-pitch, but this is one you're actually gonna buy isn't it? You can come up with all the new colour combinations in the world but when it comes down to parting with your money nothing quite hits the spot like black-on-black. It's no coincidence that every new silo always finds its way into the blackout shadows.
The Tiempo Legend VIII features a matte black forefoot, while the purple effect – more apparent here than in the other two – is reserved for the heel only, stretching out with the Swoosh placed on top. Finally, Completing the pack is the PhantomVSN II, which we’ve already seen. Its ‘Kinetic Black’ design sees the oily shimmer across the forefoot, while the Dynamic Fit collar and Ghost Lace covering offer a nice contrast. The repositioned Swoosh takes on the most discreet look of the pack, almost unnoticeable in the advanced forefoot.
Shop the full Nike 'Kinetic Black' football boots collection at prodirectsoccer.com
