With all of the major equipment players showing off their new fall/winter boot colorways, it can be easy to get lost in whatever adidas or Nike might be throwing against the wall to see what sticks. However, this cold season has already been won by an old hand that still knows how to make things look amazing. Umbro, with new colors to place on their three remaining headliners, has taken a stand that would satisfy any future bride’s “something blue” requirement while still using a quality boot.

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The Umbro GeoFLARE, a boot that we have been testing at Instep HQ for a bit (and enjoying), continues with the camo colorway that has adorned the past few launches and has shifted everything over to a light blue. A silver Umbro logo adorns the bulk of the outside of the boot while the instep sports a huge swath of blue camo. The soleplate is referred to as “green gecko” by Umbro and helps set-off the entire boot with a very contrasting color on the sole.

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The upper of the GeoFLARE is a one piece synthetic that has an amazing amount of comfort right out of the box and helps Umbro have a boot that stands on the opposite side of the spectrum from the UX-1 and Speciali.

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While the GeoFLARE gets the camo treatment, the other two members of this “blue pack” look amazing without looking anything like camouflage. The UX-1, Umbro’s newest silo, received high marks during testing. But, with this version, Umbro have used a PU ‘leather’ on the boot instead of the Armor-tex that the UX-1 Concept version boasted. It has a lot less texture upon first viewing and it makes the fins and added features of the UX-1 stand out.

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With the bulk of the UX-1 being either ‘Team Royal’ blue or navy blue, the ‘Green Gecko’ color is used on the UX-1 for the Umbro logo and for the laces. Although the blue is fantastic by itself, the addition of the bright green helps give the boot an added “pop” that seems fitting given the outside-of-the-box nature of the UX-1.

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To round out the group, Umbro have given their classiest boot (the Speciali IV) the classiest color update. A simple blue paint job with bright white accents has given the Speciali a clean look that is the pick of the litter. Has the great look for the Speciali been what has drawn Real Madrid’s Pepe back to the Umbro fold? Needless to say, Jordon has been snagging Umbro spots left-right-and-center over the past few weeks and the “blue pack” has been right at the forefront.

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Umbro may not be considered one of the top brands in the world right now but they are refusing to allow their boots to falter. A classy colorway update to their boots and a top notch grouping of boots will be a perfect product-base to allow Umbro to remain competitive. If Umbro can continue to take positive risks like the GeoFLARE while making smart choices (like this color update), it would not be surprising if Umbro is able to sneak back into the upper echelons of the soccer equipment world. What are your thoughts on the new colors? Should Umbro be taking more risks or should they continue to make smart moves like the “blue pack”…?

 

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