We here at World Football Daily were recently sent the Mitre Delta V12 and Delta V12 Fluo Profession Match Ball to use and test out. It's not like we need much of an excuse to kick a ball around, especially when it is a top quality premium match ball like this. So we took it to the pitch to see just how good this ball really was.
Before we get into the actual field test and the overall opinion of those kicking this ball around, let's go over some of the general "Tech Specs" on this ball. When you go to Mitre.com to research this ball, the first thing that stands out is the bold claim that this ball is the "most advanced FIFA Approved quality match ball ever made". Right off the bat, we had high expectations for this ball.
The Delta V12 is a 12 panel Professional football used in the English Football Leagues, the Scottish Premier Football League, and the Capital One Cup. According to Mitre, the football was developed with professional players in mind, relating to the quality of touch, speed of play, and vision during play. The Delta V12 and the "Hi-Vis" brother the Fluo, are recommended for use on natural grass pitches. A Soft-feel, textured grain PU surface offers excellent aerodynamic stability. Basically, the ball is capable of keeping stable, even at 70 mph.
Now that we got that out of the way, let's go in to what we use to judge a premium match ball.
- Touch and Feel of the ball
- What you see when you play
- Actual playability
Touch and Feel
One of the coolest things about this ball is the actual feel of it. Most professional match balls these days have a very synthetic feel to them and because I'm not that old (almost 30), I grew up playing with either rubbery or plastic feeling balls that were not of much quality. So when I first touched this ball, I was really impressed with the fact that it literally felt like leather.
At the same time, the leather feel made me wonder a bit because I was was worried that the leather would hold water or moisture in general, but after testing this ball in both dry and wet environments, I can definitely say that this balls stay consistent with its touch and feel, no matter the weather you are playing through.
The leather feel sticks to your feet in a very organic fashion and it doesn't feel like it has to make up for the synthetic cover with padding underneath. It took no time at all to get used to this ball.
What You See
This is something that really impressed me as well. I've been lucky enough to be sent to various research and development conferences with many top sporting good manufacturers and those who build balls always point to the design or graphics on the ball as something that they work on to help the player see the ball better.
When you play with the Delta V12 during the day, it is incredible how much you see while the ball is in motion. Regardless of whether it is in the air or on the ground, the player will be able to pick up the spin and movement immediately. Now, I'm no professional footballer, but the graphics on this ball literally made me a better player simply because I could pick up its movement that much faster.
If you've paid for the top balls from Adidas or Nike, I would highly suggest that you look at this ball in comparison and be prepared to be amazed.
Playability
Flat out, this ball is fun to play with. The Mitre Delta V12 feels like a real football, not a plastic basketball or a synthetic super ball or whatever. The ball has a true roll and true touch. Because you can see the ball better and because of the general touch and feel of the ball, you actually learn with this ball as you play with it which is something I've always appreciated with a ball that I am spending more money on in comparison to the balls you get at your local sporting goods shop.
When you kick this ball, whether you're striking it on goal, taking a set piece or corner, or blasting it out of the back, you understand what you're doing. What I mean by that is, you know how and where you hit the ball and you understand the resulting reaction.
All around, this ball is an amazing purchase if you're buying it. If you're lucky enough to play with this ball in competition, you'll be pleasantly pleased with it. You won't be able to blame the ball for any reason and in general, playing with the Delta V12 is an incredibly enjoyable experience.
World Football Daily
