The lid has finally been lifted on one of the mystery boots doing the rounds over the last few months, as adidas officially launch the X Ghosted. Designed upon the last of a sprint spike, X Ghosted equips players looking to redefine the boundaries of fast for the return of the 2020/2021 UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The X has been due an upgrade for some time now, and while we’ve seen the prototype in action as long ago as March, the fact Timo Werner turned up at Chelsea with a coloured version recently suggested we weren’t far from a launch, and that has now been proven to be correct, with the X Ghosted being officially unveiled. Inspired by the track to enable performance on the pitch, the X Ghosted equips players with next-level pace through the introduction of breakthrough innovations including TRANSLUCENT MIRAGESKIN and a CARBITEX SPEEDFRAME
The biggest tech upgrades to help on the speed front comes from the introduction of a CARBITEX SPEEDFRAME, which transmits power efficiently through the revolutionary, dynamic carbon fibre plate in the lightweight construction of the SpeedFrame. The X Ghosted represents the first football boot available at scale with the integration of a dynamic carbon plate.
That propulsion underfoot is joined by the new TRANSLUCENT MIRAGESKIN on the upper. This single layer of high-performance material is layered over a wire framework to create a seamless upper that provides lightweight stability and support. Its unique, ghost-like and semi see-through aesthetic visually represents the feeling it gives athletes.
The whole feel of the design is reminiscent of the lightweight F50 Adizero designs, in particular the 99g boot, right down to the inverted adidas logo on the tongue area, although this is said to be inspired by the wings of the peregrine falcon – the fastest creature on earth. The X was born out of the F50 line, so this release feels like something of a full circle for the silo.
Finally, in a first of its kind, a VACUUM FIT EXPERIENCE lets players feel the air sucked rapidly out of the boot when worn, creating a super snug fit that supports explosive moves thanks to its proximity to the contours of the foot.
Ben Herath, VP Design, adidas Football said; “When the sporting world slowed down this past summer, the need - and drive - for speed didn’t. We saw athletes at all levels continue to push their limits. This just reiterated what we’ve always known, speed is as important as ever in football."
“And why did we decide to focus on speed? Because that’s what our audience told us they craved via listening groups held in cities around the world. To give them what they wanted, we worked with our designers and took inspiration from the world’s fastest, and featured new innovations to create X GHOSTED, one of our fastest boots ever made.”
The adidas X Ghosted will be available from prodirectsoccer.com
