Nike Phantom GX Elite review: Can these football boots improve your touch on the ball?

Brands have found it increasingly difficult to produce football boots that achieve the sort of legendary status that iconic pairs of the past were once able to. This is due to the relentless speed with which new models are created and replaced in the modern era. 

Capturing the imagination has never been harder - not helped by the plethora of colourways released on a constant basis. Indeed, iconic boots are harder to come by due to the lack of association between players and specific colours, which often helps to elevate a pair's timeless status. Gone are the days of players wearing the same style all season, colours are switched up often after just a handful of games.

Every now and then, though, a model of boot comes along that is able to cut through the noise, build momentum and enhance its status as a truly quality option among the best football boots on the market. 

It is to this category that the Nike Phantom GX Elite looks set to belong.

Nike Phantom GX Elite review

The Nike Phantom GX Elite comes in a low and a mid-cut ‘Dynamic Fit’ version, and I wore the low version across a few different surfaces to help improve my verdict. Almost immediately, I noticed a big step up from the Nike Phantom GT 2 Elite that they replaced. 

With the upper made up mainly of Nike’s Gripknit material – soft, sticky yarns that offer that extra bit of grip when controlling the ball and dribbling - the Phantom GX have a unique feel. Indeed, the Gripknit upper is one of the more interesting pieces of innovation I have seen on football boots in recent years.

You can feel just how grippy the upper is when you touch the boot with your hands and, more importantly, the extra grip can also be felt with the ball at you feet. Rain doesn't negatively impact the GX's grip levels either, as the material water is resistant. Handy for those who play their football in Britain.

The Gripknit sits on top of the lacing system and wraps the boot in such a way as to create two distinct pieces, giving the boot quite a wide fit. Suitable for those with wider feet, narrow-footed players may find these a little roomy - though not to a degree that will affect performance.

Comfortable straight out of the box, I found the Phantom GX don't require much time to break in, thanks to the softness and pliability of the upper. And, once on, the feel of the Gripknit makes them noticeably different from any other boot I have tried on the market. 

With slightly off-centred lacing, there's a clean striking area for shooting and longer passes, as demonstrated by agile creators like Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Gavi. 

I found the heel very soft and flexible, with the removal of part of the heel counter making for a much less structured heel area that can be seen on a lot of boots currently available. This adds a little in terms of comfort, but also means an important area of the boot lacks a bit of protection for my liking. 

If any rouge opponents do step on the back of your boot while you're wearing these you are likely to feel it a lot more than in boots with a more solid heel. 

When it comes to traction, the soleplate is made up of tristar, chevron and conical studs to aid every type of movement. The chevrons at the toe area at the top of the soleplate add aggression when looking to take off at speed, with the conical studs in the midfoot and heel helping  crafty players twist and turn far more easily. The tristar studs that make up the rest of the outsole aid side-to-side movement.

Also included on the soleplate is what Nike calls an 'Agility Line', adding a little bit of rigidity to what it is a very flexible soleplate. From my experience, the soleplate is perhaps a little too flexible - it is possible to almost fold the boot in half in hand, which is an unusual level of flexion. Though some players might like this.

Personally, I would have preferred more structure and bite in the outsole to improve the energy return which is important when trying to push off at speed.

I wore the Firm Ground (FG) version of the Nike Phantom GX Elite on both grass and artificial ground, and would highly recommend keeping these for natural grass surfaces. Bear in mind that Nike do offer an Artificial Grass (AG) specific version of the boot, specifically intended for 4G.

Though not the worst FG boots to wear on artificial grass, especially when considering they feature some conical studs, an AG-specific pair is always best when playing on artificial ground.

The recent release of the Nike Phantom GX 2 has certainly brought the GX and its possible legacy into greater scrutiny, but the verdict seems to be that the newer release has a lot to live up to. 

Indeed, the release of the newer generation means that the Phantom GX Elite is an even more attractive option, with huge savings to be made on nine colourways available in sizes ranging from UK 3.5 to 12.