Is it a sock? Is it a trainer? Is it a football boot? No, ladies and gentleman, it’s the new Nike Magista.
Pick your jaw off the floor. Look at it. Drink it in. If you thought wearing a pair of pink boots would attract the attention of the opposition’s hatchet man, wait until you slip these flash ‘arrys on.
We know what you’re thinking. What will happen to a player’s metatarsal when it comes into contact with one of Charlie Adam’s flying studs?
There's nothing to worry about, Nike assure us. The boot is made out of FlyKnit technology so the Magista fits round your tootsies like a glove, creating a second-skin, sock-like feel, giving you strength and support.
This material is designed to bring your foot closer to the ball and to deliver enhanced feel and control. Jeez, get a room.
Brio cables have also been knitted directly in the boot, creating strength similar to a suspension bridge.
How about that high top design? According to the bods at Nike, that’s a Dynamic Fit Collar, to give you a locked-down fit and flexibility of movement. Handy when you’re legging it from an ankle assassin.
“It’s like wearing a glove. A glove starts at the wrist, not halfway up the hand. You need that transition so you don’t disrupt your body’s natural movement,” explained Phil McCartney, VP of sport performance footwear.
“This design is not just a visually compelling innovation, it’s designed to create heightened feel for the ball and enhance the player’s touch.
“The mid-cut allows the foot, ankle, and lower leg work together as a single unit, emphasizing their natural movements.”
Furrowing away in their research lab for four years, the boot boffins at Nike worked alongside Barcelona’sAndrés Iniesta and German forward Mario Gotze, to create this radical piece of footwear.
“With Magista, we’ve designed a shoe that feels like an extension of the player’s body. This isn’t a boot that just goes on your foot, it’s a boot that works with your foot,” said McCartney. “By eliminating distractions, players are free to unlock their potential and creativity.”
“The fit of this boot is so unique that I don’t think about it when I’m wearing it,” chirped Iniesta. “It allows me to move the way I need to instinctively and with more confidence.”
It’s not all style and no substance. Nike say the 3D-knit material, which looks like something Spiderman would shoot out of his wrists, gives you a more, “aggressive texture to create friction on the ball for accurate dribbling and striking.”
And there’s more. To ensure the boots hold up on a wet, soggy, Sunday morning NIKESKIN has been placed over top the Flyknit.
The skin is less than 0.1 mm thick — thinner than a sheet of paper — and melts onto the knit to help protect from water. And breath.
For more pictures click here and check out our Facebook photo gallery.
The Magista will be available for pre-order at Nike.com on April 29 and to purchase from May 22.
