Laced Up: Nike Mercurial Vapor XI Review : Football Boots : Soccer Bible

Is it possible for the biggest sports brand in the world to release something under the radar? Is it possible for a boot adorned with the Swoosh to be seen as underrated or lacking in media coverage? Somehow, despite being the boot that is beloved by a generation, the Mercurial Vapor XI might fit that billing. Is it an emperor of a dead dynasty? Or merely the unlucky benefactor the the Superfly’s resurgence?

Is it an insult to call it “second-tier” or not place it alongside the “elite” options?

Look at iconic strikers within the last 18 years, it might be the safest bet possible to say that they probably hit the highest of highs while wearing the Vapor. However, in today’s world, it’s no longer the Vapor that gets Nike’s top billing. When it comes to launch events and huge ‘Spark Brilliance’ marketing campaigns the Vapor is shifted to the side in favour of the much-mentioned Superfly. The Vapor XI might be functioning from the shadows of Nike, but the Vapor rarely lets life slip by without stealing a huge chunk of the limelight. Given how the Vapor X performed and was received, we were anxious to get the XI in our hands, on our feet and onto the pitch.

With a whole host of Nike athletes opting for the previous Vapor X, and even a few Superfly IV players trading the collar for the warm waters of the X, has the storied history of the Vapor been furthered with the Vapor XI, or is it probably for the best that it stays hidden under the Superfly’s shadow?  We laced it up, and got to work.

First impressions?

There have been a few colours that Nike has been plastering nearly everywhere over the past five years, and the Vapor XI brings out two of them and couples them with some brand new brightness. The "Total Crimson" isn’t new to Nike, the "Pink Blast" that we think sits a bit closer to purple might be new to most, and Nike’s absolute favourite addition to any boot: "Volt". These three colours combine to form a boot hoping to beam into TVs everywhere during the summer tournaments, and with Nike hoping this bright concoction is immediately recognisable in terms of the silo and brand (we’re thinking it’s mission accomplished on both counts). With the only things that wouldn’t be considered “loud” being the black tongue (or, tongue-area… considering the construction) and heel. While the soleplate is black, it isn’t left untouched by colour as the volt is used on the tips of every stud.

The design feels appropriate for a Vapor and for the style of player that Nike advertises this boot towards. The fade towards black on the heel makes the extremely bright forefoot really pop. There’s never been anything about the Vapor that feels like Nike is holding back, and the XI only furthers that thought.

It’s the eleventh version. Shouldn’t comfort be mandatory at this point?

The Vapor has always been a very hot and cold boot in terms of comfort. Nike has been using the Vapor as their main weapon in the speed boot world for over a decade, but that doesn’t mean that the fit and the comfort is always going to be top-notch. If anything, we should expect a company continually turning towards the promise of their knitted material to see their other boots falter… right? Or not…

The standout feature for anybody trying the Vapor X and for anybody who will see the XI as their first Vapor (or, first Vapor in a long time) is the tongueless design. In order to give ourselves the best fit, it’s always just felt like adjusting the tongue to how we would want would be a big part of the equation. The tongue area on the XI is able to bend up the right above the second lace hole. This helps make it a lot easier to slip your foot into the boot.  Once you finally have the boot on, the synthetic tongue-area is extremely stretchy and quickly gives way to your foot. While it might be stretchy, it’s not the type of material that is going to overstretch… it’s been built to provide a quick 1-to-1 fit and feel, and it accomplishes that. However, not having a tongue means that if you have a larger foot, it might be slightly difficult to slip on the Vapor XI.

The inner lining of the boot is a smooth synthetic that is actually thin enough (combined with the upper) to actually feel the ribs on the upper if you slip your hand in the boot. On feet, it combines with the thin and soft Teijin synthetic to begin shaping to your foot. Nike has also made sure to add some padding around the heel to make sure that you have a smooth ride.  For us, we were actually really surprised with how quickly a non-Flyknit/non-leather boot on the Nike roster started to feel like the fit was molding to our feet. While we didn’t rush this into a two hour session right out of the box, a few short sessions quickly saw the XI mold to the shape.  

We loved how quickly the Vapor XI felt like a natural boot for our feet, and it seems Nike has done some extensive work in this area. According to them, they’ve changed to a slightly new last that is designed to “engage the major metatarsal by shaping the outsole to the natural contours of your foot. This allows the metatarsals to sit lower in the boot while the big toe is slightly raised, increasing flex across the joint,” and we boil all that fancy tech talk down to a simple thought: it fits like a dream.

Perhaps a big aid to the boot starting to feel truly comfortable and broken-in is the new soleplate. Impressively flexible right out of the box, the new soleplate helps the Vapor XI avoid any comfort issues with the soleplate by also shaping the bottom of this boot to go along perfectly with the natural shape and flex of your foot. Add in that this plate is lighter than the previous version, and the hits just keep coming.  

Zlatan, Coutinho, Hazard… you really think the XI isn’t up for the big stage?

With how well-received the Vapor X was, it should come as little surprise that most of the feel during play with the boot came down to a similar level of success. However, the XI certainly has a few new tricks up its sleeve and also a new level of lightweight prepared for the scales. It’s always going to be business as usual for the Vapor, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

The first big addition to the Mercurial Vapor XI has to be the speed rib texture that covers the bulk of the upper. An interesting addition to feel in your hands, the technology does seem to perform well when you actually begin addressing the ball. Composed by Nike by having a small area of the boot raised a few millimetres (every black line on the boot sits on the back of one of these raised areas), it is meant to provide added friction between the boot and the ball when you are playing at top speed. For us, we did enjoy the feel and felt that the grip was top-notch, but we felt that way with the Vapor X. 

We aren’t going to turn away tech that has no negative impact on a boot, but we’d be curious to see how different dribbling felt on this boot if you took the ribs away. They definitely never made it feel like the ball was constantly getting stuck underneath us, so we aren’t going to start complaining. However, the small raised areas do provide just the slightest extra bit of padding. When bringing that long-range ball out of the air or taking in a zipped pass, it adds a small level of softness that elevates the boot’s feel and performance.

Even with the ribs, the touch on the XI is incredibly close (as you would expect with a modern Vapor), but we’ve gotten tired of saying “barefoot feel” every other time we wear a speed boot… so we’re just going to go with it being impressively close. This boot has been slimmed down and the result is a Teijin synthetic that really shines when trying intricate touches or audacious passes as the feel for the ball feels exceedingly true. Striking and passing with the XI isn’t going to come with any bells and whistles, but you get exactly what you should expect from a boot of this weight and this construction. Shots seem to zip off the upper and passes are crisp and clean, with very little placed between you and your skill. As we mentioned, it seems like the ribs might add some very slight padding… but, whether they add anything or not, it’s an elite level feel and top-notch enjoyment for anyone behind the wheel.

While the tongue area might have a slightly different feel in terms of the synthetic, don’t expect any shots, passes, or moments where you control the ball using this portion of the boot to have a stark contrast. Nike has made sure to blend the boot to still have a uniform feel, despite the two portions of the boot (the stretchy “tongue” and the rest of the upper) being fairly different.

Another change from the X to the XI is a continued decrease in weight. Where the Vapor X was already light, the XI has taken the boot further down the road of becoming lightweight as it now sits at 5.8 ounces. Considering that this is similar to the weight of the adidas F50 when it started heading in the lightweight direction, it’s amazing to see how much the quality of boots has improved while being able to be this light.

The updated soleplate wasn’t love at first sight for us, but a few nights under the lights in our new toys won us over quickly. The “arrow” designs make up all 11 studs on the boot, and their performance was impressive. Thin enough to quickly cut in and provide a high level of traction, well-placed to avoid any issues with stud pressure, and engineered to come together and make sure that we were always sure on our feet.  

One thing to note is that, with the shift to these unique studs, this boot should only be used on firm ground surfaces. If you’re looking to play on artificial grass, then it’s going to be best for you to snag the AG version. Considering the lightweight construction, you’re going to want to make sure you give these boots the best opportunity to showcase their durability… so make sure you choose the right set-up for the right surface. The durability of the XI is quite impressive for such a slimmed down boot, and we love the small strip of thick synthetic that Nike has added right around the toe-box that covers all the usual areas where boots like this tend to rip (I’m looking at you Vapor VIII).

So, the legend of the Vapor continues?

Most definitely. The Vapor seems to not only be surviving in the background, but thriving.  While Nike’s Flyknit wonders will certainly still get top billing and the bulk of the advertising, the Vapor continues on as one of the best boots available from the Swoosh. The boot offers a sub-6 ounce weight, an incredible 1-to-1 feel typical of such a light boot, top-notch comfort, a killer look, and a soleplate that is the epitome of dependable and effective.

If you loved the Vapor X, or have been waiting to either return or find your way to Nike’s most storied boot silo, there isn’t a better time. The Vapors of the past definitely have some stories to tell, but this Vapor has some stories to make. Get out there and shape history.

Want a pair? Get hooked up here.