The Umbro Geometra Pro is a quality boot that has a lot to offer, especially if you are looking for something different. The upper is a combination of premium kangaroo leather and a thin teijin microfiber, making an upper that provides both a soft, comfortable feel and a secure fit around the mid-foot. The main front section of the upper, spanning the entire forefoot area is made from a very soft kangaroo leather. Straight out of the box, the leather is soft and flexible, but what makes the fit of this shoe unique is the mid-foot area. The Mid-foot, on the outside of the shoe, is a thin teijin microfiber strip. This is something that is extremely noticeable from the first time that you slip on the Geometra, simply because it makes for a much tighter fit than what a straight leather upper would provide.
The fit of the shoe is unique in that it fits slightly narrow in the mid-foot, but has a much wider fit in the forefoot and toe box. After about 2 hours of wear, the mid-foot loosened up and they were much more comfortable to wear. The heel is lined with a soft suede liner, which feels great against your heel and also does a good job of locking your heel in place. The tongue is surprisingly a thin teijin synthetic, as opposed to leather, but it seems to work well with the boot and lace-bite was never an issue. The lacing system is slightly off-center to the outside, but the end result when you pull the laces tight is a very secure fit. As far as sizing goes, I wore my usual size 9US for review and they fit perfectly. If you are planning on ordering a pair, I would recommend going with your usual size. Keep in mind that this is not a boot that will work for players with exceptionally wide feet.
Weight
The Geometra Pro weighs in at an average weight of 10.2oz, which is actually a little lighter than its main competitor in the Nike CTR360 Maestri II, which weighs in at 10.8oz. It is clear that weight was not the main concern, and for the amount of leather and the amount of comfort elements that are included in the boot, this not is surprisingly light.
Traction
There is no denying that the stud pattern of the Geometra was modeled after the CTR360 Maestri II, but the difference is, this one is better. The stud pattern itself is your pretty standard bladed stud pattern, except for what is placed right under the balls of your feet. There is a circular pattern of bladed studs, four in total, that are designed to provide multidirectional traction. The concept itself is very clever, but the problem, at least with the Maestri, was that they provided too much traction when playing on turf, making them very dangerous to wear. The Geometra is different in that the two center studs in the circle are actually shorter than the ones to the outside of the shoe. This means that you are still going to get that multidirectional grip, but you will never be completely locked in when your foot is planted, which can be harmful to your joints. This is a stud pattern that is safe to use on firm ground and even turf, and it will perform very well on both.
Touch
The Geometra was designed with touch in mind, and it offers some interesting technologies that a lot of people would like, should they give this boot a go. The main part of the upper is a soft kangaroo leather. It appears to have some form of insert, but there isn’t actually anything there. What Umbro has done is stitched the leather in such a way where there is a little more material in the spots where you are mainly touching the ball with. These spots cover the outside of the foot and the inside of the foot, all the way up the side of the laces. The overall effect is a very soft touch on the ball, but it doesn’t feel too far off from your standard high quality leather shoe. There is also a textured finish on a small part of the instep. With a finish like sand paper, the idea is to provide some extra grip on ball, but the overall effectiveness of the textured section of the upper is not very noticeable. Another unique feature on this boot is the instep, which is made up of several horizontal bars of memory foam. The idea was to create a section of the boot, one that is used a lot when touching the ball, to help you control the ball. The memory foam itself is not very thick, but the instep section of the boot is a little on the bulky due to all the things that are going on. So, does it work? The answer to this is yes, but it isn’t going to improve your touch on the ball. The memory foam provides lots of grip on the ball and definitely do dampen the impact of the ball hitting your foot. The pad will also provide some good grip on the ball in the wet as well, which is always nice as somewhat of a dual feature. IS the Geometra Pro going to improve your touch? The answer is no, but if your really like that soft feel in a soccer shoe, this is going to enhance that feel.
Shooting
Shooting with these shoes is great. The extra padding that essentially runs through the “strike zone” of the shoe makes for a very good shooting experience. Striking the ball with these shoes feels very solid and the sole plate provides plenty of stiffness as well. If you’re worried about these shoes being too padded for shooting the ball, don’t, because these honestly do feel great.
Protection
This is an area that not many soccer shoes do well anymore, but the Umbro Geometra Pro provides an above average amount of protection. The extra padding in the upper is very nice to have should you get stepped on. There is also a solid plastic, internal heel counter that will keep you safe from any kicks to the heel as well. This is seriously one of the safest feeling soccer shoes that I have worn, and if you find yourself in a lot of hard tackles, the Geometra may help keep you injury free.
Durability
The build quality and the quality of materials are seriously fantastic. The quality of the leather is definitely above average in comparison a lot of leather shoes on the market. The use of synthetics in the mid-foot makes for a shoe that will not over stretch and will maintain its shape for a much longer period of time. This is definitely a shoe that you can count on to last you for the season. Keep in mind that this shoe is made from a natural leather, so it does require some maintenance if you want to keep them in good shape for as long as possible.
The Verdict
This is one of the more unique soccer shoes on the market and it introduces some interesting new technologies. The quality of materials is great, and the overall package comes together very nicely. If you really like the feel of a soft leather shoe, the Geometra will provide a slightly more exaggerated cushioning, which is a feeling that I think a lot of people would really like if they gave it a try. If you’re on the market for something different that still has a more traditional feel, the Umbro Geometra Pro is a great option.
| Comfort/Fit | 8 out of 10 |
| Weight | 8 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 8 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 8 out of 10 |
| Protection | 9 out of 10 |
| Durability | 8 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 57 out of 70 or 81% |
