Nike Mercurial Vapor 14: Elite, Pro, Academy & Club | Complete Guide
The Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 is Nike’s newest speed-boot to be released. This guide will cover all the variants and compare them. I’ll detail all of their key specs, so you can see how they differ from one another. All models feature very different specifications, however, how will they compare? Let’s deep dive and find out everything regarding the Nike Mercurial Vapor 14: Elite, Pro, Academy & Club!
What is Vaporposite?
The Vaporposite is largely composed of Titan synthetic, a somewhat more expensive type of Teijin synthetic that provides the boot greater structure. This is counterbalanced by the soft Avail Q microfibre on the side. The engineered mesh overlay in Vaporposite enhances traction over the Vapor’s & Superfly’s Flyknit thanks to increased grip and structural support.
Vaporposite adds a grippy grid mesh and a premium “Avail Q” lining for ball control. The Avail Q is responsible for giving the surface of the upper a tactile feel to the touch.
The Upper
Elite
The Vapor 14 features an all-new upper called Vaporposite. This new upper is quite soft to the touch, however, feels very stable and wraps tightly around the foot.
It has a lot of different parts which are interconnected together on the upper. These parts are illustrated by the different colored pieces.
Even though it was very difficult to match its flyknit predecessor, this new Vaporposite matches & even surpasses it. An all-new synthetic upper, which features a wrapped mesh for added grip. All of this is accompanied by Nike ACC (All conditions control) – For all-weather capabilities.
Furthermore, added structure in the forefoot & toebox has been added to help out with stability & overall comfort.
Pro
As a takedown model, it features pieces from its Elite big brother. It also has a synthetic upper with graphics to showcase the upper structure.
We also notice that there are fewer pieces that are coloured in comparison to the Elite; which suggests the upper has different characteristics.
Having said that, It is still very comfortable and very soft. It fits very snug, which makes it a great alternative to its bigger brother.
In comparison to the elite, for the upper, there is not much difference. Yes, the elite is a better & more premium. Having said that, with the pro you’ll be having a similar experience for less money.
Academy
The Academy features a fully synthetic upper. In comparison to the other 2 variants, this feels quite cheap. It’s a good football boot but the upper is on the cheaper side.
The coloured bits are to replicate the visuals from its bigger brothers. However, in comparison to them, these bits add absolutely nothing.
Having said that, it is still very comfortable and the material is very light. However, at this price point, I think there are better upper materials like the Tiempo academy/pro or the Premier.
However, if you want a synthetic upper this is a good & light boot. This is a boot that I would wear, but if I had to buy it, I would prefer the above-mentioned Tiempo/Premier as they are more value for money at this price point.
Club
A fully synthetic upper. Quite bulky, however, I think this is a joke honestly. If you think I was harsh on the academy version, you won’t like my take on this one.
Nike did the same to replicate the upper of the Elite with the colours, but it adds nothing but bulk. But at this price point, I suggest you better keep saving up and buy a Nike Premier or wait for a sale to buy another variant.
Do not get me wrong, I do understand all about budgeting. I have been countless times in that situation, but it is simply not worth your money.
Yes, it is comfortable & it is light. But there are a lot of very good uppers like the above-mentioned Premier & Tiempo. I highly suggest checking them out.
Lacing System and Tongue?
Elite
It has a central lacing system with a flyknit “tongue” which gives a barefoot sensation. This tongue is stitched together with the upper to feature a one-piece upper.
Pro
It has a central lacing system with a knit material tongue – which is a one-piece upper. Having said that the knit is not as premium as the flyknit on the Elite. Regardless, it is still quite comfortable.
Academy
They feature a synthetic tongue with a central lacing system. It’s alright, nothing extra special to report here.
Club
The same as the Academy variant. Central lacing & synthetic tongue.
Inner Structure
Elite
They feature very structured internals. This provides very decent stability and structure when it comes down to lockdown and change of direction.
With a microfiber tunnel/cage, it makes the one-piece upper wrap around your foot. This provides supreme responsiveness, which makes a 1 to 1 connection; feet to ball & Shoes in relation to change of speed.
Furthermore, it features an internal heel counter. Very decent lockdown and responsiveness. In addition, it is quite comfortable as well, not too much to add here – It’s what we expect from a Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite version.
Pro
The pro features a similar internal material to the elites. Nothing supremely different here. Having said that you do feel slightly less lockdown. This is mainly due to the different materials in the knitted upper.
Furthermore, at this price point, you get a very decent experience in these boots.
As per the internal heel counter, it offers decent support, protection, firmness and looks quite good as well. The heel liner is quite padded and soft. All in all, good all-rounder.
Academy
This is a tough one but an ok cleat. It offers a good enough structure, which makes the fit surprisingly comfortable.
It does not have the premium materials that the others have. However, all in all, it’s not the worst experience that money can buy, I’d say it’s quite comfortable when on foot.
As per the heel area, it features a very padded heel with an internal heel counter. The problem with a very padded heel counter is that it makes the lockdown quite shallow.
Club
The Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Club does not offer a high level of structure in the lockdown area or share a lot of similarities to the mercurial DNA.
However, it is structured enough to make the boot quite comfortable on the feet. Having said that, they are quite shallow and bulky considering everything.
Furthermore, I have the same critiques when it comes to the heel of the boot. Comfortable, but shallow and lacks slightly heel lockdown.
The Soleplate
They all feature a very aggressive stud pattern. 11 Studs (FG). Elite & Pro – All V-Shaped studs for best acceleration. Academy & Club- 5 V-Shaped, 6 Conical with a V-shaped cutout. Having said that the club is an FG/MG Stud pattern (Allegedly multi-ground).
Elite
The Vapor 14 Elite features 2 soleplates:
- Outer semi-split soleplate
- Inner soleplate (This is a mold of the foot, for more internal support)
Premium quality build. It provides great spring back & makes it very aggressive for speed and acceleration.
Pro
As per the Vapor 14 Pro, it’s again very similar to the Elite. It features the same configuration. It feels slightly more relaxed in comparison to the Elite but very respectable spring back considering everything.
Academy
The Academy has a very similar configuration to its bigger brothers. In this regards the academy surprises me. I think this is the main feature of the variant. Having said that, it’s quite lacking in quality. However, it does offer decent responsiveness and agility.
Club
Not a lot to say here. The Vapor 14 Club features a one-piece soleplate. Yes, it’s still aggressive, but its quite cheap. However, it does look like it can take a beating.
Traction Department
Elite
As discussed before, the Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite is an amazing package. Supreme upper, supreme internal structure and heel lockdown & a very aggressive soleplate. Nothing to add, it will be hard to top this package.
Pro
Same as the Elite model. The Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Pro is passes this area with flying colours. It’s a great performing boot with great traction.
Academy
Overall, the Vapor 14 Academy is an ok boot. The soleplate is quite good, however, the structure and heel are a bit sub-par for its price point. Having said that, it has got good bite and traction, thanks to this soleplate.
Club
Eh, this boot is not the best. Having said that, the traction is alright. It has a decent bite. However, this is all that the Vapor 14 Club has.
How do they fit?
Elite
For a synthetic boot, the Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 are quite comfortable. As discussed the new, Vaporposite really adds to the equation.
Are they for wide or narrow feet?
- They run narrow. So if you’ve got really wide feet, these boots might not be for you.
What size should you get?
- They run true to size
Pro
The same review as the Elites. They are very comfortable. These might feel more comfortable for some as they are slightly less structured compared to the Elite model.
Are they for wide or narrow feet?
- They are not for wide feet, as they run quite narrow.
What size should you get?
- They run true to size.
Academy
Even though the upper is sub-par considering the price point, it is still quite comfortable as it is more padded.
Are they for wide or narrow feet?
- They fit all feet and are very comfortable, but they are on the narrow side.
What size should you get?
- They run true to size
Club
The same review as the academy. They are quite comfortable and decently padded.
Are they for wide or narrow feet?
- The same as the academy, they fit all feet and are very comfortable, but they are on the narrow side.
What size should you get?
- They run true to size.
Good for all conditions?
Elite
The Nike Mercurial Vapor Elite is a boot that is suitable for any sort of weather and does not heat your feet. If you want boots with good ventilation, the Nike Vapor allows moisture to pass through the top layer, preventing sweaty feet and potentially unpleasant odors!
They have decent ventilation and holes that allow moisture and sweat to pass.
Pro
The Nike Mercurial Vapor Pro is an all-round boot that provides good ventilation and is suitable for all types of weather.
Academy
They do not offer the best ventilation. However, you will not notice any overheating or weather problems with this boot as it’s quite padded.
Club
These boots do not provide the greatest ventilation. These boots, on the other hand, are quite cushioned and don’t reveal any signs of overheating or poor performance in bad weather.
How’s the touch?
Elite
With the new Vaporposite, the Nike Mercurial Vapor Elite provides amazing touch. As per passing and crossing, it’s quite good. However, the Nike Vapor 14 Elite shines in shooting and dribbling situations where agility is needed to beat defenders.
Pro
Again, the Nike Mercurial Vapor Pro has great touch due to its exceptional upper material which provide a barefoot-like feel for better ball control, which echos what the big brother does very well.
Academy
On the other hand, Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Academy has great touch. However, it performs well in passing and crossing situations but performs a little better when you’re dribbling the ball or shooting on goal due to its soft upper material which provides an alright contact area.
Club
This one has a decent touch due to the soft upper and performs quite well in tight situations.
Are they light?
Elite
They are very light, weighing in around 206g (EU:42-43, UK:9, US:9.5). As you can see this is a very light boot – however, not the lightest on the market. Having said that, on feet, these are mega light, and it’s quite an impressive package.
Pro
They are very light and weighing around 216g (EU:42-43, UK:9 US:9.5). Nike did an outstanding job on dropping the weight while still adding some durability to it.
Academy
They are slightly heavier than the Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite and weigh around 220g (EU:42-43, UK:9 US:9). However, still very light at this price point.
Club
On the same note, Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Club is quite light and weighs around 230g (EU:42-43, UK:9 US:9).
In Conclusion
Elite
As you can see Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite is an amazing boot that performs at a supreme level. The star of the show is the new upper the new Vaporposite(which is amazing!). This is accompanied by a very impressive structure and an exceptional soleplate.
The weight to price ratio on this one is as you expect – (not the lightest, but definitely up there with some of the best boots Nike has released in recent years).
Pro
The Vapor 14 Pro shares a very similar experience to the Elite but for much cheaper. Yes, it is lacking a bit of structure and maybe a little bit of less heel lockdown, but overall it’s a very well-performing boot. Some might even prefer this over the Elite.
Not as lightweight as Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite but still a great boot and performs extremely well in passing, shooting, and dribbling.
Academy
The Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Academy is an ok boot with overall cheap materials & bulkiness. Would I wear it for a match if it was the only option – yes. Would I choose it if I had to purchase it for a season, no. Its simple, there are better options. Mainly at this price point, any leather boot is better.
Yes, it’s light and quite soft – but for the price, I would go for a leather boot.
Club
Same conclusion for this one; the same as the academy. It is cheap and quite bulky. Save up for a leather boot or wait for a good sale.
