The Ultimate Guide To The Nike Phantom Range (2023)

Introduction

If you like the look of the Nike phantom range but you’re stuck with deciding which edition you should go for, this is the article for you!

The Nike Phantom range is made for attack-minded players with a collection of features designed for maximum creativity.

Every edition has been designed with high-performance and comfort-ability in mind.

And they've become incredibly popular due to Nike offering boots for all surfaces and player levels.

The Nike Phantom GT Series

Launched in 2020, the Phantom GT series have become a favourite for those who rely on agility and bursts of speed.

The "GT" stands for generative texture, one of Nike's latest innovations. The generative texture is a dotted texture along the upper of the boot for better ball control.

Furthermore, this texture also looks to assist with creating the perfect spin and getting the ideal connection with the ball. It's an incredibly unique feature which offers more grip than their competitors.

Nike have introduced a new soleplate for the GT series; they call it the hyperquick system. It's a new stud layout which has been specifically crafted for dynamic movement and quick changes.

The GT series has taken elements from the Hypervenoms, VSN, and VNM ranges to ensure that it caters to the needs of professional playmakers.

Even the lacing system is off-centre so that you have a bigger zone to connect with the ball when it comes to making the perfect pass or hitting it in the top corner.

And to further improve your ability to make the right connection with the ball, Nike have also included an open-arch chassis. What this means is there's a significant reduction in material between the inner foot and the ball. This allows for better ball control and distribution.

With regards to weight, these boots come in at a light 7.50z. The lack of weight primarily comes from the inner flyknit material; it's not only light but allows for excellent support of the foot. Whilst not being the absolute lightest on the market, these boots allow for quick movement along with durability.

Footballers such as Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, and Mason Mount have all worn the Nike Phantom GT Elite boots. If you wanted any more proof that these boots can get the job done, just look at the level of these players!

(Image From Nike).

The Nike Phantom GT 2s

The Nike Phantom GT 2 As with all popular releases, the Nike GT got an upgrade in the way of the Nike Phantom GT2 series.

The Nike GT2 Elites see an enhanced generative texture along the top of the boot. This generative texture now covers even more of the boot; this allows for more dynamic ball control and the ability to hit the ball with unorthodox parts of the foot.

Furthermore, there are some minor adjustments to the soleplate in the aim of providing incremental gains to the wearer's acceleration and lateral movement.

Again, this boot focuses on providing excellent ball control and the ability to pass with laser accuracy. It's worth mentioning that Man City's Kevin De Bruyne has upgraded from the classic GT's to the GT 2 Elites.

The Nike Phantom GX

The Nike Phantom GX currently offers one of the most fun designs in the football boot world. This is because of it's two layer construction.

The Nike Phantom GX's has a plate along the front of the boot which is covered in Nike's patented gripknit technology.

Firstly, this allows for some interesting colourways. Already we’re seeing some funky colour combinations and we can’t wait for what Nike has coming up next. If you value design above all else, these are the Phantoms for you.

Please note that this offers a different feel compared to the GT's generative texture. The GX's gripknit technology is incredibly sticky where as the generative texture on the GT offers a more cushioned feel. The team at Nike have really focused on ball control and first touch ability with this particular design.

The Nike Phantom GX’s feature a tri-star stud formation for optimal movement and balance; the soleplate holds up well even on the coldest and hardest of turfs. Furthermore, the flex groove forefront allows for traction when playing in wt conditions too. If you’re looking for a subtle boost when getting off the mark, we strongly recommend considering this Phantom edition.

Most models of the Nike Phantom GX’s feature a flyknit lace covering too. Not only does this add to the comfortability of the boot but optimal movement.

And if you suffer from ankle problems, the Dynamic fit model features a flyknit collar for more support around the whole ankle.

Each pair of the Nike Phantom GX’s perform exceptionally well but they do vary in quality. They come in three different ranges: Pro, Academy, and Club. The Pro’s offer the best possible quality but also come with the highest price-tage. The Academy pairs are the mid range of the Phantom GX’s whilst the Club GX’s are the lower range.

(Image From Nike).

Nike Phantom Venom

If you liked the look of the Nike Phantom GT’s and GX’s but you’re more of a striker then these are the boots for you.

The Nike Phantom Venoms are a football built designed specifically for elite strikers. Every inch of the Nike Phantom Venoms have been designed for an optimal connection with the ball.

Firstly, they feature a patented PWR strike zone. This design increases the area in which you can strike the ball by around 30%. With more room, you can have a better feel for how you connect with the ball and which area of your foot you want to strike the ball with. This is incredibly similar to the classic Total 90s, except the strike zone on these is even bigger.

Furthermore, Nike have designed these boots in such a way that the upper ridge molds to the shape of your foot. Again, allowing for optimal boot control and for you to get the right connection.

Outside of the PWR strike zone, there are three elements which differentiate these boots from the GT2s and the GXs.

Firstly, these boots are incredibly light. You’re going to be hardpressed to find a pair of boots that give you such acceleration.

Similarly, the streamlined nature of these boots allow for you to reach top speeds and maintain it for longer than other clunky boots.

And last but not least, these boots offer a tighter fit to ensure that they’re as light and streamlined as possible.

It’s worth noting that if you’re somebody that values colourways and unique designs then the Phantom Venoms are going to be a great choice for you. They come in a range of colours from a minimalist black on black to a bright and vivid yellow.

For inspiration, you’ll often see strikers such as Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, Mauro Icardi, Raheem Sterling, and Gonzalo Higuain all lace up the Nike Phantom Venom Boots. And it’s all because of the light design and the effective PWR strike zone.

The Nike Phantom VSN Series

If you’re looking for another playmaker option than the VSN series are definitely worth considering. These boots have been made with agility and optimal ball control in mind.

With these boots Nike have ditched the dynamic fit collar that they opted for with the GT Series. They’ve significantly lowered the ankle collar for a heightened range of movement. Because of the lowered ankle collar, these boots give a more minimalist design off.

It’s worth noting that the new VSN series features Nike’s QuadFit technology. Nike’s QuadFit technology is a fabric which acts like a sock within the inside of the boot. The sock-like design is then connected to the laces which act solely to tighten the design to your foot.

They want the VSN series to be able to mold to all player types. This also means you don’t have to put half as much effort into breaking in the boot as compared to other designs.

Because of the QuadFit technology, Nike have been able to reduce a lot of the materials that they previously used within the inside into the boot allowing for a lighter boot.

And because there’s so little material on the inside of the boot, the boot offers much more sensitivity when controlling and distributing the ball.

Again, we have to bring up one of the best playmakers of this generation in Kevin De Bruyne. He’s known to regularly wear the VSN series because of it’s ability to provide him with the ball control that he requires.

And like all phantom boots, these boots come in a range of different levels with the Elite being the highest-quality but most expensive too.

(Image From Nike).

Nike Phantom VSN vs VSN 2

It can be pretty difficult to identify the differences between both pairs of boots so we thought we’d explain what makes the VSN 2’s a significant upgrade than the originals.

Firstly, the tecture on the top of the boot has been completely re-engineered. Now the VSN 2’s have four different zones on the ball: a trap zone, a strike zone, a knuckle zone, and a dribble zone. Each offering an optimal touch for their particular activity. Basically, as you hit the ball with each zone, the ball travels slightly differently due to the texture on each zone.

Next, they’ve thinned the upper half of the boot in another attempt to improve the player’s ball control. It shows that Nike have one goal with these boots, to offer as much sensitivity as possible for optimal ball control.

And another key difference is they’ve further lowered the ankle cut. It now sites below the medial malleolous bone for the best possible ankle mobility.

If you’re a player who relies on sharp turns and agility, it’s safe to say that these boots are a market leader in this department.

Last but not least, Nike have updated their heel design for the better. The boots now feature a heel clip for more overall structure and improved support when moving laterally.

Nike Phantom Luna

We had to include one of the most popular boot releases in recent years: the Nike Phantom Luna.

In anticipation of the women’s world cup, Nike released a football boot made specifically for female football players. The Luna’s offer a range of features which contribute to optimal female performance with a focus on more support and mobility.

Firstly, the Luna’s feature a AsymFit collar specifically designed around the female ankle. Research into the subject showed that female players preferred a tighter fit around the ankle for an increased range of motion where as male players preferred a bit more support in this region.

Furthermore, they also found that female players often experienced irritation on the achilles. To treat this, Nike designed a high cuff heel spasm for this boot; tjis means that they’ve reduced the pressure on the achilles when braking.

And in an exclusive release, these boots feature a cyclone 360 pattern. This circular stud design allows for dynamic movement and the ability to plant or push off in just one motion.

Female greats including: Crystal Dunn, Grace Geyoro, and Debinha, wear the Phantom Luna range.

USWNT player spoke on the release saying “I was part of the wear test group for Phantom Luna in Nike's Sport Research Lab and have been able to continue to test them in practice”.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this has given you some great insight into which Nike Phantom’s are right for you. And be sure to stay updated with our blog to ensure you’re the first to know when it comes to boot releases.