Totally Different Boots? Difference Between Original & Updated Adidas Ace 17+ Purecontrol

Since the discussion about Adidas' decision to heavily update the upper on the Ace 17+ PureControl has only gained traction recently, with players like Mesut Özil opting for the first-gen Ace 16+ instead, we decided to take a closer look at what exactly Adidas changed between the two boots.

While it may seem like there are no major differences between the two models, there is actually quite a significant difference between both boots. The original release from Adidas saw a full Primeknit upper, using almost the identical construction to the collar as the 16+. The new updated 17+ model however is not actually a Primeknit collar and the only Primeknit on the shoe can be found on the forefoot as seen in the picture below.

New Ace 17+ Purecontrol Material

The new material featured on the Purecontrol upper is a textile called Controlskin which is very similar to the TechFit collar used in the Adidas X models. The new material allows for better lockdown and a tighter fit. It also allows for the skin of the boot to reach higher into the midfoot as the Primeknit construction on the original release version meant a large amount of the Primeknit had to be left raw so there was enough flexibility and stretch to fit your foot into it.

Overall because the two boots have different materials for the majority of the upper, this means that they will feel and fit very differently. If you have a narrow foot than you will have no problem using the new Purecontrol. However, if you already struggled to fit into the 16+ or the first 17+ model, then the new tighter construction of the updated Purecontrol will make it near impossible for you to fit in properly as the overall shape of the shoe is much more narrow and tighter fitting, making it a lot harder to put on compared to the previous model.

Let us know down below what you think of adidas decision to change the Purecontrol.