I started playing football when I was six, knocking about at a semi-respectable Saturday league level for 20-odd years before making the inevitable transition to small-sided midweek games. In that time, I almost exclusively wore understated black boots like the Adidas Copa Mundial, Nike tiempo and Adidas predator at a push. The Skechers SKX_2 elites that arrived at my door were a violent departure from this. The patriotic red, white and blue colourway comes complete with glitter-imbued laces and a chrome sole plate. Wearers won’t be hard to spot. But the more I wore them, the more the performance impressed me. There are a few innovative features that go beyond gimmicks to deliver noticeable performance perks. I’ve run through the main ones, and the brand’s claims around them, below. I took the Skechers SKX_2 elite for a spin (Harry Bullmore/The independent)“The next-generation FitKnit upper’s refined structure comfortably locks down the midfoot for a secure feel as you move, while the laces are strategically placed for an ergonomic, adaptive fit.”I wear a UK10 in most shoes, a 10.5 in Nike football boots and an 11 in Adidas boots. I ordered the Skechers SKX_2 elite in a UK10.5, and I could have gone down to a 10 as they fit true to size. The FitKnit upper felt a bit inflexible at first, fitting fairly narrow and pressuring the sides of my feet. But after just 20 minutes of kicking a ball around, the shoes settled in and felt comfortable. The boots might not be the best fit for those with wider feet, however. I’m also a big fan of the lace design, and how they’re built into the boots. Rather than usual bulky long laces and cumbersome tongue found on football boots, the Skechers SKX_2 elite have short laces built into the shape of the boot. This left a large, clean area for striking the ball.The textured upper offers a faithful first touch (Harry Bullmore/The Independent)“When you’re on the ball, enhanced PSC texturing ensures a confident touch and accurate striking thanks to new precision-mapped detailing.”Across the midfoot and forefoot, the outside of the upper is covered in a light, dimpled texture. I found this offered similar friction on the ball to a classic leather boot, which was handy for keeping the ball under close control when dribbling.Touches with the inside, outside and laces all felt natural. I even threw a few rusty elasticos in as the ultimate test of the Skechers’s touch, and the boots performed well. Dimples on the midfoot and forefoot help you control the ball (Harry Bullmore/The Independent)“For cushioning, the trademark Hyper Burst Pro sockliner provides effective impact absorption as you land and change direction, returning energy over time so you’re still fresh when opponents are flagging.”The boots have a thin insole, with a little bit of cushioning. When you’re already wearing the boots on semi-soft grass, I don’t think this really does anything noticeable on the impact absorption front. But they did stay put and hold my foot securely through sprinting and change of direction drills.I think it’s a stretch to say the insole is going to give me any sort of advantage when I start blowing in the second half of a game, but it did the basics well and I had no complaints. The heel was easier to slip into than most football boots I've tried, but it still offered a locked-in fit when I tied the laces (Harry Bullmore/The Independent)“At the heel, improved padding around the Achilles combines with silicone grip elements on the sockliner and collar lining to ensure your foot’s always perfectly positioned within the boot.”This might be my favourite innovation in the Skechers SKX_2 elite, and it’s something I haven’t seen before in a football boot.An additional thin layer of cushioning around the heel offers an impressively comfortable, locked-in fit. It also made the boots incredibly easy to slip on and off, meaning teammates needn’t wait for you in the changing room as you wrestle your way into an uncompromising leather boot. In the hours I’ve spent in these boots, my feet remained comfortable, and thanks to the cushioned heel there was no threat of rubbing – even when wearing the firm ground version on sun-baked pitches. Padding at the heel kept me comfortable during longer sessions on firm ground, and made the boots easy to slip on and of (Harry Bullmore/The Independent)“On the soleplate, an internal chassis provides balance and stability for fast cuts and turns, then multidirectional traction lets you push off and exploit the space.”Football boots have done all sorts with their soles over the years. The Nike mercurial superfly 2 and 3 stand out for their carbon-fibre undersides and wild stud design that resembled a camping stove (seriously, Google it). As someone who likes using the sole of their boot to roll over the ball during a game, these left-field designs simply didn’t work. The Skechers’s firm ground studs are a bit more traditional, and I found these worked well for controlling the ball. My firm ground pair also delivered excellent grip for sharp cutting movements and sprints on a hard, heatwave-baked pitch. Chrome plating along the base of the shoe offered bonus rigidity and responsiveness, helping me feel nimble when quickly changing direction. The studs offered good grip and feel of the ball (Harry Bullmore/The Independent)