UA Magnetico
Under Armour is a brand that has seen its fair share of bad press from boot releases (cough, cough Spotlight). However, UA may have just released one of the best boots of the year and it’s only February. The new Magnetico Pro features one of the softest uppers out of the box that I have ever experienced. Normally when brands talk about zero break in time, it means that the boot will be relatively soft right away and break in later, or they don’t mean it at all. But believe me, the Magnetico is ready to go straight out of the box.
The Look
The boot features two shades of blue that fade unto one another with the bright yellow accent colorway making up the Under Armour branding and sockliner. The soleplate is a metallic greenish blue that has a warning that the paint on the bottom will chip off with use. While more colorways will be out in the future, the launch colorway was made to be the stand out shoe on field and it does just that with a brilliant blue design.
Comfort
The comfort level of the shoe, UA have done it again. The UA Charged Cushioning insole creates a more padded footbed than most boots out there. The extra cushioning helps absorb more impact than a standard insole. The thin upper sits right on top of your toes and wraps around the foot nicely for a fit that feels custom made.
The Upper
The upper is made from UA FormTrue technology that is a super thin synthetic that sits right on top of the foot. I truly have not felt an upper so thin straight out of the box, or possibly even ever in a synthetic boot. The Magnetico is technically (I think?) still a control boot since the SpotLight is the speed boot option. However, this upper is made to be on a speed boot. The thin upper allows for a touch on the ball that is as clean as it gets. Some aspect of the UA ClutchFit have remained with the internal layer of flexible and auxetic material that wraps around your foot that made the Clutchfit such a fantastic fitting shoe. The soleplate is lightweight, flexible, and features all conical studs, which make me an even bigger fan of the Magnetico.
Performance
Performance wise, the boot is top notch. The thin upper allows for a clean strike on the ball and really allows you to feel every bit of the sting you get when striking the ball with pace. I personally love thin uppers because of the way you feel so close to the ball and get a one to one fit. The soleplate allows for the seamless ability to just turn on a dime like any midfield player would need to do. The boot has some a straightforward lacing system that you would find on most speed or midfield boots on the market. The only real complaint I have is that the upper might even be too thin over time. While over the past few weeks I have not had any issue with wear and tear, I am concerned we may hear of some players running out of their boots with these at some point. But as long as it performs, it is a top boot all around in my opinion.
Final Thoughts
UA has a number of athletes on their roster that will be wearing the Magnetico including Cameron Carter-Vickers from the USMNT. I would also be interested to see if Memphis Depay, the SpotLight’s headline athlete, is wearing a disguised SpotLight with the Magnetico upper. Depay does not wear the SpotLight that we see on the market today, and I would bet if he likes a synthetic pair of boots, he might use this upper we see on this Magnetico.
Overall, this is a HUGE step in the right direction for UA. They needed to put something out that would help ease the pain of the zipper boot. The Magnetico has all the tools to make it a winner in the eyes of any player. The Magnetico has a super thin upper for superior touch on the ball with a flexible soleplate with fantastic traction. If UA were to market this as a speed boot, it would be up there as one of the top speed boots available. The Magnetico is a boot for any player on the field looking for that super thin synthetic upper that made the ole Vapors and F50 boots so famous. This is a boot that deserves its fair share of praise, and I will be one of the reviewers singing its praises. If you have the chance to snag yourself a pair, do so. You will love ever minute in the Magnetico Pro.
Rating: 4.5/5
at 17:04
Hey thanks for the review, I have a pair of cheap UA Spotlight (v01) and I have been loving the fit. I’m in the market for AG boots now though, since I only play 4-5 matches a year on real grass, the majority being on a Fieldturf (artificial grass with the black plastic pellets). Although the boots are marketed FG, when I compare to nike AG models, they seem to be VERY similar. Do you think it qualifies as a good AG boot? Meaning it will be an upgrade sole-wise compared to the FG spotlight?
at 09:06
Some people use them for AG but there’s a little bit missing in terms of grip and stability.