Nike really has taken the lead in creating boots like the CTR360 Maestri II that are tailor made to specific players on the field. Want to be a playmaker? These just might be the cleats for you.
Nike CTR360 Maestri II Elite
So what’s the big deal? Nike engineered these cleats to be great for distributing passes, dribbling , receiving, and general ball control. Most of the players on the field can benefit from the CTR360 Maestri II cleats but the ones who really focus on control will see huge gains.
So who is using these and how? Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas among others.
Fabregas has great technical fluidity and controls the match pace. His ability to provide assists is legendary. He is great at creating chances on the field for other players.
Iniesta has passing accuracy and assist ratios that put him in a league of one. He has found a teammate on 90% of his passes!
If you are a schemer like these guys the Nike Maestri II elite cleats could take your game to the next level.
Now those guys get paid a lot of dough to wear these cleats so lets take a look at them for ourselves.
#1 Breaking In Period
These cleats brake in relatively quickly without the danger of blisters. The carbon fiber heel plate does not cause problems. It does in some cleats that Nike makes but it looks like this one may be engineered a little differently. Score one for Nike.
#2 The Tech
Nike CTR360 Maestri II FG Elite Boots Instep
The most important part to the playmaker is the passing and receiving pads located on the instep of the cleat. They are black and red in this color way and are designed for ball control.
The black triangular area is designed to cushion a bit of the impact upon receiving and give you better ball grip when passing. This contributes both to accuracy and power when making assists.
The red triangular area on the instep was created to allow top spin to be put on the ball. This can be useful to create the perception of a long shot that then drops suddenly.
Toe shot with the dribble zones of the CTR360 Maesrti II Elite
The two triangular panels on the front of the cleats were designed for dribbling and are basically pillows tied to your feet! Not really but you get the idea, rather than the ball bouncing off at the slightest touch these give you control to put the ball exactly where you want it.
#3 The looks?
Personally I like them, they have kind of a classic feel with a little bit of pepper. The red color is almost metallic and gives them just that little bit of zing that makes them stand out. I am not a big fan of the extra nike swoop in the front of the boot. I give them a B overall.
#4 The Fit
The fit is very comfortable and exactly the feel that you want in a pair of control cleats. At 8.8oz they are just the right weight to feel solid but not heavy. The overall construction is pretty standard and classic is often best.
#5 Performance on the Field
This is really where the rubber hits the grass. These cleats especially for dribbling really exceed expectation. The control that you get could easily make the difference between losing the ball and keeping it. The passing pads are also a charmer. Putting a nice side and top spin on a long pass can not only drop it where you want it but also keep the other team guessing. Playmakers you are looking at a great investment.
#6 Negatives
Not to much on the negative side, I would like to see Nike jazz them up just a tad in terms of color but that’s just me.
#7 Price
These cleats come in two versions, the Elite reviewed here and the standard. You are looking at about $220+ for the elite version and $180 for the non-elite version. You can check prices yourself here on Ebay.
#9 Summary
The Nike CTR360 Maestri II Elite is a playmakers cleat no doubt about it. If you have the schemers mindset or are just looking for better ball control this is probably one of the best choices out there.