The Umbro Stealth Pro was a bit of a shot from left-field from Umbro. After having such success with it’s back-to-basics Speciali, and receiving huge plaudits for their ‘Tailored by Umbro’ football kits, the last thing anybody expected them to do was to release a synthetic-upper, carbon-fibre sole, modern boot.
Was this gamble a success for them? Read on to find out!
Comfort/Fit
The Umbro Stealth Pro has such a serious sounding name, doesn’t it? ‘Stealth Pro’. But don’t let that fool you – these boots are some of the most easy going I’ve ever tried on when it comes to fit.
The synthetic upper has a nice ‘spongy’ feel to it, that’s not entirely dissimilar to a frictionless version of the Kangalite on the CTR360 in it’s light and airy feel.
On top of that, the low profile cut on the Umbro Stealth Pro means it all sits very far down the foot in comparison to most boots – which means that it’s very unintrusive and unassuming. Even if you wear the bulkiest of ankle guards with your shinnies, it’s unlikely the Umbro Stealth Pro will ever feel like it’s in the way.
The lacing on the Stealth Pro is centred down the middle of the boot, couple this with the aforementioned low-profile cut, and the not only boot gives an exceptional fit across the top of the foot, but it wraps the inside of the boot close to the instep of your foot.
Whilst this is great for most – when I let my team-mate try out the boot for a session, he found that his wide feet made the boot feel ‘stretched’ around his feet, almost like the sole of the boot wasn’t wide enough to contain his feet, which was very off-putting.
So if you have wide feet and are considering the Stealth Pro, it’s a definite case of ‘Try before you buy’, as it seems the Stealth Pro isn’t too accomodating.
Durability
Just looking at the Umbro Stealth Pro, you can see the areas that will score it highly in this area!
The external heel counter is the most substantial I’ve seen on a boot in some time, and it is very, very solid. This heel counter also does more than just keep the boot rigid against any clips against that area of the foot – it also keeps your feet in position when sprinting and turning, which not only prevents wear and tear on the inside of the boot, it also prevents wear and tear all over your feet!
The upper on the Umbro Stealth Pro has a distinctly laminate feel to it, as such it’s definitely plenty waterproof, and the poron liner (which has started to appear in more and more football boots) ensures that the boot copes with heat and sweat effectively on the inside too!
I had got the opportunity to test the boot in it’s FG sole-plate – which was another hard-wearing part of the Stealth Pro. The sole is made up of solid plastic for flexibility and also with a partial carbon fibre sole, mostly under the heel and arch of the foot. I’m guessing that Umbro only kept the carbon fibre in this part of the foot and in the heel so that they didn’t have to treat it to make it bend with the foot – like Nike had to on the Elite Series.
The benefits are obviously that it keeps costs down – but also that the boot has a very strong ‘spine’, it’s at it’s hardest in exactly the place where it needs to be.
Feel
The Umbro Stealth Pro sets itself out to be something of a solid all-around boot, with benefits in many areas. For example, the carbon sole keeps the boot strong and supported under-foot, but combined with the light synthetic upper and low profile fit, the boot feels really light on your foot.
Another benefit is the upper; in dry conditions, the soft, light upper gives a really nice feel when doing just about anything with the ball: taking the sting off a pass, slotting a through ball with the instep or hitting a strike off the top of the boot.
Sometimes when you get a synthetic upper, it feels like you’re playing with a pair slippers wrapped in cling-film. But Umbro have got the level of cushioning in the upper just right, which means that even on their first 90 minutes, these boots should slip seamlessly into your game.
One downside to this, otherwise great upper, is the age-old problem of the slippery synthetic in the wet. Whilst, kicking, dribbling and sprint in the ball were absolutely fine – there was the odd occasion where, when receiving the ball at an awkward height, it would slip across the top of the boot, where I would expect a leather boot to offer a little more control.
Conclusion
Umbro’s Stealth Pro has a strange sense of harmony working for it for a boot that never really announced it’s intentions as a ‘speed’ or ‘power’ boot. It’s lightweight comfortable, and would probably be happy at home on the feet of any player at any position – in short, it’s a fantastic all around football boot.
If you’re after a boot over the summer, and value comfort over just about everything else, I recommend you give these a try on. As long as you’ve not got wide feet, there aren’t many football boots on the market more ‘out-of-the-box’ comfortable than these.
Also – for anyone that’s wondering where the Mizuno Wave Ignitus review is, we’re hoping to do another video, so we’ve had to delay it!
Great read Kyle, another all-round boot.
They look like a very solid and enjoyable pair of boots to wear.
It seems as though there is a lot of visual technology going on (by that I mean, the flashy carbon fibre and ridged underfoot patterns) but in reality, it’s just a solid, comfortable boot.
I am really waiting for the Mizuno Wave Ignitus review.Any word on when it will be out?
what a shitty pitch you’re playing on. I never want to play on this sort of field again lol.
do you recon these boots would blister as much as vapours? especially during a game, as the heel looks similar to the vapour V and VI and nike is parent company to umbro now
Like the design, but unfortunately for me my foot is a bit too narrow and I’m running out of new cleat ideas. I’m a speed player and the vapor VI’s are not worth it, superflys have a huge price tag, and f50 adizeros are just plain ugly. Any other recommendations?
hi kyle, i was wondering what boot is better for soft ground surfaces for my 7yr old boy. He is playing academy level football and plays up front or the wing and i wanted to know if traxions are better than studs and what boots would YOU recommend.Thanks
nice boots, are they better then the specialis cus i might get them. It looks like umbros no longer the cheap rubbish brand anymore!
Footy-Boots is mentioned in CNN!!!
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/03/30/football.boots.adidas.nike.puma/index.html
Would you say the sizing of the boot, the stealth pro, runs true?
i noticed that it is labeled as HG. how do these work out on FG?
Just bought these in sg White red silver agree completely supports my pred x for wet conditions
I have 6 pairs of the Stealth pros, HG and SG and I find that the boot overall is one of the best i have used. I play in non league football. I find the boot is comfortable, has a good fit and you have really good control over the ball when at your feet, as I am a goalkeeper I find that getting a boot to feel comfortable in is important, and the Umbro pros give me the confidence throughout a game. Also the boots are easy to clean like a vapor or an f50 you can just wipe them over with a cloth. I am really trying to get hold of the black/white/red ones, any one know where i can get them from?, bear in mind that i live in england. thanx
i have these boots in the green/black/white color paterns and they are probably the best looking boots out there and also there super comfy