Umbro is known as the classic footwear company, with a tradition for producing football boots that ooze class and comfort. One of Umbro’s latest releases is the SX Valor II, worn by the likes of Chelsea’s John Terry and Deco.
First off a summary of the technical details and what you get when you buy:
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One of the most important things I look for in a pair of football boots is comfort, and the Umbro SX Valor II rank among the highest boots I have ever tested. Breaking in a new boot is always important, and doing so without getting blisters is vital necessity to any football player.
Unfortunately during testing the football boots gave me two slight blisters on either foot where the outer area of the boot opening meets the tongue. A little bump formed on each side, as if the inside material had bunched. To counteract this, I put on some plasters and it helped. But I had to wear the plasters at all times while wearing. I’m not sure if this is a unique instance with the pair I had, but I’am yet to find any other evidence online that it is a problem with the range.
One thing that made the Umbro SX Valor II boots a joy to test from day one was the insoles! I know right, the insoles? Umbro has added a great insole that has a number of little holes in them, kind of like air pockets, and they definitely work to keep your feet a little cooler. This is something that is very minor, but when you test a lot of football boots it is something you come to appreciate!
It only took probably 2-3 training sessions for the boots to feel 100% natural on my feet, which is good timing. So, in terms of comfort these boots passed the comfort test.
The next aspect of the Umbro SX Valor II that was appealing to me was the design. Umbro boots always have a classic look about them. These boots are out there for what Umbro usually release, but they are not anywhere near as wild as some of Nike or Adidas’s recent releases. Again, this is something that personally appeals to me! They look sharp, and you don’t look arrogant wearing team. After four weeks of testing the Umbro SX Valor II have held up really well.
In summing up I guess I should answer the age old question; are the Umbro SX Valor II worth the money? My verdict would be; YES. You are not buying one of the mega million selling boots that are on the market right now, you are buying a boot that was built around tradition for the hard working, no-nonsense football player. That is the beauty of these football boots! In my opinion, these boots suit many different positions on the field, but they are more naturally suited to a playmaker. I play as a winger, and was very happy with what I got from the boots but I still think they have a greater appeal to the central midfield player. But other than that I actually think that these are one of the best football boots that I have had the opportunity to review.
About our Reviewer: Bryan Byrne. If there was a definition of someone obsessed with football Bryan would probably be it! After a near brush with stardom at LA Galaxy Bryan plays for Ventura County in the USA. As well as the day job and playing semi-pro football he also runs; www.soccercleats101.com. As one of the most authoritative voices on football boots (cleats in America!) in the websphere we are really glad to have Bryan on board and look forward to bringing you plenty of reviews and Trans Atlantic exclusives in the near future.
If you would like to review football boots for Ransacker and have your opinions read by 1000′s please get in touch or leave a comment below.
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About the author
It's a hard life but someone has to do it. I spend my whole life reporting on football. When I get the chance I ask the professional footballers about their boots for Boot Room Banter.
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i want to review some boots!