The Nike Mercurial Vapor took 4 years to develop, countless designers and millions of pounds but boy was it worth it! Now the most recognisable boot in the game it has revolutionized the industry and placed Nike at the forefront of innovation.
Stated as being the fastest football boot ever produced the Nike Mercurial Vapor range is worn by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba.
We wanted to find out how Nike developed the Mercurial Vapor; Where did you start? What was your inspiration? So we did some research and found this article on the Nike Website.
“The research process on the Mercurial line, for me, is synonymous with research on speed,” says Senior Nike Researcher, Erez Morag. “It was clear that the game is changing and becoming faster; therefore, the importance of speed has increased with those changes in the game.”
You only have to study basic physics to realise that lighter boots equal faster feet. So that’s where Nike’s football footwear team started. They deconstructed the art of speed and broke the Mercurial down into each of its separate components and analyzed every aspect of the cleat; if it could be paired down, it was.
An anatomically contoured speed test was developed to shave off some grams, while providing better fit and stability. A revolutionary new lightweight synthetic upper, called Teijin, was utilized to conform to every curve of the foot. And, topping it all off is the lace shroud, which aims to reduce drag, while providing a smooth playing surface.
One of the biggest boosts to acceleration is the use of an asymmetric traction system, which is designed to more fully align with the principles of foot structure and function. Also helping acceleration is a carbon fiber heel counter, which stabilizes the boot at high speeds, while pods strategically placed in the heel reduce unnecessary movement of the foot within the shoe.
Depending upon which color you choose, orange or black, either a carbon fiber or glass-fiber internal chassis gives the shoe tremendous structural strength.
“In the end, we wanted to create some of the lightest boots on the pitch,” says Tom Minami, Nike Football Footwear Designer. “And, we wanted to provide the fastest players with a weapon that is technically advanced and aesthetically disruptive.”
What the football footwear team created is the ultimate lightweight performance beast that eats up split-seconds and spits out goals.
We Say:
At Nike, the story of innovation never rests, never stops and never looks back. Today the MVIV weighs in at 230 grams, and the featherweight Mercurial SL tips the scales at 185 grams. Tomorrow’s Vapor V? Well, just keep checking back here, and you’ll know as soon as we do.
