Review: Umbro GT Soccer Boots

Umbro continues to release some of the best yet underrated soccer boots on the market. The latest from the UK-based Nike subsidiary is the magnificent GT Pro. Look on the feet of England internationals John Terry, Michael Dawson and Darren Bent these days and you will see them wearing this lightweight yet sturdy boot. After a long wait for a pair of them, we’ve been reviewing the Umbro GT Pro firm ground boots at Football Fashion. We certainly were not disappointed!

Here is some information on the GT Pro from Umbro:

Weighing in at just 236 grams / 8.3 oz, the new Umbro GT is a significant introduction to Umbro’s boot range. After the success of the classic Speciali and the recently launched Stealth, Umbro GT is the latest in exciting boots to be released from the Umbro stable.

Built using a lightweight Japanese Teijin micro-fibre, the upper on the Umbro GT is crafted from just one piece to reduce weight, improve strength and maintain a sleek, streamlined style.

Umbro GT also features the innovative A-frame cradle, a successful feature of our classic Speciali boot, which supports the middle of the foot, providing balance and protection.

Now here is the Football Fashion review of the Umbro GT Pro from a former NCAA Division 1 player currently plying his trade in our local league system.

The Test
Our local league has wrapped up for the year so we soccer junkies are left to pick-up games and indoor leagues to get our fix. So my test of the Umbro GT Pro soccer boots consisted of a break-in session in which I ran some dribbling, turning, passing and shooting drills and practiced skills moves along with three pick-up games featuring several former NCAA Division 1 and 2 players. The latter provided quality matches in which the level of competition was just below that of the top division of our local league.

Aesthetics
The design of the Umbro GT Pro is somewhat minimalistic yet very modern (certainly a first for Umbro). Apart from the Umbro A-Frame and the clever use of colors, the boot just about as sleek as they come. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I find it to be quite appealing in this age of unnecessary bells and whistles on soccer boots. In fact, after wearing the Umbro Speciali Pro and Stealth boots earlier in the year, just the fresh look of the GT Pro had me interested in what they would be like to wear given my great experiences with the more adorned Speciali Pro and Stealth.

The Fit
I usually wear US size 10 shoes and size 9.5 in soccer shoes because of my preference for snug-fitting game footwear. Consequently, I was at first dismayed when the folks at Umbro sent me a pair of size 10.5 GT Pro boots. However, my fears of not being able to properly test a fair of oversized boots were allayed when I tried them on and realized that the size 10.5 GT Pro boots fit like a pair of size 10 boots. Throw in a second pair of socks (which I usually do over my shin guards) and the fit was about that of a pair of 9.5 US soccer boots.

The moral of the story is that the Umbro GT Pro soccer boots run a bit on the small side. I would recommend getting half a size up from whatever your preferred soccer shoe size is.

The Ride
The first time I slipped on the Umbro GT Pro soccer boots, I had just finished a 3 mile run in a pair of Asics Gel-Kayano 16 running shoes. For the non-runners out there, these are high-end, heavily cushioned shoes. They are my shoes of choice for 5K and 10K races. I’ve even completed a half marathon in them. However, upon swapping shoes, I found the Umbro GT Pro boots to be more comfortable! In fact, they are the most comfortable pair of soccer boots that I have ever worn!

The feel of the Umbro GT Pro on the foot can is extremely cushioned. Throw in the light weight of the boot and the resulting ride is almost like a cross between the ultralight adidas adiZero and the venerable Umbro Speciali. Needless to say, the experience in quite amazing. These are the first pair of soccer boots that I don’t feel like taking off after a game. Post-match five mile run anyone?!?

In-Game Performance
The Umbro GT Pro boots took me very little time to break in. Perhaps this was because I was blown away by how comfortable they are or maybe it is because of my using Umbro boots this year. Nevertheless, within 30 minutes of running and practicing shooting, passing, trapping and dribbling with the GT Pro boots, I felt ready to use them in a pick-up game.

On the pitch, the Umbro GT Pro boots absolutely rock. Even though I had to get used to wearing a size that didn’t quite fit as snugly as I like, I felt comfortable in them in a match situation quite quickly.

There is no one element of the Umbro GT Pro that particularly stands out above the others. Its combination of stability, light weight, an aerodynamic and extremely well padded upper, and classic style stud configuration make it one of the best boots on the market in my opinion. The light weight of the Teijin leather upper has its obvious benefit while the padding makes executing well-placed and weighted shot and passes elementary. At the same time, your feet feel very well-protected – a rarity for lightweight boots. It is of little wonder that swashbuckling Chelsea and England defender uses them.

One thing for potential wearers of the Umbro GT Pro footie boots to note is that you have to practice a few passes, shots and traps with them before heading to a match with them. This will allow you to apply the proper weight to shots and passes and adjust properly when trapping. I view this as essential given the aforementioned light weight / padding combination of the GT Pro.

Durability
I’ve logged about 5 hours of game and practice time in the Umbro GT Pro thus far. Here’s a picture of what they look like now.

As you can see, they have held up quite well despite losing their new, out of the box, white boot look. I see no signs of damage and hope that these boots can last for at least a couple of years.

Conclusion
The Umbro GT Pro is now my first choice soccer shoes. Although they may not have received the same level of attention as some of their contemporaries upon their release this summer, they are among the best on the market and suitable for any position on the field. With a list price of only $129.99 and a current sale price of $89.99, the Umbro GT Pro is also one of the best buys for the soccer player this Christmas.

Special thanks to Pieter G. for making this review possible.

Check out more band new soccer footwear in our Football Boots section.