The introduction of Nike's Spark Brilliance Pack not only ushers in the colorways for this summer's Euro and Copa America tournaments, but also highlights a new Superfly design and an improved Hypervenom upper. The Spark Brilliance Pack is bright- it's meant to stand out when the world's greatest players take the pitch this summer. Nike designers utilized some of their best colors for this pack including Total Crimson and Volt found on the Mercurial Superfly and Magista Obra. The Hypervenom Phantom and the Tiempo Legend are also featured in show-stopping pops of Volt, Hyper Turq, and Clear Jade.
To kick off the summer, Nike also launched a design overhaul of their fan-favorite Mercurial Superfly. Innovations to the upper construction, stud configuration and soleplate make this Superfly one of the most scientifically sound boots in Nike's football design history. A new anatomically-contoured soleplate was developed as one complete piece (as opposed to layers of material), allowing the weight to be reduced by a whopping 40% from the previous carbon-fibre plate. Nike also utilized Finite Element Analysis (FEA) testing in order to determine which traction pattern worked best for the new stud configuration, resulting in a variety of triangular/bladed studs that enhance a player's ability to accelerate as well as stop on a dime.
Another data-driven design innovation was the reconfiguration of the Flyknit upper. Previously, the upper was one uniform piece of Flyknit. To provide more friction between the upper and the ball, Nike created a strategically mapped 3D "Speed Rib" texture. The speed ribs start at a thickness of 1 millimeter and progress to 2.5 millimeters at the forefoot in order to improve a player's control of the ball while operating at maximum speeds.
Lastly, an innovation to the Hypervenom Phantom II upper is actually a throwback to the first generation Hypervenom. The stiffer upper of the Phantom II resulted in a longer break-in period, which wasn't desirable amongst professional players who constantly require new boots. Nike brought back the older and softer first generation upper in order to ease the break-in process for professionals and consumers alike.
The Spark Brilliance Pack will be available in the Soccer Shop and online in adult and youth sizes. The Magista Opus, Hypervenom Phinish, Tiempo Legend and Mercurial Vapor XI will be available in adult sizes in early June. The Mercurial Superfly V and Hypervenom Phantom II will arrive in early July.
