Nike CTR360 Maestri Elite FG $329.99 Check Price
This soccer cleat is constructed of synthetic leather and is a small fit and true width.
Overall
The Nike CTR 360 Maestri Elite FG, in the picture, looks like the kind of seriously hi tech soccer shoes that pro players are going for these days. Or, do we mean, are being paid lots and lots of money to wear?
The CTR 360 Maestri Elite F is equipped with a carbon fiber outsole plate and the upper is made from Kanga-Lite leather that claims to be as soft and supple as the real thing.
You can’t help but feel at first like this is a bit of an overhyped shoe relying more on its flash than its substance. Nike makes a big deal of offering all kinds of bonuses with the CTR 360 Maestri Elite FG: a special shoe bag as well as a digital coaching session with Fernando Torres. While the free bling may attract some players, performance matters more.
From World Soccer Shop Reviewer:
When I put on the CTR’s it doesnt even feel like I have a shoe on my foot and they are just so comfortable, they dont even need to be broken in.
Style
The Nike CTR 360 Maestri Elite FG comes in two color “palettes” – Black/White/Retro and Blue. Apparently “retro” is turquoise in Nike speak, because that is the other color that features on the black and white cleat. Both options look stylish enough, but nothing to write home about, especially when you look at the price tag. In fact, the boot harkens memories of the original Total 90 from years ago.
The overall look of the Kanga-Lite is also a little “plasticy” for our tastes. If we are going to pay $300 for a pair of cleats, we want them to look expensive. Unfortunately, these look like a good knock off from the local flea market.
This is definitely a soccer boot that Nike is relying on the technology and shoe color to carry the day as opposed to excellent styling.
Durability
As with any new shoe, durability is difficult to assess. The true test comes over time with wear and tear.
On the surface, we did not see many problems with the Nike CTR 360 Maestri Elite FG in terms of construction. With some cleats, they look like they might fall apart, but this isn’t one of them. The shoe lines up properly from the upper to the outsole (amazingly it doesn’t always) and the cement was clean, not sloppy. After one practice everything seemed OK, but there are reports in the marketplace of the chassis breaking, so maybe the carbon-fiber outsole isn’t quite there on this shoe.
Soccer.com reviewer:
Okay so I bought these in July for high school, I used them tops for 50 practices and 6 games, and the carbon fiber chassis snapped! Like really? 300 dollars for 6 games and cablam they break these cleats blowwwwwwww! I do not recommend them at all. The good is they have a good touch and a nice fit.
Performance
Ah, the performance! Performance is where the Nike CTR 360 Maestri Elite FG did score big for us. The comfort level was great, even on the first wear. The fit was incredible, not too snug, not too loose. Did we play like Torres? No, but the Nike CTR 360 Maestri Elite FG is so light we definitely felt faster on our feet. The dampening pods seemed to do what Nike advertises, provide a softer first touch when the ball comes your way and the asymmetrical lacing system does expand the ball control significantly.
Nike’s Kanga Lite is designed to mimic natural kangaroo leather in terms of comfort and durability while providing superior all weather performance. Without getting a chance to test this theory under extreme conditions it is hard to say how accurate that claim is, but they did well with a bit of mud.
All in all, they may not be the most stylish of the Nike range but the Elite FG certainly performs as well as you would expect a high end soccer cleat to and then some.
Images for the Nike CTR360 Maestri Elite FG
