In the past, Umbro soccer shoes have simply fallen short of the mark. Previous boots may be relatively decent, but a player could get an equivalent or better boot for about the same price or cheaper. This all may change with the release of the Geometra Pro-A boots, which are basically Umbro’s version of the Maestri with a couple unique tweaks. The last bit shouldn’t be a surprise, given Nike’s ownership of Umbro. Anyway, let’s get into what is possibly my favorite Umbro boot to date.
The look of this boot is a very simple, clean and reserved one. The majority of the boot is white, save the black stitching and black bands on either side of the mid-foot. On the outer, you have a diagonal black band with a large Umbro logo in white. On the inner part of the boot, you have a horizontal black band with a smaller white Umbro logo at the heel. The cleats have a clear outer and a red inner, which makes for a pretty suave effect. Finally you have “umbro” stamped vertically on the heel, and that basically rounds out the boot’s look. As I said, it’s very simple and minimal. It doesn’t really pop out at you or command your eye’s attention, but I still like it. Once on your feet, the boots just have a classic quality about them that is rare in the age of fluorescent boots.
Just as with the Maestri, the beauty of the Geometra lies in the construction and design. What I really love about the Geometras is that they are made out of leather. Kanga-lite is a great synthetic, but no synthetic matches the feel and durability of real leather. You also have a decent insole, though it doesn’t match the comfort of the Maestri. The insole does, however, provide enough support to keep blisters at bay, and it does provide a solid barrier between the soleplate and your foot. Speaking of which, the soleplate and cleat design is another highlight for the Geometra. Too often the tension points for boots come right at the merger of the soleplate and upper, which of course leads to early splitting and tearing. This isn’t the case with the Geometra. The tension points are higher up on the upper, so splitting or separating won’t be an issue. The cleat design is a huge plus for these boots, and I dare say that I prefer it to the Maestri. The quartet of cleats placed in a circle is moved just under the ball of the big toe, which I absolutely loved from the first moment. The placement felt more natural under my foot, and it allowed me to move smoother in lateral directions. The two front cleats are also noticeably shorter and more angled than most cleats, which are intended to give you more bite when pushing off. It feels a little wonky at first, but I adjusted pretty quickly and didn’t have any issue with it.
From there we move on to the special features, which again, mimic the Maestri. The difference lies in the details. Where the Maestri boots have dampening pods, the Geometra has a kind of sandpaper fabric designed to increase friction on the ball for both shooting and receiving. On the inner arch is a set of horizontal buffers that are intended to aid in receiving. Finally, you have reinforcement plates on the sole to give it added durability. Will this be the actual case? Only time can tell, but my bets are on “yes.”
The $169.99 price tag might make some people shy away from these boots, but I urge you to give them a try. They fit true to size and are wider than normal Umbro boots, which is a plus in my book. It comes down to your personal preference, but I believe Umbro made strides in the right direction with these boots.
Written by: Kris Dyer, contributing editor, soccerprose.com
