The new remake of the adidas F50 Tunit boots is now a reality. We are instantly transported back to 2006, when adidas decided to make a bold move to mark the World Cup in Germany. This bold move wasn’t just about the launch itself, but about approaching the launch in a way that no one had done before: by bringing to market a football boot that was interchangeable and customisable. This boot was the adidas F50.6 Tunit, one of the most memorable boots of the 2000s.
The Tunit system allowed you to design your own stud configuration depending on the pitch you were playing on that day. We usually have a couple of pairs of football boots, particularly those of us who play on both natural and artificial grass. This launch was backed by the brand’s top players at the time: Lukas Podolski, David Villa, Del Piero, and even the current ‘The Best’, Leo Messi.
F50 Tunit / X 506+ remake
The adidas F50 Tunit boots are back in the best possible way. The German brand has got us used to striking a chord with us football boot enthusiasts. We’ve previously seen adidas produce remakes of old Predator models, including the Predator Revenge Pack, the Predator Accelerator in the ‘Yellow Electricity’ and corporate colourways, and even an ‘Icon 25 Years’ edition, paying tribute to both Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, amongst many other remakes.
On this occasion, the Predator range has been set aside, taking a different approach and showcasing the F50 speed boot, now named the X 506+. Why this name? Simple. Three key factors come together to give this new football boot its name: the current X19 speed boot, and two numbers that merge into one – both the F50 and the year of its launch, 2006. The result is the X 506+.
Let’s start by talking about the upper, and as we’ve come to expect from adidas, it will remain faithful to the original version whilst adapting to the game of today. The new X506+ boot will feature a synthetic material very similar to the one we saw in 2006, perhaps a little lighter and more streamlined, allowing for a slight improvement to the upper in this new version. On the downside, on a wet pitch, this upper became completely uncontrollable, as it turned extremely slippery.
We haven’t forgotten the famous tongue that covered the laces on this F50.6 Tunit, and indeed, we’ll have the exact same fastening system as the one found on this new X 506+ boot. The Velcro ensures the tongue always stays in place, and although it may sound rudimentary, it works perfectly after almost 13 years. As a detail, the adidas +Teamgeist logo (2006 Germany World Cup ball) will not, on this occasion, feature the small indentation that the original version did have.
Moving on to the sole, and here’s the detail that differs most from the original version: in the new X 506+ version, we won’t be able to adjust the studs. Perhaps this is a positive point from the point of view of effectiveness. The sole of the original version was clunky, stiff and added weight, bearing in mind that it was a boot designed for speed; furthermore, anyone who’s owned the original boot will know that the studs would come loose on countless occasions, no matter how securely you fastened them. Replacing this sole with interchangeable studs is the soleplate from the adidas X 19+ football boot; this is the ‘Speedframe’, which provides excellent traction and comfort, particularly thanks to the external heel counter that secures the foot to the base in simply perfect fashion. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that it will be lighter than the original version. As we’ve said time and time again, BE VERY CAREFUL if you’re planning to use them on artificial turf pitches, as this isn’t the most suitable soleplate for this type of surface.
Of all the colourways that have gone on sale, adidas has decided to bring back the X 506+ in the very same colourway we saw on its launch day – led by Alessandro Del Piero – in electric blue, with white stripes and fluorescent yellow detailing. Perhaps adidas will release further colourways in the future, as we’ve already seen with the reissues of the adidas Predator Accelerator.
