When you're running at a good pace or sprinting, you're not really getting any heel strike, as you're propelling yourself off the balls and toes of your feet. The heel might come into play while walking or jogging, when you have more control over your stride, and if the heel decreases fatigue from those movements so that I can use that energy for sprinting, then I'm in favor of the raised heel as a benefit. This Asics Lethal Tigreor 3 IT Football Boot is features a raised heel to give a sprinter fit and allows for improved grip and acceleration. It is actually important to start this review by detailing the raised heel gradient, so that you understand my comments in several sections below. In the heel of the soleplate, Asics has raised the boot by 10mm. The idea is that it reduces the angle at which your body impacts the ground, reducing stress on joints and avoiding over stretching muscles right through the leg. You also start at a very different position, almost in a sprinters pose, and this creates an opportunity to increase acceleration from the right take-off position. Through its advertising campaign, Asics focus on the fact that footwear has been stagnant for the past 30 years, and this technology revolutionizes the boot. The image above details the unique shape of the soleplate, with a very visual bend through the midfoot to heel. Basically, I found them to be much like my Adidas AdiPure IV's for fit and feel, but thankfully they fit MUCH wider on the sole of your foot. Sure, the AdiPures can stretch, but the soleplate is only so wide! Shorter front studs is a plus for harder surfaces, but the ASICS have a wider soleplate that accommodates my wide foot with no stud pressure. The K-leather on the ASICS Tig 4's (like my AdiPures) is super soft and great for a first touch and playing passes from the midfield, which is where I play most.

But here, coupled with a white leather upper, we definitely think that Asics are onto a winner. And if there’s one colour we don’t see enough of on football boots, it has to be green – which looks great used sparingly here on the classic Asics logo and heel counter. The two new colourways use a classic White base to show off the famously soft and supple K-Leather that Asics have been using on their football boots for decades, then Pacific Blue and Lemon zest to help the Lethal Tigreor stand out on the pitch! Asics has done a very nice job of ensuring you are getting a comfortable boot from first wear. They are designed to fit snugly while offering plenty of protection throughout. The region I like most is around the ankle, where the padding sits comfortably against the foot and produces a confident fit. The suede lining through the heel is also another area I like, as it has a slightly rubber feel that grips your ankle, ensuring it really doesn’t move through wear. Asics include their own unique insole that is soft around the toe areas, while providing a firm feel from the midsole down through the heel. This I didn’t notice so much, but it is quite possible that my focus was more on the heel gradient. Besides the heel gradient, they were very comfortable right through the first few training sessions and offered no hotspots. In addition to the traditional and popular Testimonial, the Asics boot range is the first to incorporate injury prevention technology and cope with the huge strains football players place themselves under during training and on match day.

In a similar fashion to their running shoes, finding a way to improve player performance seems to be a key focus for Asics. The inclusion of a 10mm raised heel on this release produces a completely unique fit and feel that will require adjusting from regular boots. There are also several other key areas that need to be cover, all of which are new to the market. You might find this review to be a little meatier than usual! Part of managing any complex feet is to first do what we can to prevent injuries or aggravate a past injury. For injury prevention, I always recommend going with ASICS football boots because of their HG10mm raised heel which assists with this. A full-length midsole which will provide more cushioning underfoot. Boots which include a full-length midsole are the LETHAL ULTIMATE FF and GEL-LETHAL 18.

The Asics Lethal Tigreor 3 IT boot also features a raised heel to give a sprinter fit and allows for improved grip and acceleration. Asics have combined over 50 years of experience of producing the finest, most technically superior running footwear available, to develop their most advanced football pitch footwear to date.The biggest negative is obviously the adjustment period to start, and to be honest I can’t see the technology working for all players. If you need a boot that works right now, these are not the right choice. My advice is to buy a pair and use them over a few weeks to sync them with your movements. Another negative is the fabric tongue – it definitely soaks in water. Some sort of synthetic would offer an improvement for future releases.

We’re all about variety here at Footy-Boots.com, especially when it comes to our football boots! And if there’s one brand we don’t see enough of, it’s got to be Asics. It has a kanagroo leather upper, a compression molded EVA Midsole and an external PU heel counter which offers superior comfort and support.

Whilst many view Asics footwear as primarily for Rugby, there’s been many advocates of their football boots on the soccer pitch too, especially in Italy.