Review: Umbro Speciali 3 Pro Soccer Boot

The Umbro Speciali 3 is the latest in the UK-based firm’s 20-year line of what is now an iconic soccer boot whose reputation ranks among the best of all time. Currently worn by Aston Villa and England striker Darren Bent, the Speciali 3 is has been revamped to include the latest in modern soccer footwear technology and is expected to make a splash at this year’s EURO 2012 tournament and beyond. It is available now at World Soccer Shop.

We’ve had a pair of Umbro Speciali 3 Pro boots (the professional grade version of the shoe) in our possession for the past few weeks. During this time we’ve worn them in training, pick-up and pre-season matches. Here is what our tester found.

Design
The look of the latest Speciali 3 sees the boot totally redesigned from the classic look of its past two versions — the 2010 Speciali and 2011’s Speciali R. However, while the look of the boot is new and in tune with that of the current generation of soccer shoes, its designers have been able to maintain the classic feel of the range. Elements of the line such as the famed Umbro A-Frame cradle, the Speciali signature and Umbro’s patented diamond are all there to preserve the heritage of the Speciali line. They are all melded together in a contemporary pearl white, black and nectarine colorway to create what I think is one of the best-looking boots on the market right now. More colorways are surely to follow.

Fit
One thing that is just about certain with Umbro soccer boots is that they fit true to size. The Speciali 3 is no exception!

I wear size 10 shoes off the pitch. However, I prefer size 9.5 for my footy boots for a snug fit that lets me make a good connection with the ball. A size 9.5 Speciali Pro provided what I was looking for. There were no unwelcome gaps nor were the boots too tight anywhere whatsoever. The only difference in fit between these and the Specialis of the past was in slipping them on. Because of the new asymmetrical lacing system for larger strike zone, I had to loosen up the laces towards the top of the foot to easily slip the Speciali 3 shoes on.

Ride
Absolute fantastic. That about sums up the ride of the Umbro Speciali 3.

I’ve used these boots on several fields of varied conditions. They were all natural and included well-maintained grass turf, a grass field that was not regularly repaired but watered, and an overused training pitch that was more dirt than grass. On all of these fields, playing in Speciali 3 felt like doing so in high end running shoes — a soccer player’s dream. They are the type of shoes that you don’t want to take off and cannot wait to get back on your feet after a match. I suspect that this may be a result of the relatively light weight of the boot (9.2 oz), its lightweight TPU outsole with forefoot flexing and its distinctive combination of bladed and rounded studs.

It should be noted that the ride on the Speciali 3 is definitely improved from the last version of the boot I wore, the 2010 Speciali. Wearing the previous version of the boot along with several others (including the PUMA King Finale i and PowerCat 1.12) on the same dirt field mentioned above was quite uncomfortable on the soles of the feet and the shins. Not so with the Speciali 3!

Traction
I was not sure what to expect from the unique hybrid stud combination (blades and rounded) of the Umbro Speciali 3. It appeared to me to be a combination of the cleats of the Umbro Stealth II and the Speciali R. Nevertheless, it provided excellent traction on all of the fields that I used the boots on. Of note is that even on a pitch that had been rained on the day before, the rare bladed cleats really got into the ground to give be the stability that I needed when trapping, passing and shooting the ball. Not once did I experience any slipping with them. However, I wouldn’t wear them or any other firm ground boots on a very wet field. I’d stick to soft ground boots for that since that is what they are specifically designed for.

Touch
The Umbro Speciali range of boots has established a reputation for an incredible touch over the years. It is the undoubtedly one of the reasons that we’ve seen playmakers like Deco wear them.

While the Speciali 3 maintains the excellent touch of its predecessors, it does have a few improvements that could very well make it better than past incarnations. The most visible of these is the addition of Control Zone on the inside of the foot to kill momentum of incoming balls when trapping them.

This is reminiscent of the ECZ pass pads of the Umbro Geometra. Though not as effective as the high tech ECZ pass pads, the Speciali 3 control zone is a nice enhancement to the boot and does indeed take some of the energy off trapped balls. The advantage of this is obvious to any soccer player – more and quicker control of the ball before making your next move with it.

The Speciali 3 features a brand new asymmetrical lacing system with a minimalist tongue underneath. This is a far cry from the foldover tongues of past Specialis but allows for what is probably the largest striking zone in the history of the line. This zone coupled with the lightweight Kanga Touch leather of the boots upper lets you readily find a “sweet spot” for striking the ball for long range passes, power shots and volleys. However, as with any new soccer boot, I found that practice was necessary to truly master shooting and passing with the Speciali 3. After all, every boot on the market has its own nuances that only use can reveal.

Lastly, the Speciali 3’s padding towards the inner front of the boot appears is stitched in a truly unique manner that I thought provides a benefit when making curling, chipped passes (think those that David Beckham excels at) with the inner front of the foot.

How so you ask? Well I found that the padding in this area to be nominally thinner than that around it. Thus I was able to get a very intimate feel of the ball when getting wedging my foot under it to get the perfect curl and direction on it. This is not something that I have seen in any other Speciali and is indeed most welcome!

Protection
Though relatively light in weight, the Umbro Speciali 3 is padded from back to front. It also includes a sturdy heel counter beneath its shiny leather exterior. As such it offers a great deal of foot protection for the wearer. Being stepped on when wearing these will not result in the horrible pain felt if you are the victim of a stamp in ultrathin speed boots. While no boot can totally protect you from a metatarsal injury, the Speciali 3 is protective enough to lessen the likelihood of one.

Final Thoughts
The Umbro Speciali 3 Pro is truly a worthy successor to one of soccer’s finest boot ranges. While it may look a bit different from the Speciali boots of the past, it has everything you would expect in a Speciali from quality workmanship to great performance. As with the Specialis of old, it is suited for any position on the pitch and at an MSRP of $129.99 is a steal for professional grade boot. Indeed, there are boots for almost twice the price that will not give you what the Speciali 3 does. If you are in the market for new boots this Spring, I would recommend seriously considering them. They’ve got Football Fashion’s recommendation!

Thanks to Kelly and the team at Umbro for making this review possible!