David Beckham today returned to Sedgewick Sports, Walthamstow, to launch his icon boot, the adidas David Beckham PredatorPulse.

The East London sports shop was the place where David’s parents bought him his first pair of boots in the 1980s, and he personally chose to go back there to launch the first boot to carry his recently unveiled personal logo. Following the delivery of the first 23 pairs by David himself, Sedgewick Sports will remain the only place in the world where the boot will be available until its official global retail launch on May 1. This is the date when he will wear the boot for the first time in a competitive match, and it also happens to be the day before his birthday. To mark the occasion, David has chosen the 14 most significant pairs of his Predator boots that he has worn in international and club fixtures throughout his career. These will be on display at the store, guarded by 24-hour security, following the launch.

For the first pair of boots David has personally designed, he has chosen a colourway of silver metallic and red to make them appear as distinctive as possible on the pitch. The boot also features his personal logo embossed on the heel. David worked closely with adidas’ designers in the development of the logo. It captures the uniquely recognisable shape of his body at the point that he takes a trademark free kick and mirrors the swerve of the ball that makes those strikes so lethal.

David Beckham said, “I think as a kid if you were told that someone like adidas would be making your own logo, or your own range of boots, then you'd be really excited - I've still got that sort of excitement about it, even at the age I'm at now! I thought it would be good to launch them back where my parents bought me my first pair of boots.”

“When I was talking to the designers, we went through a lot of samples and I chose this design because it matched all my expectations for a boot of my own.”

“I've always felt that the Predators® are the best boots available and they obviously suit my game which involves a lot of set pieces and particularly free kicks. I feel totally comfortable wearing them on the pitch and when I stand over a free kick, that sort of confidence is vital.”

PredatorPulse, the seventh generation of the innovative boot, features revolutionary PowerPulse&trade technology developed in co-operation with the University of Calgary. Scientists found that shooting with these boots increased ball velocity by up to 3%. PowerPulse&trade technology is based on a simple principle already used in the construction of tennis rackets and golf clubs: optimal mass distribution. This means the centre of gravity is moved to where it matters most, close to the point of impact. 40 grams of weight have been relocated behind the forefoot of the shoe. Despite this, the PredatorPulse boot is the lightest Predator® ever.