New Balance Football’s new Audazo v4 futsal shoe , redesigned and improved on its predecessor, the New Balance 3.0 Pro. The historic American brand NB, one of the leading names in the design and manufacture of running shoes, following considerable growth, has established itself as one of the leading companies in the football sector. Perhaps at present, the brand with the ‘N’ logo is still a relative newcomer, particularly within the Spanish futsal shoe market, as it seems increasingly difficult to carve out a niche amongst legendary brands such as Kelme, Joma and Munich, but New Balance is not giving up.
New generation: New Balance Audazo v4
These New Balance Audazo v4 futsal shoes from the American brand keep the origins of the Audazo range alive whilst further enhancing the wearing experience and quality. This suggests that NB continues to have confidence in and believe in its potential to compete in the futsal shoe market. The new Audazo v4 is a lighter and more breathable boot. One of the improvements can be seen in the upper, made from synthetic leather that is much more supple and natural-feeling than its predecessor. The use of an outer mesh and perforations significantly increases the shoes' breathability and lightness, without compromising on durability, as NB has incorporated a suede toe cap for greater longevity.
Let’s move on to the chassis of the new Audazo v4. Here we see one of the interesting features of the NB shoe, as it features reinforced ankle support, allowing for greater independence and agility on the pitch. Its elongated tongue provides much better protection when striking the ball, as well as against stamping and other challenges during play.
Let's focus on one of the aspects that is becoming increasingly important to futsal players: the cushioning. New Balance’s REVlite technology makes a return in this midsole, offering the same features as before, whilst being 5 per cent more responsive. It’s worth bearing in mind that it’s very difficult to maintain a material that’s highly responsive whilst also offering the grip and stability required for a game as multi-directional as futsal – but NB has managed it. The midsole blends seamlessly with a retro-style caramel-coloured outsole made from highly wear-resistant rubber, combining herringbone patterns for excellent grip, grooves for flexible movement and a superb pivot point to protect the joints during turns.
This model will, as one would expect, be endorsed on the pitch by the brand’s top players, namely the 2018 European Futsal Champions: Pedro Cary and Bruno Coelho, who plays for SL Benfica.
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