Brendan Dunne 
Nike Vault has outfitted yet another big name release of the Kobe 8 with that super limited, premium packaging. This time around it’s the just-released Nike Kobe 8 Mambacurial, which grabs at the football inspiration for the shoes as well as the whole idea of speed that’s been embraced by the lean design. The awesome 1/24 box set comes with a printed pair of Nike Elite Basketball socks and a Mamba flavored N98 Track Jacket, with the entire package retailing just north of $500, but you might be lucky of winning an autographed straight from Kobe Bryant (follow his Twitter). Get a complete look at the Nike Kobe 8 Mambacurial “Speed Pack” after the jump with full detailed descriptions and tell us how the supreme set up compares to some of Nike Vault’s previous hits in the same vein.
Similar to the Mercurial Vapor IX, the two primary inspirations behind the Nike Vault’s Mambacurial Speed Pack are football and explosive speed. The matte black and carbon fiber finishes, open air vents, lasered engine graphic and clear cover are all attributes of a high performance speed car.
The N98 Track Jacket was debuted by the Brazil National Team in the 1998 World Cup and is still used by many of the National football teams today. The Nike Vault Mambacurial N98, features a crest in the shape of the Nike Vault Shield with the Kobe 8 System Snake and Shozoku located on the inside. Five stars sit on top of the crest to represent Kobe’s five championships. The back of the jacket features the Mambacurial logo in black with a Pink Flash embroidered trim.
The Nike Vault Mambacurial Custom Elite Socks features a basketball and football pattern. Similar to the footwear, the colors of the sock transcend from Red Plum to Pink Flash. On top of the pattern sits a basketball court created from tire treads tying back to the explosive speed of the Mercurial Vapor IX. The oversized white “NIKE” script that appears on the medial portion of the footwear can be found on the lower portion of the sock. And hooking back with the Mambacurial N98, the Kobe 8 System Snake, Shozoku and five stars appear at the upper portion.
