Through a combination of smart endorsement deals and good quality football boots, New Balance has successfully transitioned from ‘up and coming’ in the football boot market to an established player - and the majority of consumers' ‘best of the rest’ brand after Nike, Adidas and Puma.
The Tekela, New Balance’s control silo, received a quite drastic overhaul in 2022 with the release of the New Balance Tekela V4 Pro, and it proved a worthwhile and justified decision as it became revered for its laceless design.
With the Tekela V4+ Pro, New Balance has built on this, making a few subtle changes to the formula that has worked so well for them. I tried a pair to see whether they have managed to improve on the boot, and where it stacks up against its competitors.
New Balance Tekela V4+ Pro
When New Balance released a low and laced model of the Tekela in 2023, the laceless model took somewhat of a backseat in the brand's marketing efforts. The likes of Harvey Elliot and Timothy Weah moved from the laceless into the laced Tekela when it was released, and the latest high-profile player to join the roster, Real Madrid’s Endrick, was put straight into the low and laced version.
This isn't simply reserved for New Balance, however, with the latest generation of the Adidas Copa, the Copa Pure 2, the first since 2019 not to feature a laceless model at all while the laceless options of both the Predator and X Crazyfast were relegated from their position as the top elite model as laced boots took their place.
Despite the fact that laceless boots aren't seen as much on the pitch in recent years, the laceless version of the Tekela V4+ has a legitimate claim to being the best laceless boot on the market.
While the question mark against laceless boots is of lockdown, due to the lack of ability to adjust the tightness of the boot through the laces, this doesn't apply to the Tekela V4+. Indeed, the boot manages to achieve a level of lockdown that no other laceless pair out of the best football boots currently available can achieve.
I enjoyed how the boot wrapped around my foot so tightly, creating that second-skin feeling that I personally love in a boot, and the mid-cut collar hugs the ankle much more tightly than any other mid-cut football boots on the market right now. This helps create a completely locked-in feeling with the boots, with there also being a one-to-one relationship between foot and ball.
Then there is the material. The upper is made of Hypoknit, New Balance’s knit material that is used on both the Tekela and the brand’s speed boot, the Furon V7+. For me, Hypoknit is the best knit material of those used by the big brands on their football boots. Requiring no time whatsoever to break in, the material is instantly comfortable out of the box - I don’t think there are any non-leather boots on the market right now that are as comfortable as the Tekela V4+ Pro, and the upper is also wonderfully flexible without feeling at all flimsy.
As mentioned, the Tekela V4+ is a minor refinement of the previous generation V4, and one area where the boots slightly differ is in the texturing on the upper. The dimpling in the forefoot area of the V4 is now raised and offers a little bit extra grip and some texturing has also been added the collar on the V4+. These are fairly minor changes that won’t make a dramatic difference to the wearing experience.
One change I am a big fan of is the updated heel. The heel on the V4+ is curved in a way that feels more anatomical and allows for your heel to push further back into the boot, aiding heel lockdown and creating more comfort, too.
With a slightly lower and more pointed toebox, the forefoot is slightly snugger, though. New Balance do offer a wider fit option for all of their models so those with wide feet will be able to wear these, whether it be the regular fit or opting for the wider. I would say that the regular fit will be able to accommodate the majority of those with wider feet.
When it comes to the soleplate, nothing has been changed. The Tekela features a unique stud configuration with conical studs from the forefoot to the heel, and bladed studs around the outside of the plate for a little bit of extra traction. Wingers and strikers can therefore push off that little bit easier, with twists and turns made sharper, too. That's not to say midfielders can't benefit, though.
In terms of sizing, it is a little awkward. I would recommend going at least a half size up on the Tekela V4+ Pro for the best fit. My pair is half a size up on my usual and the fit it still very snug. My preference is for a snug fit, but I would probably prefer slightly more room in a pair than what I currently have.
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