If every there was a silo that was a rollercoaster, the adidas X line is it. It can move very quickly from the sublime (X18.1 and the X Speedflow) to the not so good (X Speedportal).
The adidas X Crazyfast, like its predecessors, look to be another sharp iteration of the X line. A sleek silhouette, those lovely three stripes on the outside of the foot, a translucent midfoot displaying an internal cage and a lovely launch colourway which would be hard to beat visually.
Everything points to the X Crazyfast fulfilling its name. But does it feel fast?
What is the adidas X Crazyfast.1?
The adidas X Crazyfast sees a return to a speed boot built for comfort, and we love that. While the X Crazyfast+ offers the lightest possible boot without sacrificing performance, the X Crazyfast.1 models seek to offer solid performance while adding a bit more comfort and stability.
The adidas X Crazyfast.1, the model which we’re reviewing comes with the thin and semi-translucent Aeropacity Speedskin upper but it gets a big dollop of padding around the heel and toebox. In this specific model we have, the hard ground soleplate (HG) provided to us by Tokyo Football, you get even more padding around the toes as compared to the regular firm ground model.
The .1 model also comes laceless too, which may appeal to those who buy into the hype (not so much for us).
As with most speed boots, the adidas X Crazyfast.1 comes with an internal cage structure, called Aerocage, to provide support and lockdown as you make quick lateral movements in the boots.
The boots weigh at a respectable 220g in a US9 – pretty decent considering all the padding.
Along with this, the price is much more digestible than the plus model. There is also the fact that the .1s seem better designed to handle more rough surfaces and has a slightly thicker upper that can take a beating. This is why we’d recommend the X Crazyfast.1 over the +.
A little on the narrow side, with extra toe room
One thing that might be a surprise is that the boots still have a fairly thin and almost see through upper. While it is thicker than the plus model, it is still very thin and one can expect the touch on the ball to be almost barefoot, but more on that later.
Something that is fairly surprising is the overall shape of the boot, which differs from the plus model. One would think that both models would have the same fit, but it appears adidas are using different lasts, with the X Crazyfast.1 model having a more rounded toe while the plus is more pointy at the end of the boot and toe area.
The boot’s width is moderate and cuts slightly narrow. It does have a bit of extra space in the toebox, with the HG version offering extra padding around the toes. Unlike the plus model which requires true to size for a good fit, the more rounded toe of the X Crazyfast.1 not only makes the fit more accommodating, but also means the boot runs slightly long.
Go true to size and expect some extra toe space. Going half a size down would be too tight on the midfoot, especially if you have wider feet.
Comfort and a clean touch
Breaking in the X Crazyfast.1 is fairly quick. The upper has a slightly plasticky feel but within a couple of sessions the boot feels ready for action. In fact, even after one session, the boots felt good enough to be taken into a match situation and they performed with no issues.
The lockdown is also good, as a combination of the padded heel cup, the laces and the knit help produce a very locked in sensation. Even on grippier turf surfaces, cutting and turning does not to seem to affect the lockdown in the slightest and the X Crazyfast.1 does a great job of keeping the entire foot locked down in the boot.
The upper is somewhat similar to the plus model in that it is rough to the touch. It is not as grippy as the plus model; however, this also means that it feels less intrusive when playing. There is just enough there to give a little bit extra traction on the ball without feeling super grippy. In wet conditions this is appreciated since it means that the balls sticks to the upper a little bit more when dribbling or receiving a pass.
A uniform upper also means that dribbling with the ball feels easy and unobtrusive. Given the thinness of the upper, the touch on the ball is sharp and thin, as there is still very little between the foot and the ball especially around the midfoot.
Of course, with a thinner upper, one feels everything. Passing the ball is fairly straightforward as there are no pass pads and the like to get in the way. This changes slightly when it comes to longer balls and crossing as that slightly gripper upper means one can get just that little bit of extra grip on the ball when bending it. The grip also does feel noticeable in the midfoot which is great for controlling the ball and is personally preferred over something like a pass pad.
That said, the padding around the toes (unique to the HG model) do offer good protection against opposition studs but may not give you that razor thin feel around that area so keep in mind that the touch would feel different there.
What most people will want to know how shooting in the adidas X Crazyfast.1 is. It’s excellent. There is that ping that most people want in a speed boot. There is a really satisfying feeling to be found when hitting the ball with power and again that thin sensation means that there is relatively nothing to get in the way of hitting the ball. Additionally, there is a nice feeling when catching the ball on the volley as that bit allows one to hit the ball with a little bit more swerve.
The adidas X Crazyfast.1 in HG
The soleplate may no longer have CarbiTex but in spite of that, it still feels very responsive. The boots seem like they are willing you to sprint after every lost cause and of course that slightly upward curve makes it easier to run and reduces the amount of force needed to push off.
This specific HG stud pattern, which is uniform across all their other boot silos, come in a predominantly rounded pattern for ease of pivoting though I’d prefer adidas to have had more studs populate across the sole and have them shorter in length for a true AG/HG experience.
The HG sole works well on AG though it had more bite than expected. Perhaps it’s no bad thing for a speed boot.
The adidas X Crazyfast.1 – My Underdog Boot of the Year
While adidas has sought to give the consumers more just by offering three high end models, by changing the fit and making the prices all different, it only can seek to confuse consumers rather than give them more choice.
At the same time, while the models are all different, it seems clear that for the best performance, bang for the buck, as well as comfort and lockdown, the adidas X Crazyfast.1 laced model is the best one to go with.
The boot can take tackles and feels more well-rounded compared to the other options available. Speed purists may not like the heavy padding around the heel but it does balance comfort and classic speed properties very well. And I really like this.
Even better is that the availability on the .1 model is better and more likely to be found on sale earlier. The boots have even managed to make it into my rotation to a point where, I even prefer them over the X Speedflow.1 in terms of overall fit and performance. These might be the underdog boot of the year so far.
What do you think of the adidas X Crazyfast.1? Share them with us in the comments below.
This review was done in collaboration with Andrew Lockhart from The Lockhart Boot Blog.
How do these fair on FG surfaces? Im in north america and play predominantly on AG and FG surfaces, but the Ag patterns we have available over here suck. These look like they might be perfect for both FG and AG (3g grass).
Hey Gareth! I think they provide moderate traction on FG, nothing ground breaking but I reckon they do a solid job there. Hard ground is a format popular in Japan which essentially has very similar traits to artificial ground boots. They’re meant for shallow, hard surfaces and could also be used on firm ground.
Give these a try!
Thanks!
I found some good looking .2 MG stud patterns for the crazyfast – a 4-3-4 stud configuration in the toe box, so weighing up between those (more studs, but still that more agressive look) vs these (less studs but more rounded).
Hi! Is the HG model safe for AG surfaces with black rubber pellets? I am a midfielder that twists and pivots a lot, and I’m not sure if the HG stud length is too high or the crescent shaped studs are too aggressive to pivot safely. Thanks!
Oh yeah most definitely. HG studs are essentially AG studs, just built for Japanese pitches.