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It is fair to say that the Nike Phantom line has become something of a problem child for the brand over the last few years.
Good boots, such as the Nike Phantom Venom and original Nike Phantom GX, have been sandwiched between ones that just didn’t perform anywhere near as well, such as the Phantom Vision and Phantom GT. It has seemed at times a model lacking real direction, especially in comparison to the clearer focus of Nike’s other models in the Mercurial and Tiempo.
But, with the release of the Phantom GX in 2023, Nike landed produced one of the best football boots of the year, and have made the wise decision of building on some of the features that made it so popular with the Nike Phantom GX 2 Elite.
Some of the uncertainty regarding the direction of the Phantom line is also still evident, however – so I tried a pair of the new boots in a firm ground variation to get a clearer picture of how they perform on pitch.
Nike Phantom GX 2 Elite review
One of the main features of the Nike Phantom GX 1 that made it so popular was the GripKnit that made up most of its upper. Added grip on upper materials is a popular aspect of modern football boots, but the GripKnit on the GX 1 was far superior when compared to other boots on the market.
It is no surprise then that this has been brought forward to the new model, and surprisingly there does even seem to be slightly more GripKnit on the upper of the GX 2. This time around the knit has some additional texturing on top that Nike are calling StrikeZone, while the upper doesn’t feel quite as sticky as the GX 1 as a result.
When taking these out of the box, I was instantly struck by just how soft the upper is – this is an impressively comfortable boot and superior to the Phantom GX 1, which is no small feat. As with the GX 1, the latest Phantom deploys off-centred lacing, creating a wonderfully clean striking surface in the area surrounded by the StrikeZone texturing that is reminiscent in look to some of the great Nike Total 90 models. This makes them great for strikers looking to shoot at goal, as well as midfielders hitting long-range passes during games.
With this latest generation, Nike have taken the Phantom in a direction similar to
that of the Mercurial in terms of the two options available. While the Mercurial offers the Vapor and Superfly models, the Phantom has both the GX and the Luna. This does create some confusion within the model itself, however.
Just as with the Vapor and Superfly, the GX 2 and Luna 2 share the exact same upper and soleplate, with the only difference being a model with a mid-cut flyknit collar (the Luna). This is particularly strange for the Phantom models as the Luna 1 was first released as a boot mainly for women aimed at combatting their increased susceptibility to knee injuries and was an entirely different model to the GX 1.
Now, with the second generation of both models, the Luna shares the same features. The messaging around them being specifically engineered for women is now gone. This confusion continues onto the soleplate, with both models sharing the Cyclone 360 soleplate first seen on the Luna 1, which proved the main focus of Nike’s claim that the boot could help prevent the serious knee injuries increasingly seen in the women’s game. The messaging around that is also no longer evident.
The soleplate itself is solid, but replacing the original one seen on the GX 1 is a mistake in my opinion. While I found that soleplate slightly too flexible, though certainly manageable, now it’s even more pliable in the midfoot – something I’m not a huge fan of as someone who prefers a little extra stiffness for stability. Fortunately, the forefoot of the plate is wonderfully snappy and a definite plus.
Interestingly, the AG versions of both the GX 2 and Luna 2 feature a soleplate that is strikingly similar to that of the GX 1, so this experience is still available for those who end up yearning for the old stud configuration.
In terms of sizing, I would recommend going true to size. The GX 2 also has a fair amount of volume and is a great option for those with wider feet. The toebox offers an extra bit of room that models such as the Adidas Predator Elite share, while being a superior offering overall to boots like the Puma Future 7 Ultimate.
Overall, the Nike Phantom GX 2 Elite takes most of the best features from the first versions of the GX and Luna to create arguably one of the best boots on the market. I absolutely love the improved GripKnit, and it’ll be fascinating to see where Nike take the technology going forward.
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