Predator Lethal Zones

The Predator Lethal Zones, the Predator LZ, was the twelfth generation of the boot and its most radical redesign yet. Launched in spring 2012, it took the old idea of a single rubber Predator zone and split it into five, each with its own job.

It was a different kind of boot in other ways too. The Hybridtouch upper blended leather and synthetic materials, and several histories call it the first Predator with a synthetic-based upper. It was also the first Predator built to house adidas’s miCoach performance tracker. adidas worked with Xavi and Robin van Persie on the zones, and Kaká tested an early prototype.

Five Lethal Zones

The five zones were strategically placed areas of rubber: First Touch, Dribble, Sweet Spot, Drive and Pass. First Touch sat on the forefoot as a cushioning platform for immediate control, while the Sweet Spot was aimed at spin and pace. adidas revealed them one at a time in the run-up to launch, building the story zone by zone.

Launch coverage put the boot at around 225 grams.

A Colourway That Divided

The launch colourway was Blue/White/Infrared, a deliberate step away from black, white and red, chosen to make the five zones stand out. It caused an uproar. Looking back, the launch look and a Predator still adjusting to life without its tongue left some players unconvinced. The boot pictured on this page is a different colourway.

Colourways that followed, such as White/Infrared, were more traditional.

The SL, LZ II and Beckham

adidas followed the standard boot with an SL version using a single-layer SprintSkin upper. At around 205 grams, it was about 20 grams lighter than the standard LZ and the lightest Predator adidas had made.

The LZ II arrived in 2013, the year David Beckham retired. Beckham’s own 2012 LZ was a white, pink and black colourway, which adidas would revisit a decade later.

Ten Years Later: The Edge

When adidas launched the Predator Edge in January 2022, it leaned openly on the LZ. The launch colourway, in the Sapphire Edge pack, paid homage to the Lethal Zones on their tenth anniversary, and the new Zone Skin upper took the idea of engineered contact zones into the modern game.

adidas then brought back the original LZ itself in the “Unite Football” pack, with the original upper on a current-generation soleplate, alongside a pink Predator Edge. For how remakes compare with the originals, see our guide to remakes versus originals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Predator LZ stand for?

LZ stands for “Lethal Zones”. The adidas Predator LZ launched in 2012 with five rubber zones placed on the upper to improve touch, control, accuracy and power.

What were the five Lethal Zones?

First Touch, Dribble, Sweet Spot, Drive and Pass.

Did the Predator Edge copy the Predator LZ?

It paid tribute to it rather than copying it. The Edge’s launch colourway honoured the LZ on its tenth anniversary and its zonal approach echoed the original, though it used a different technology, Zone Skin.

How heavy was the Predator LZ?

In the region of 225 grams, according to launch coverage in 2012. The lighter SL version came in at around 205 grams.

Read more: Predator Edge · David Beckham · Remakes vs originals