Without Question, the Zhero Gravity's ($330) are the Ferrari of soccer boots.  They are the blend of Italian design and modern innovation.  They are entirely focused on speed, outrageously expensive, and rarely seen in the wild.

The Gravity boot is a combination of synthetic materials.  The tongue area is a single piece of a highly flexible and form fitting material removing the need for laces.  The Zhero's come with two inserts to provide a better fit.  We tested both the narrow and standard liner.  The sides are a synthetic leather.  The boots have a large heel counter made of Pebax.  Pebax is a nylon based plastic that adheres well to the upper preventing separation.

The platform uses a combination of stiff plastics and a flex hinge at the ball.  The cleat pattern is a combination of 7 blades and four interchangeable studs.  The box includes hard ground (short), firm ground (medium) and soft ground (long) sizes along with a stud wrench/shoe horn.  At about 7.6 oz, these are among the lightest cleats on the planet.

The Zhero Gravity features two real innovations.  The laceless design gives the boots one of the cleanest kicking surfaces available.  The lines are smooth and flowing.  The top of the foot is ridged to provide more friction and flex points.  The second big innovation is the stud retention system.  Unlike traditional screw-in studs, the Zhero Gravity uses a compression system.  The studs are pushed in and turned until they lock into place.  There is an indicator on the stud that matches the base to show when the cleats are properly positioned.  We had no problem with cleats unlocking in our tests.  There is no mud evacuation hole.  We don't think this would be an issue given the design, but we did not test the boots under very muddy conditions.

The laceless system does have some quirks.  It can be difficult to get the boots on, especially with wet socks.  We were very glad for the shoehorn that was included and wondered what would happen if it was lost, forgotten or broken.  There is also an odd bunching feeling the first time the boots are donned.  The tongue area feels odd on the foot, but it quickly goes away.  Overall, the reviews were mixed.  Everyone loved the style and weight.  Those who spend their money on light weight boots like the Vapors or 1.08's raved about the Gravitys.  Those who preferred a power platform ala Predator were less enthusiastic.  Not surprising given the focused nature of the boots.  This is, after all, a highly focused boot designed for a highly focused player.

Lotto was founded in 1973 in Italy.  They began with tennis shoes and branched out to most major European sports.  Currently, they produce a full multisport line of footwear, apparel and accessories.  Recently, the company refocused on performance products and sponsors players and teams in Italy, Germany, Spain, France, The Netherlands, and Mexico.