Nike Mercurial Vapor 15 Boots Review (2024)

The Nike MercurialVapor 15 comes in four different tiers: the professional-level, top-end Elite, high-quality takedown Pro, budget option Academy and entry-level Club. On top of that, different soleplate types are available to get the exact Vapor for your playing surface. Browse through for more details or go straight to our full Nike Vapor review here.

Elite Review Academy Review Vapor 15 vs 14Your Questions Answered

While technically not the first Mercurial to feature the zoom airbag (having produced the Air Zoom Mercurial twenty one years ago), Nike’s long-running speed boot line gets the first application of the Air Zoom technology ever since its conception as the Mercurial Vapor in 2002. Given the boot’s significant development in terms of the upper, fit, and tooling, Nike turns to its midsole as the centre stage for the latest and greatest from the Vapor line.

Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 FG

Elite – As implied by the title, the Elite has the best of materials, structure, and execution of the Vapor football boot; Price, features, and quality are minimised once you go to the takedown models (Pro, Academy, Club)

Vapor 15 Academy

Both in Adults & Kids Sizes – Cheaper entry level boot, that suits amateur players and those with growing feet, has the same look as the Elite version.

Mercurial Vapor Questions Answered:

• Is the Nike Mercurial Vapor a good option for wide feet?

You’ll be better off with the Phantom GT or the Tiempo if you really have wide feet, along with these other options. With that said, the Vapor is now becoming more accommodating and can pack in some additional width. If you happen to test out previous Vapors and were a bit tight by the slightest of margins, then you might find the latest Vapor finally as a good fit.

• Who wears the Nike Vapors?

Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski are some of the high-quality names playing with the Vapor. Joining them are the likes of Vinicius Jr., Ansu Fati, and Bruno Fernandes.

• Is the Vapor good?

Yes! It’s the reason why the Vapor is now more than two decades old and is ever-present both among professionals and casual players. We could say it pioneered, and arguably still leads, the speed category in football boots.

Elite Mercurial Vapor 15 Review

Nine Things You’ll Want to Know:

1. At around £230, it’s one of the priciest boot in the market
2. Synthetic-based with its Vaporposite+ upper
3. Directly competes against the likes of adidas X and Puma Ultra speed boots
4. Better suited for narrow sizing, but is now more accommodating relative to past Vapors (more room on the midfoot plus the stretch from the Flyknit tongue)
5. Breaks in quite easily
6. Zoom Airbag gives a revolutionary underfoot sensation; might not be at par to its hyped energy-return expectations but nonetheless has a unique feel that needs to be experienced
7. Tri-star studs have a nice sharp traction
8. Save more by opting for the Vapor instead of the Superfly (whose Flyknit collar, while plush and premium, does not necessarily give value for money)
9. Barefoot touch but with less sharpness on the sting of the contact

Our Vapor Expert Review

Packed with unique mechanisms and top-level construction, Nike’s Mercurial Vapors are technology-packed speed boots that attracts stars and casual players alike. Affordable PRO & Academy versions replicate the look with economic materials and form.

Boot Rankings, Best For…

For SR4U:

• Air Zoom tech in latest Mercurial is something special; unlike anything tried before
• Durability not a concern
• Has a running shoe ‘flow’ that he has not experience in any other football boot; there’s a smoothness in transition from moment of impact to the launch of the foot into the next stride; not so much into energy return but more on comfort and smoothness in every step
• Previous Vapors just feels as low profile as the Vapor 15, despite it having less outsole layers
• Does maintain the anatomic feel because of how the Zoom Airbag sits on the soleplate cavity
• Tristar studs as aggressive as the signature chevrons of previous Vapors
• Loves the technicality of the new Vaporposite+ upper construction; if you like the feel of the original Vaporposite not much has changed
• Flyknit now more stretchy
• Shape is bespoke Mercurial but added a little midfoot space
• Unique flow and smoothness in step makes the Mercurial standout among its stiff competition from the adidas X and Puma Ultra

Summary of Jay Mike’s talking points:

• One of the best in the market; seriously good
• Job well done on balancing upper flexibility, responsiveness, and lockdown
• Upper gives a little grip now because of the texture
• Flyknit has a more premium and plush finish
• Doesn’t get the energy return feel; but feels more in-tuned with the boot and comfortable because of Zoom Air

Get Your Pair Here

Vapor 15 vs Vapor 14

Because the main difference is the outsole technology, Vapor 15 edges in comfort and uniqueness in underfoot sensation. The Vapor 14, however, has the advantage in speed boost because of the snap and energy-return of the Aerotrak spine.

Both Vapors remain lightweight, but because of less outsole layers the Vapor 15 becomes even lighter.

Flyknit feels more plush now on the latest Vapor.

Despite the change in the Vaporposite+, once broken-in both uppers provide the same pliability. But the lofted mesh on the new material does lessen the sting of its barefoot touch.

The change from chevron to tristar retains the aggressive traction in the new Vapor. But agility and multidirection speed is the new emphasis, with the previous Mercs and their stud configuration representing the core DNA of linear acceleration.

Vapor 15 builds on the subtle change on the fit and shape of the Vapor 14 to trend towards accommodating more width. The boots might be laying the foundation of taking away the Vapor from its trademark strapped-in, tight narrow fit.

Previous Models

Officially launched in 2002 (albeit with strong connection to Brazilian Ronaldo’s ‘R9’ Mercurials that first appeared in 1998), Nike unveiled their first ever speed-themed silo which has since become arguably the most iconic boot of the past two decades. Updated usually every two years, Nike release a new generation for World Cup and European Championship tournaments.

Vapor 15 is the current model, revealed in the Summer of 2022 with two launch editions, the Coconut White LE & the Bonded pack for the Women’s Euros for the said year.

Mercurial Vapor 14

The Vapor 14 was like a prayer answered for those desiring to return to the synthetic days of the Nike Mercurials. The new Vaporposite material was thin to give you that raw pingy sensation upon ball contact. And after just a short break-in time, the material became more pliable and complemented the softer Avail Q microfibre liner, making your feet comfortable in the long run.

Mercurial Vapor 13 (2019)

The Mercurial Vapor 13 released in July 2019 had the best construction of Nike’s trademark knit material called Flyknit. A soft yarn base layer had a structural reinforcement in the form of Nike’s High-Tenacity yarns, resulting in a Flyknit that remained pliable while also being structurally sound. This reinforcing yarns also worked in harmony with the boot’s tight-fit built and central lacing closure to produce a boot that had a very secure lockdown and noticeable responsiveness.

The 2019 Vapor launched with the New Lights colourway made up of light blue base colourand white accents, the crimson-based Future Lab, chromic Neighbourhood, and vibrant Daybreak Vapors got wide releases in terms of usage among Nike-contracted professionals. Neymar’s lastfew Nike-signature bootswere the racing-inspired Vapor 13 Speed Freak and the kaleidoscopic Jogo Prismatico, whilst the Future DNA Vapor 13 finally brought the orange and silver Superfly 1 colourway available for retail.

Mercurial Vapor 12 (2018)

The Vapor XII started the trend of essentially being the same as the Mercurial Superfly, just less the collar.Called the Vapor 360 at launch, this Mercurial had the first Flyknit construction that completely hugs the foot up to the underfoot, made possible by the split soleplate and anatomically-shaped internal board. The chassis inside the boot had a debossed pattern that matched the embossed pattern underneath the insole, locking in together and reducing internal boot slippage.

Mercurial Vapor 11 (2016)

Together with the Superfly 5, the Vapor 11 werelaunched in May 2016 under the Spark Brilliance Pack dedicated for that year’s Euro tournament. The Vapor 11 had a Teijin synthetic upper and Speed Ribs texturing on the forefoot, the paint job of the launch colourway was predominantly red that faded to black towards the heel with black and pink highlighting the Speed Rib elements. Other black accents included the tongue, laces, and soleplate, with Volt details such as the Swoosh and the stud tips. Neymar’s first signature Mercurial Vapor were the Vapor 11 Written in the Stars; this blue-green Vapor with yellow accentsshowed a constellation graphic whose points detail the journey of Neymar in the football world at that time.

Mercurial Vapor 10 (2014)

In May 2014 Nike followed up the release of the then-new gen Superfly IV with the Vapor 10. Vapor 10 utilised an ultra-thin microfibre upper that introduced the integrated tongue construction. TPU studs filled in the nylon soleplate. The launch colourway of the Vapor was the same Hyper Punch Red and Gold as that of the Superfly IV. If you liked the Laser Orange Superfly 7 Limited Edition, then the Fall 2014 Vapor X might have also appealed to you, partnering the laser orange upper was a white Swoosh with a black outline. Nike’s penchant for bold colour combinations was also evident early on with the Vapor X Silver Storm which had an understated wolf grey upper and a hyper pink swoosh and soleplate, that were debuted on pitch for the 2015 UCL Final.