Nike to Bring Back the Upper of the Original Nike Hypervenom
Mar 23, 2016, by Pat
Update: Nike has accidentally shown off a prototype of the second-gen Nike Hypervenom Phinish featuring the upper of the Nike Hypervenom Phantom 1 Boots in their Nike AntiClog Traction that shows off footage collected during Nike Anti-Clog Traction product testing. This is again a proof that Nike will bring back the upper of the first-gen Nike Hypervenom Cleats (they already created a unique Nike Hypervenom 2 with the upper of the first-gen Nike Hypervenom Boots for Ross Barkley).
Exclusive. In an unprecedented move, Nike is set to completely ditch the controversial upper of the Nike Hypervenom II football boots. Both the Nike Hypervenom Phantom II and the Nike Hypervenom Phinish will return to the upper of the first-generation Hypervenoms from September 2016.
Nike Will Bring Back the Upper of the First-Generation Nike Hypervenom
Close-ups of the upper of the first and second generation of the Nike Hypervenom cleats.
The first-ever Nike Hypervenom boots were unveiled by Barcelona and Brazil star Neymar in May 2013. Debuted in a Brazil - England friendly in early June, the upper of the original Nike Hypervenom was designed to offer a feeling that would be as close as possible to that of playing barefoot.
"The Hypervenom's upper is created using the new NikeSkin system. This execution of NikeSkin features a soft, supple mesh bound with a thin polyurethane film." - Nike Hypervenom press release.
To achieve this, Nike experimented and came up with the iconic honeycomb-like structure of the original Hypervenom. And it was a success, which proved popular amongst professionals and boot lovers alike.
"Ultimately, every component of the original Hypervenom evolved into something better for Hypervenom II." - Nike press release
Two years later, Nike released the second generation of the Hypervenom. In order to bring something new to the table, Nike not only added a heightened collar to the top model, the Hypervenom Phantom II, but also completely altered the upper, both in structure and material composition.
“Players loved the original Hypervenom, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do even better. We’re not afraid to make as many changes as the boot needs to be the best. The kind of players who wear Hypervenom would expect nothing less.” – Max Blau, VP of Nike Football Footwear on the release of the Hypervenom II.
While the debut went well and Neymar, face of the Hypervenom silo, won the Champions League wearing the all-new Nike Hypervenom Phantom II boots, problems began to arise at the beginning of the 2015-16 season. First Neymar, who switched to Mercurials before receiving special hybrids in October, and later other Hypervenom players like Ross Barkley and Mario Mandzukic who got the same treatment this year - it's obvious that something is not quite right with the new Hypervenoms.
Many players, most importantly Neymar, received special Nike Hypervenom II boots.
Soon, they'll be able to switch back to the 'regular' Nike Hypervenom II soccer boots. But instead of utilizing the upper of the Mercurial, like in the player-exclusive hybrid models, the brand will completely revert to the upper of the first-gen Nike Hypervenoms, a move that is sure to make great waves in the boot world. Other features of the Nike Hypervenom II, such as the one-piece upper construction or the Flywire strings are set to remain the same.
The new (old) Nike Hypervenom boots are expected to look almost exactly like this prototype Nike reveiled last summer.
The 'all-new' Nike Hypervenom II boots will see the light as early as in September 2016, while the new (old) upper is unfortunately only expected to make its way to the two top models, the Phantom II and the Phinish.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
T90-Inspired Nike Barclays WSL 26-27 Ball Released
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The design features vibrant multi-coloured rings and graphic lines in red, pink, blue, and black against a white base. These accents are arranged to create a subtle strobe effect when spinning in flight, aiding visibility for players on the pitch. The Barclays WSL version features a gold Nike Swoosh inside the signature circular ring, while the WSL2 edition showcases a silver Swoosh paired with bright pink detailing.
Underneath the graphics, the ball utilizes Nike Control technology with debossed grooves and engineered paneling designed to deliver stable aerodynamics and consistent touch in all conditions. The new ball will be used across all 26-27 WSL, WSL2, and domestic cup matches.
FIFA Kit Creator Adds Dozens of New Old & 26-27 Kit Templates
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The latest update introduces base designs for the upcoming 26-27 season alongside classic retro cuts from iconic past eras. Creators matteuscm and KARAVASHKIN contributed heavily to this release, bringing fresh builds across major manufacturers including Adidas, Nike, Puma, Castore, Hummel, and Umbro. Among the modern additions are official base templates for upcoming club kits such as the Adidas 26-27 AS Roma and Tiro 27 cuts, the Nike 26-27 SC Freiburg template, Castore 26-27 Everton home layout, and new Puma designs for Palmeiras and Fluminense.
Updated national team templates for Ireland, Denmark, Indonesia, and DR Congo are also now available for creators to customize.
Beyond contemporary 26-27 cuts, the update adds several famous historical templates. Users can create concepts using nostalgic patterns like the Adidas 2004 Greece home template, the 05-06 AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen cuts, Nike 2010 and 2014 Brazil silhouettes, and Puma 2006 Italy away template.
All new template options are live and available on FIFA Kit Creator.
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The CP Cacereño 26-27 home kit features a rich green base dominated by an intricate graphic depicting dragon scales across the front panel. The design links directly to the club's release slogan, "No soy un futbolista, soy un dragón". White detailing is applied to the classic collar, sleeve cuffs, Hummel chevrons, and sponsor logos to complete the jersey.
The 26-27 away kit presents a half-and-half split layout featuring a white base paired with an orange front panel. The bottom portion of the shirt highlights a graphic illustration of the historic fortress walls of Cáceres alongside dragon tail motifs, finished with fine black detailing along the V-neck collar and sleeve cuffs.
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