Never thought I would see the day when people would freak
out about new boot releases as much as me. Maybe everyone loves that new boot
smell and boot nerds will soon take over? Today Nike Football dropped the Nike Magista.
Born from four years of extensive research and development
in the Nike Sport Research Lab and with feedback from some of the world’s best
attacking playmakers, including Barcelona’s Andrés Iniesta and German forward
Mario Gotze, the Magista is designed to enable devastating creativity in a game
where space is at a premium.
As always, new boot new technology. Focus with this release
is for playmakers with improved fit, touch and traction being the focus. Magista’s
features a new mid-cut Dynamic Fit Collar that provides a more locked-down fit
and increased awareness of the body’s movements and interaction with the ground
and the ball.
BUILT FOR UNSTOPPABLE PLAYMAKING
The Magista is designed for the player who is always moving,
creating the attack and dictating play. In a game that is faster than ever —
both mentally and physically — space is at a premium and high-speed control is
essential. While the Magista player is constantly creating opportunities on the
pitch, he needs to focus on seeing ahead, seeing the pass that no one else can
see. The Magista liberates the player to unlock his fullest potential and focus
on that split second that could change the game.
The fit of this boot is so unique that I don’t think about
it when I’m wearing it. It allows me to move the way I need to instinctively
and with more confidence. – Andres iniesta
NIKE FLYKNIT TECHNOLOGY
Nike Flyknit – which was first used in Nike running shoes in
2012 – defies conventional shoe manufacturing processes by creating an
engineered upper woven from special yarns. Utilizing a custom Nike last and
Nike Flyknit construction, Magista offers a snug fit at the arch, heel and
forefoot, and the added element of a Dynamic Fit collar hugs players in,
locking them down in the boot.
The idea of Flyknit and the Dynamic Fit collar became
obvious when we began testing our first prototypes — it was a new experience.
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. - Phil McCartney, VP of Sport Performance
Footwear.
As Nike’s design team worked to perfect the collar height,
they found through player feedback that the Dynamic Fit collar not only
provided a more locked-down fit, but that players also felt more confident and
more aware of their movements. To provide additional strength and lock-down for
multi-directional movement, designers added Brio cables. These cables are
knitted directly into the one-piece upper and lock the eyelet into the outsole,
creating strength similar to a suspension bridge.
BUILT FOR IMPROVED CONTROL
For consistent contact and increased control, the Magista
features a 3D-knit textured upper. The Magista player needs a more aggressive
texture to create friction on the ball for accurate dribbling and striking.
Previous construction methods required added layers to the
top of the boot to get this friction, ultimately moving the foot further from
the ball, but Nike Flyknit allows us to knit texture directly into the boot. 3D
knit is new for Nike and for football, and hundreds of revisions were required
to get this 3D pattern exactly right. The result of all this work is great ball
feel in a minimal package. - Phil
McCartney, VP of Sport Performance Footwear.
To protect the foot from water and cold, Nike’s design team
developed a special application of NIKESKIN 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 that provide protection.
BUILT FOR IMPROVED TRACTION
The Magista player stops, decelerates and moves in multiple
directions while controlling the ball. For this player, Nike added 360°
rotational traction through conical studs and a Pebax-and-nylon plate to
improve traction.
Compressed nylon offers a highly responsive plate that
delivers strength while remaining incredibly light. Combined with Pebax, the
structure allows for flex and increased movement with the foot while
eliminating mechanical flex (an area where the boot always flexes in the same
spot).
Nylon extends to the big toe and acts as a chassis to help
players plant and then spring off the ground for more explosive speed. Nike
also removed the insole board to place the player closer to the ground for a
better center of gravity and enhanced traction. Finally, the entirely conical
stud configuration is unique to the Magista, enabling 360° rotation.