Umbro X Boot III Football Boots

The more we see and read about the Umbro X Boot III football boot, the more the football boot is growing on us. In the football boot market where new technology is often the key selling point, we were at first skeptical with Umbro’s tie in with tyre producer Michelin, in its Touch Control technology, but after reading recent research and having seen the football boot up close and in action, we have to admit that maybe Umbro are onto something here.

Many football boots claim to enhance touch and control, and this point always baffles us as it seems to suggest that the humble football boot can turn a donkey of a player into a thoroughbred, from Emile Heskey to Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance. But research from the Umbro boffins, whilst not going as far as promising to transform players, suggests that at least one aspect can be enhanced by the Umbro X Boot III football boots.

Research Shows Umbro X Boot III Football Boot Gives More Control

Umbro sent a sample of the Umbro X Boot III to Liverpool John Moore’s University for testing, which involved firing a ball at a controlled speed and angle at the football boot and that of an un-named competitor. The amount of grip between the football and football boot was then measured and filmed at an amazing 5000 frames per second for analysis.

The results suggest that the Umbro X Boot III football boot provides 90% better grip than the competition in lightly damp conditions across a range of ball speeds. In addition, the Umbro X Boot III football boot gives 9% better grip in dry conditions. Overall, the tests showed that the Umbro football boot achieved better grip results than its rivals at every speed and every condition.

Football Boots Improve Grip, Touch and Control?

So how does having extra grip help talent-challenged players, such as our friend Heskey? Well, having more grip increases contact between football boot and ball, which improves a players shooting and passing accuracy, as well their overall control of the ball, as the slip resistance is improved. Hopefully as more professional players take up wearing Umbro football boots, as we hear Hernan Crespo has done, then the claims can be examined in the field of play rather than the laboratory.

But on the research evidence only, for once in football boot technology it seems the gimmick has given way to fact on this football boot.

Let us know what you think about how a football boot can improve touch and control, and who you think needs some improvement!

View the Umbro X Boot III Video.

Order the Umbro X Boot III football boot here.