As a brand, Sokito has dedicated itself to eco-friendly and sustainable practices, with the Sokito Devista the first ever football boot to be certified vegan by The Vegan Society.
The brand's latest release - the Sokito Scudetta - aims to not only stay true to its ethical commitments, but truly challenge the very best football boots available on the market.
Achieving all of this while also doing so at a lower price point than many of the established brands is something that would have the potential to make massive waves in the space. With this in mind, I was very keen to see how the Sokito Scudetta performed and whether they can combine quality with ethical practices.
Sokito Scudetta review
Soktio's previous offering - the Devista - was a solid boot that fit well and performed to a high level all round, and competed with some of the most comfortable football boots.
To do so with a vegan certification was probably the most noteworthy aspect of the boot. In truth, the Sokito Devista looked and performed exactly how you would expect the most sustainably built football boot ever.
This is not a criticism, with the boots looking smart and delivering on the pitch. However, in terms of tech and performance, they were not on the level of the best Nike football boots, for example, such as the Nike Mercurial Superfly 10 or the Nike Phantom GX 2 Elite. This is not the case with the Scudetta.
On looks alone you can see that the Sokito Scudetta is built to compete at the highest level of the most tech-forward category in the boot market – speed. The forefoot of the boot is soft, comfortable and has a feel reminiscent of the Adidas Adizero from 2014 – widely recognised as one of the best football boots for speed ever made.
In terms of comfort, the only other (non-leather) speed boot that comes close is the Skechers Razor Elite. It is pliable, plush out of the box and brings a naturally nice touch on the ball.
The upper is simply excellent. Meanwhile, the fit is as good as, if not better than any of the best lightweight football boots, with the Scudetta’s sculpted upper seeming to disappear around the form of my feet as soon as I put them on.
The boots did fit very snugly, so those with wider feet could potentially struggle - our guides for the best football boots for wide feet could be more useful. There is some adjustability with the construction of the tongue, but these have the fit of a quintessential speed boot in terms of width.
I have slim feet so the fact the Scudetta is on the narrower side was ideal for me, leaving no dead space in any areas of the boot and locking in nicely. The lockdown in general is great, particularly in the heel with no slippage at all.
The outsole features a pattern of bladed and chevron shaped studs, providing aggressive traction when taking off at speed. In terms of stud shape, it is up there with the more aggressive soleplates, at least when you compare Adidas' more neutral pattern on the recently released Adidas F50 Elite. Plus, the plate is snappy with a good level of energy return, with the nylon insert towards the forefoot aiding this.
One thing the Sokito Scudetta lacks is a dedicated AG option. The Devista's more neutral soleplate allowed that boot to be worn safely on artificial surfaces. This is not the case with the Scudetta, so taking a look at the best football for astro turf could be beneficial if you spend the majority of your playing time on 3G or 4G.
The firm ground option is undoubtedly one of the best speed boots on the market, and with that comes a level of aggression in the outsole that makes it unsuitable for use on artificial surfaces - an issue I am sure the brand is aware of. But with a large portion of casual play now taking place during midweek on AG, the lack of this option is a blow.
There is not yet a soft ground option for the Scudetta so they can only really be worn on dry, natural grass. Undoubtedly, it is a bit of a shame for such a groundbreaking boot to be limited in this way, though it's still encouraging they're among the best football boots for firm ground.
Pricewise, the Sokito Scudetta retails at around £174.99. This is big positive, particularly in comparison to the Adidas F50 Elite (£220), the Nike Mercurial Vapor (£245) and the Puma Ultra 5 Ultimate (£210). For a not-insignificant saving you are able to buy a pair that performs to at least the same level and is built much more sustainably. Sokito have done a great job of creating not only a great boot but a very attractive option in a crowded marketplace.
To describe the Sokito Scudetta as anything less than groundbreaking would be an injustice. Sustainability has been on the agenda of the wider football boot market for a long time and brands have made some progress. Elite pairs from some of the biggest brands are now made in part with recycled materials and we have seen boots, such as the Gamemode from Adidas featuring at least 65% recycled materials. Yet it was never truly a priority - the Scudetta changes that.
Sokito have shown the world it is possible to build a boot using these materials without compromising on performance. The Scudetta has removed this excuse from any discussion of the present or future of boot manufacturing - and potentially makes this release a watershed moment.
At a time where sustainability and ethics are undoubtedly important issues in every facet of our lives - Sokito are committed to making it a priority. Outside of the manufacturing of its boots, the company also runs a boot recycling scheme where an old pair can be exchanged for £20 credit to spend on the brand’s website.
However, the most important aspect of any football boot, particularly at this end of the market, will always be its performance. Thankfully, the performance of the Sokito Scudetta is the star of the show. This is one of the best boots of 2024. Even with sustainability put to one side, this would be a pair worthy of the level of attention it has received.
