In 2014 Nike decided to revolutionise football boots and spark a change in how they are made going forward.
This was to add a dynamic collar to the boot, which to some people is referred to as a ‘sock’.
While many people liked this new addition, there are understandably many people who are still on the fence.
Some people prefer that classic football boot, which is completely fine, and as you will see in this post, there is a great choice when it comes to Nike football boots without the sock.
So in this post, I am going to talk about what exactly this sock feature is, the benefits and disadvantages, and some solid recommendations.
Table of Contents
What Is The Nike Dynamic Fit Collar (A.k.a The Sock)?
The Nike Dynamic fit collar was first introduced into Nikes boot ranges to give players a connection from the ankles to their feet.
Essentially it is a boot that feels like your wearing shoes and a sock simultaneously, which is why many people refer to them as sock-like football boots.
Boots without the dynamic collar are called low cut boots, which is the standard version of a boot.
Now because not everyone favours the collar, there have been specific models designed by Nike so that people have the choice.
For instance, the popular mercurial range comes in both a ‘vapor’ version. This is the one without the collar, while the ‘superflys’ have the collar integrated into it.
What Do The Pros Wear?
If you put any professional game on the TV, you will likely find a mixture of the two.
Of the players who are repping Nike, you will find some go for the sock-like feel while others stick to the normal version.
The opinions are certainly mixed and have been ever since Nike released the new type.
However, it does look like more pros are now onboard than when the dynamic collar boots were first unravelled.
In 2014, when the first batches were made, many pros were experiencing issues were the Superflys and Obras of the then magistas.
So with the world cup fast approaching, Nike went back to the drawing board and quickly sent them modified football boots with a reduced collar.
Players like Vidal, who represented Chile at the tournament, even took matters into there own hands by cutting off the collar themselves.
Even though these boots were sent due to sponsorships, it doesn’t really make too much sense since the vapor and Obra versions are available.
Not only that, but cutting the boots effects a lot of aspects of its original design, even if it’s just small.
In the next section, I will show you 5 Nike football boots without the sock that I think are great alternatives to those with.
1) Nike Mercurial Vapor 13 Dream Speed
The first pair of boots on the list with no sock is the Nike Mercurial Vapor 13’s. While the elites will set you back, they present an excellent boot for those who want to be wearing the very best.
These boots symbolise the working hard aspect of becoming a top footballer and how doing so will help you achieve your dreams.
This is what Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the inspiration of the boots, touched upon when interviewed about them.
To symbolise this, you have an arrow pattern that looks to resemble the idea of levelling up your game and moving up.
The design as a whole is great, and with a version for people who like collars and non-sock, there is a version for everyone.
2) Nike Mercurial Vapor 14
Again another boot that is inspired by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo is the Mercurial Vapor 14’s. These are the newest of the mercs, and with these, there is a lot to like about them.
You have vibrant colours, with highlights of pink, blue, yellow and green. It is all nicely put together to give a nice fresh and bright look to them.
Nike has also done work on aspects you might not see at first glance, with a Vaporposite upper made up of fine mesh and lining. All to give players an even better feel of the ball.
These pace infused Vapors are therefore an easy addition to this list of non-sock football boots.
3) Nike Tiempo Legend 8
Nike Tiempo Legend collection has been around for years, and recently the eighth generations were released to the world.
Luckily with Tiempos, Nike has decided to stay away from them in terms of dynamic collars, as they are the only range not to have one added.
This, of course, great news because the Tiempos keep that classic look for a football boot. Also, the addition of a collar would likely not go.
The colourway for these comes in white with a green swoosh as presented above or a black with a red and blue fade for the swoosh.
In terms of features, they come with premium traditional kangaroo leather on the upper. You also have a quad fit mesh and a flyknit tongue to keep you comforted.
If you are against the collar and prefer your standard football boot, then there arguably isn’t a better suit for you than these.
4) Nike Phantom Venom Elite
To move to another Nike range, we have the Nike Phantom Venoms. The Phantoms like the Mercurials have two ranges.
The first one is Venom which is the boot without the sock. The Visions, on the other hand, have the sock part added to them.
While the Superfly’s and Vapor’s have been both made for speed, the phantoms are slightly different.
That is because one concentrates on midfielders like Kevin De-Bruyne and Jack Grealish, who engineer attacks in the final third, this being the Visions/GT’s.
The Venoms, on the other hand, are made for strikers whose aim is to get the cleanest strike they can get off at goal.
Nike has gone about this by adding ridges along the in-step of the ball. This is added to help you not only get faster strikes off but more spin too.
Top professional footballers wearing these boots consist of Rashford, Harry Kane and the Polish goal machine Lewandowski.
5) Nike PhantomVNM Elite Tech Craft
Like the other phantoms, you have the PhantomVNM, which is part of the Tech Craft Pack.
These were released later the same year of the venom and were inspired around the idea of being stealthy on the pitch, almost like a ninja.
Now, design-wise you are looking at practically the same boot. However, the interesting alteration is the leather aspect added in.
Looking at the boots for the first time, you wouldn’t guess that it is made of leather, as it is quite subtle. But the whole idea around its addition is to give players more agility to their game.
With the looks, not much has changed either. The previous venoms were a shiny black with a yellow outline to the swoosh.
These, however, have a ‘black out’ look to them, being solely matt black around the whole of the boot, including the soleplate.
The inspiration behind these is all about being stealthy on the pitch, almost like a ninja.
Are Football Boots Without The Sock Cheaper?
Theoretically, for a pair of boots where there is more tech involved, a higher cost should come with it.
The boots that have been just released on Nike includes the Vapor 14, and the Phantom GT’s. They are both £10 cheaper than the dynamic ranges.
This means you are paying that extra amount for the dynamic collar, so if you are looking to save money, then opting for the sockless versions is your best option.
What is good with Nike especially is you will find plenty of sales with there boots throughout the year.
These prices can go down to 50 per cent off, so if the price is the first thing you consider when looking at boots, then you will be happy to know that you can buy previous versions of boots for smaller prices.
Which Version Of Boot Should You Choose?
Since moving up to the elite collection of Nike football boots in 2016, I have enjoyed playing with the latest tech boots.
I have a mixture of boots with a sock, and without it, sometimes I feel one type and other gamedays I rock with the other.
If you are either on the search for a pair of boots or considering sock boots, the best thing you can do is give them a try.
You have nothing to lose, as Nike will allow you to return them if you don’t get on with them.
So the best way to decide which type is for you is to try each one out on the pitch and then decide from there if you want to continue with them.
Conclusion
You probably stumbled across this post because you wanted simple boots that aren’t fancy.
If that was the case, I hope you found this post useful and that these five Nike football boots without a sock have become viable options for you.
Now, if you have any questions on this topic, feel free to leave a comment down below, and I will get back to you 🙂
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