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Lotto ‘Zheros’ in on World Cup
It was prior to the 2006 World Cup that Lotto Sport Italia became the first brand to launch a football boot without laces, the Zhero Gravity – a boot so sleek it seemed such a shame to get it muddy – and four years on, the Italian company is maintaining its dedication to innovation, by launching its next generation, the Zhero Gravity Ultra.
The new boot is currently being trialled by a quartet of Lotto’s international players – England’s Glen Johnson, Italy’s Giuseppe Rossi, Spain’s Joan Capdevilla and Sidney Govou of France.
“We have made a special pair for Glen, [with] a slightly different fit on each foot,” Allan Cope, UK country manager for Lotto Sport Italia, tells Sporting Goods Business. “He has been testing out the shoes, but unfortunately he has been injured for the past few weeks.”
While the Zhero Gravity Ultra’s participation at the World Cup is yet to be sealed, Cope confirms to SGB that UK retailers can look forward to receiving deliveries in May, and to subsequent sales at an RRP of £150.
Reactive material
One of the new features of the Zhero Gravity Ultra is Lotto’s Reactive Arch, which is a flexible, concave sole designed to move in unison with the transversal arch of the foot. Lotto promises that the new sole provides improved cushioning to reduce stress on the foot, and a wider surface area should increase stability. The Reactive Arch is also designed to encourage the elastic return of the foot after each step, thereby enhancing sporting performance and reducing fatigue.
Doing the twist
It should be no surprise that from the original Zhero Gravity model, Lotto has kept its patented ‘Twist ‘n Go’ concept in the updated Ultra.
‘Twist ‘n Go’ is a concept created by an all-Italian collaboration, between Lotto Sport Italia and the Micro Calculations laboratory at the University of Pavia. The lab specialises in identifying injury risks from defects in sports equipment, and it had identified the danger to footballers of having absolute grip between the soles of their football boots and the turf, due to the rapid acceleration, deceleration and changes of direction that are integral to football.
Tests carried out by Pavia’s lab and Lotto showed that the crucial point for balance and thrust of the athlete during change of direction is situated under the root of the first metatarsal, and it is here, on the outsole of the Zhero Gravity Ultra, where a ‘Twist ‘n Go’ rotating stud is located. Tests have shown that the rotating stud enables players to quicken their change of direction, reduce the risk of injury and maintain better balance during rotation.
No strings attached
The advantage of a football boot without laces is that players receive improved feel of the ball through an unimpeded upper, and the slight irregularity to accuracy that can be caused by laces is also eradicated by the Zhero Gravity Ultra. And as for the mud, well, it struggles to stick to these boots, thanks to the microfibre upper that Lotto assures is hydro-repellent and anti-abrasion.
The Zhero Gravity Ultra is available in White/Metal Blue Night and Black/Bright White, and each pair comes in a boot bag made from the same microfibre as the boots themselves.
