A very impressive elite boot market debut. The SKX 01 is good enough to be considered a viable, lower cost alternative to boots by bigger brands like Harry Kane's former sponsor, Nike.
Pros
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Light
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Suitable for most foot types, particularly wide feet
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Comfortable right out of the box
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Lower price point compared to rivals in the category
Cons
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No artificial ground version, yet
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Precise Strike Control texturing has modest impact on control and strike
To say Skechers have entered the boot market with a bang would be an understatement. The SKX 01 launched with a mystery, unbranded prototype before it was fully unveiled by Skechers’ new poster-boy – England men’s captain Harry Kane.
In October Kane exclusively told FourFourTwo: "We started talking about six months ago. Skechers contacted me and my team, and told us about what they wanted to do. I’ve been really impressed with them. I’m really proud to be the face of the boots, and I’m happy I’ve been scoring goals in them already.
"I think it was a surprise to a lot of people around the football world to see Skechers come into the football market but I think that's what makes it so exciting."
A string of other well-known players have followed suit, including Oleksandr Zinchenko and Anthony Elanga. The brand’s intent in the market is clear but how good is their first elite football boot? We tried a pair of the Skechers SKX 01 in FG to find out just that.
So are these boots worth the hype? Are they some of the best football boots around right now?
DEAL
Skechers SKX 01 FG Was £195 Now £145 This is the first time we've ever seen a discount on Kane's new boots. At the time of writing he's managed 22 goals in 17 games in them. £50 off a boot that is already a lower cost alternative to the premium Nike models Kane used to wear means these have to be taken seriously.
How we tested the Skechers SKX
We tried these a few times on both natural grass and 4G pitches and the boots took well to both surfaces.
(Image credit: Future)
Comfort and fit
The boot is on the lighter side and will suit most foot types comfortably – including those with wide feet. This is actually perhaps one of the better boots on the market for those with wide feet. The upper is pliable and the boots are comfortable straight out of the box, needing little-to-no time to break in.
The SKX 01 is Skecher’s ‘control’ silo aimed at technicians who are looking to get on the ball and create for their teams and the lightweight upper alongside a soleplate that offers bite without sacrificing the ability to pivot will suit players of this type.
Harry Kane laces up a pair of the blue Skechers SKX 01 (Image credit: Skechers)
Design
The boots bear some similarities to the Nike Phantom GT 1 & 2 with the shape, texture and soleplate all resembling the now discontinued Nike pair. The upper is made from Skechers ‘FitKnit’ material with a knitted upper reinforced with a slightly tougher outer skin.
The boot is covered in what Skechers are calling Precise Strike Control (PSC) texturing for added grip and control on the ball. PSC consists of a series of micro dots and macro lines with the dots aimed at helping with control and the lines with long passing and shooting. However, while the material is undoubtedly grippy, these features are not likely to make a significant difference when actually controlling or striking the ball.
On the pitch
(Image credit: Skechers)
Skechers do not currently offer an AG specific option for this boot so those who play primarily on artificial ground who wish to try a pair will have to go with the sometimes-risky option of an FG plate on AG.
The soleplate is not overly aggressive, so these are passable on both ground types while being better for grass.
Summary
These retail for £195 so do represent a saving compared to the boots of the same category for the likes of Nike and adidas (the Nike Phantom GX retails for £234.99). This is wise from a brand that is new to the market whose aim is to entice people away from the established giants.
We would recommend going to true to size for the Skechers SKX 01.
Overall this is a very impressive first foray into the elite boot market from Skechers and the SKX 01 is already good enough to considered a viable, lower cost alternative to boots from the bigger brands.
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A football boot and shirt enthusiast who collects all kinds of kit and equipment, Lolade Jinadu is a social media influencer with over 40,000 fans on Instagram. Lolade boasts all kinds of boots in his extensive collection, from retro classics to brand-new releases and has an extensive knowledge of some of the biggest and best brands in the beautiful game, thanks to his years of sampling high-end products. Lolade reviews boots for FourFourTwo.
