In soccer, the “blackout” reigns supreme. Companies use this color option for any number of reasons, but rarely does the result disappoint. Adidas used to use a blackout boot to signal the end of a boot’s existence. Nike rarely gives complete blackout options, but even the Swoosh knows that the all-black look is a big fan-favorite. So, the latest release of Umbro’s UX-1 concept in blackout form should be met with an amazingly positive response…and, for some, an immediate lightening of their wallets.

BLACK_A

With us giving the UX-1 very high marks earlier in the year, it comes as no surprise that this particular release coupled with the colorway has us drooling. It is rare that an upper seems to complement the blackout, but the Armor-tex of the UX-1 gives it a pattern that somehow manages to make this boot even more attractive. As we stated in our review, we would love to see this type of upper without the addition of the shooting elements, and this colorway has us reiterating that thought.

BLACK_B

For Umbro and the UX-1, the road back to superstar time under the floodlights seems to be rather large. For big Umbro players like Joe Hart and Andy Carroll (more “big” in terms of size than name recognition for Andy), recent weeks (and spots by boot-spotting extraordinaire Jordon) have seen them switch away from the diamond and over to Nike. With this release, we wish that more professional level players would be on the books for the UX-1 just so that we could get as much time with this boot as possible. From the big ridges on the front of the boot to the “pass pad” style situation on the instep, this boot brings a whole lot to the table…especially in blackout form.

BLACK_C

To risk so much on the UX-1 when the momentum seemed to be fading away for Umbro, it was truly amazing how nice a job had been done on the boot. It is always difficult to shift focus away from the traditional “big three,” but Umbro still seem to be making plenty of positive moves. Considering how little time they have been placing recently on the GT Pro II, it also has us wondering if they have even more surprises on the horizon!

BLACK_D

For those hoping for a press release on this boot, we do not do that here. The UX-1 concept blackout is just a boot that the world needs to see and to appreciate. Trust us when we say, it will be some time before another blackout hits the market that looks this good. Factor in that it has been slapped on a quality boot, and you have an even bigger bonus! Here’s hoping we see plenty more from Umbro and the UX-1 in the near future!

 

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