By
Concave International
CobaltNiche
Description
Concave’s Quantum2 and Halo+ are revolutionary football boots that use patented technology to increase the kicking distance and accuracy performance. The world first feature of the boots is their Concave Element integrated into the instep of the boot. This element increases the ‘sweet spot’ of the striking surface in a similar way as oversized golf clubs or tennis racquets have transformed their respective sports at both elite and recreational levels. Concave’s boots naturally complement and ‘cup’ the convex shape of any football, enabling players to execute kicks with more accuracy, control and power more consistently than with standard football boots.
Key Features
and/or Benefits
Prior to Concave, all football boots shared the same 1cm wide sweet spot, formed by the foot’s natural ‘ridge’ shape (the main metatarsal bone). Just as tennis racquets, golf clubs and parabolic skis have increased the performance advantage for their sports, Concave’s unique Element widens the anatomical surface that make up the striking sweet spot and fuses this into an integrated ball cupping shape, providing heightened control, less margin of error (accuracy improved by 40%) and increasing power (by up to 15%).
Concave’s Element performs equally for all codes as the ball geometry of an oval AFL ball - at its preferred striking point - is near identical to that of a standard round (football) ball. As such, Concave’s model range caters for different player roles of all levels, regardless of code. Quantum2’s full Concave Element suits players with specialist kicking roles, while the Halo+’s reduced length Concave Element is designed for heightened ball feel and control (as preferred by high possession ‘mid-field’ players) while not significantly reducing kick power.
An added bonus of the boot’s design is the protection the Concave Element provides to the metatarsal bones of the foot which are very important to power kicking. Metatarsal injuries are common place in football due to the hard studs of players’ boots connecting with the ‘soft top’ of a typical boot. The ‘Metaguard’ is comprised of a reinforced cushioning composite which provides added protection; a feature which sports physicians and orthopaedic surgeons recognise as an injury preventing device in its own right.
To enable optimal functionality of the Concave Element, the boot upper was redesigned with a concealed lacing system. Lacing on standard boots typically interferes with accuracy and control, so separate concealed lacing was implemented, meaning laces cross between the Concave Element and the side of the upper, rather than lacing across the instep. Each side tightens separately with a simple motion, aligning the Concave Element and ensuring a snug fit. The combination of leather and microfibre ensures that the vulnerable area between the toe and the instep is protected from tearing or buckling upon repeated impact.
Concave’s 2014 boot range is a product of over 15 years of meticulous development. It reflects their team’s 100% belief and passion in performance football for every code and for every player. Leaving nothing to chance, early in the development journey, Concave received formal FIFA accreditation that their boots’ technology is legitimate for competition. They have also engaged independent testing of their boots, most recently by Deakin University, to measure the relative distance and accuracy of their boots compared to other popular models.
