Sneaker Report caught up with US Team Captain and Tottenham
foward, Clint Dempsey, to talk about his initial thoughts about the new cleat.
Having worn prototypes and the final product, the American powerhouse shared
his thoughts on the cleat and what it takes to make a winning boot.
Interview by Calvy Click (@clickmasterflex)
Why did you decide to try out the Hypervenom?
Someone came to me with the opportunity and asked me if it
was something I would be interested in trying and I was like sure, let me check
it out and see what it’s like, and just kinda went from there.
I got to try the shoes today and I’m really happy with the
final product and I’ll be wearing this shoe moving forward, it’s very
comfortable and very light. Before that,
I was with the Vapor and anytime you go to a different shoe it’s a transition
because you think that anything else would be heavier, but this feels just the
same or even lighter.
“I got to try the shoes today and I’m really happy with the
final product and I’ll be wearing this shoe moving forward, it’s very
comfortable and very light.”
Did you notice any other contrasts in the Hypervenom and the
Vapor?
It’s lighter and there is more room, moreso than the Vapor,
which I like because I had to stuff my foot inside of the Vapor, but because it
was so light you would hope it would stretch out a little bit. With the
Hypervenom, I was able to wear it on the first day and it felt comfortable.
Normally when we break in shoes you have to put Vaseline or something on the
heel or put it on the outside of your sock on your toes just to make sure
you’re not getting blisters and stuff, but these were very comfortable and I’m
excited about wearing these moving forward.
Looking back at the game recently in Costa Reca where you
were faced with some extreme weather conditions, are you often faced with the
elements on the pitch and how do you prepare for that?
I wouldn’t say often, I mean most of the time because I play
most of my games during the season in London, where you deal with rain and it
being cold. There has been a few times when we play in the snow. I remember one
game that we played and they had to shovel snow off of the lines so you could
see them. But the Costa Rica game, that was probably the worst conditions I had
to play in as far as the amount of snow that came down and not being able to
see the lines, it was crazy. It was also my first game as a team captain for
the national team in a World Cup qualifier, so looking back it was a cool
experience because not only was it a crazy game, it was a proud moment for
myself being able to captain the team.
Judging by the super light look of the upper on the
Hypervenoms, how do you feel about playing in these cleats in more extreme
conditions?
They do a ton of testing on these shoes in different
conditions, on different people. So far throughout my career, I’ve been able to
play in anything that Mother Nature can throw at you and I feel the Hypervenom
can do the same. I’m looking forward to playing in them because they’re just as
light as the Vapors, if not lighter. Just having a bit more room and having it
not so narrow will make it a bit more comfortable for me and they say it helps
the agility so I’m hoping to get it in the box and make a goal.
“I’ve been able to play in anything that Mother Nature can throw at you and I feel the Hypervenom can do the same.”
We’re looking forward to that. Any pre-game rituals to
share?
Yeah, I have a few. I’ll just say this one, on each my
shinguards, I’ll kiss them before I put them on and I’ll put the names of the
people I’ve loved and lost to remind myself that life is short and to take
advantage of the opportunity. So that’s something I do, I say a little prayer
to help protect me in the game and keep me free from injury, and you know,
that’s probably the one that means the most to me.