Review: Pelé Sports 1962 Soccer Boot

Since entering the soccer gear realm just two years ago Pelé Sports has become known for some of the best-looking soccer apparel around. The firm has also released several soccer boots including the speedy Trinity 3e, the 1970 and the 1962 (now available at World Soccer Shop, Big Toe and Soccer.com in adult and junior sizes).

Over the past week we’ve had a chance to have an in-person look at the 1962. Here are our thoughts on the boot in what was our first-ever experience in Pelé Sports soccer footwear.

Aesthetics
We use the phrase “neo-classic” to describe the 1962. Its look is old school and reminiscent of the boots that might have been worn by the great Pelé and his teammates on the storied Brazil teams of the past. However, the 1962’s designers have cleverly incorporated modern elements and technology to make the boot a work of soccer art that impresses upon first sight. While these are many, our favorites include:

–  The use of just stitching for most of the 1962’s upper designs
–  The retro feel foldover tongue that has the Pelé Sports signature and the boot model number discretely highlighted on it
–  The number 10 design on the boot soleplate and heel counter strip.

Fit
For the most part the Pelé Sports 1962 fits true to size. It is fairly snug from heel to forefoot but does have a little extra room in front of the big toe. So if you want a glove like fit, we recommend getting them a half a size down.

One nicety of the 1962 is the ease with which you can get it on the foot. Of the many boots we’ve tested lately, it is definitely the easiest to put on. The reason for this is that the foldover tongue on the 1962 readily pulls forward to open up the shoe allowing you to slip your foot into it. Lace them up and strap the tongue into place and you are ready for action.

Ride
While of average soccer boot weight at just over eleven ounces, the Pelé Sports 1962 feels deceivingly lighter once on the foot. If we had to say why, we would point towards its roomy feel.

In terms of comfort, the 1962 ranks among some of our favorite boots on the market right now including the PUMA King Finale I and Umbro Speciali 3. It is the type of boot you can put on and feel like you’ve worn it before. Running in them for the first time yields absolutely no unpleasant surprises such as stiffness on the sole of the foot or rubbing on the toes. Indeed we found it extremely tempting to hit the match pitch in them before properly breaking them in via a practice session.

Touch
While not the top of its range (the kangaroo leather Pelé Sports 1970 is), the 1962 still has remarkable touch and is an excellent passing, trapping and shooting boot.

Though relatively new, it may be regarded as a heritage boot such as the venerable adidas Copa Mundial, PUMA King and Umbro Speciali. Indeed, its touch is reminiscent of that of these legends of the game.

The soft yet well-padded calfskin upper of the 1962 provides a great feel of the ball that enables you to quickly determine the weight that you need to put on short and long passes. We found it to certainly stand out for low, on the ground passes made with the inside of the foot (think the staple of mighty FC Barcelona’s style of play) and for trapping the ball. This was definitely because of the padding on the inner foot area of the 1962.

The Pelé Sports 1962 also works remarkably well for long distance, lofted shots and passes. This includes curling crosses made with the inside front of the foot (the ones David Beckham is known for) and power shots at goal made with the instep. In all such cases, accuracy and getting the right weight on the ball are readily achieved by the experienced soccer player using the 1962. We attribute to a combination of the boot’s padded front foot area and asymmetrical, partially hidden lacing system.

Protection
The Pelé Sports 1962 is well-padded from just past its heel counter to its toe box. As such the boot offers considerable foot protection for the wearer. This is increased to some extent by the foldover tongue of the boots. As a result, it does shield your fragile metatarsals to a greater degree than the most of the lightweight speed boots on the market today. While this makes the 1962 an ideal boot for hard-tackling defenders and midfielders, it can also be used by flair players such as strikers who value protection when stomped on over the ultralight.

Final Thoughts
At an MSRP of $129.99, the Pelé Sports 1962 offers one of the best buys in soccer right now. It is a quality boots that performs well and can be worn by players in any position on the soccer field from goalie to forward. If you’re in the market for a new soccer boot for the Spring 2012 season, we recommend checking them out!

Check out our Football Boots section for more on the latest soccer footwear.