Having been left warming the bench for the friendly international against Switzerland last time out, Michael Owen probably needs all the help he can get to impress new England supremo Fabio Capello. So it’s perhaps timely that Umbro have recently introduced the Umbro SX Flare football boot which is being endorsed by the Newcastle striker.
Designed for players who list pace amongst their best attributes, the Umbro SX Flare has been constructed with speed of foot in mind and thanks to the advanced sprint fit, the player is always positioned ‘on their toes’. Coupled with the light weight material, it eases acceleration and aids pace – provided that is, you’ve got some to start with. If you’re a 19 stone, Sunday morning plodder, even with a pair of these on, it’s unlikely your nickname will be changed any time soon from ‘Big John’ to ‘Sharpish’. Added to that the Umbro SX Flare also recognises all other aspects of a modern football boot including control, comfort and safety.
The player’s comfort is taken care of thanks to the water resistant ultra soft high-grade leather keeping the feet dry and thanks to Michelin technology, touch and feel for the ball are enhanced. Safety and those all important metatarsals are addressed via the lightweight TPU heel counter and outsole with glass fibre rigidity shank keeping the player’s foot stable and protected at all times.
Importantly, if spending your valuable time reading manufacturers mumbo jumbo isn’t your thing, you’ll doubtless be delighted to know that the Umbro SX Flare is the latest football boot to feature Umbro’s no nonsense Control Series labelling, cutting out the jargon and explaining the technology in clear, simple terms.
That said, there is, as with any new football boot, a long list of impressive manufacturers information which for the Umbro SX Flare includes:
An ultra soft high grade “water resistant ceramic duratec kangaroo leather” which gives great feel for the ball along with excellent anti-abrasion performance and weight reducing water resistant properties.
Michelin technology in the medial kangaroo suede vamp of the boot with the touch control system that is enhanced by the PU print application. The heel counter is lightweight PU that provides excellent heel protection for the athlete.
The anatomical insock of the Umbro SX Flare boot is made from compression moulded EVA, providing high level shock absorption under extreme conditions. The outsole features a high performance TPU that also gives pronation control and metatarsal protection.
The outsole is completed by the glass fibre rigidity shank and Umbro’s wishbone components.The Umbro SX Flare is available in soft ground outsole that has 8 removable studs and the hard ground metal tipped version that Umbro says is now becoming very popular with professional players around the country.
Good job they’ve decided to ditch the jargon.
For those players wanting to further impress their team mates, the Umbro SX Flare can be personalised with your shirt number and initials. However, individuals such as Paul Richard Arthur Thomas or Gareth Ignacio Turnbull should seriously consider whether this would be a good move
This new Umbro boot comes in a variety of colours, white, navy and red, seemingly being the most popular and retails at £99.99.
You can order your very own pair here.
