Nike5 Bomba Pro Review
The Nike5 Bomba Pro line offers an explosive take on turf shoes with superior traction, comfort and grip in the Bomba Pro! Comfortable natural leather with off-set lacing to increase strike the strike zone. Instep foam pods help exercise shot control. Die-cut EVA lining for cushioning in the heel forefoot. New design for optimal traction on turf surfaces. TPU outsole with rubber in the midfoot provides superior ball control grip.
Comfort/ Fit
I found the Bomba Pro to be a very tight fitting boot, that felt fairly comfortable from right out of the box. The main front section of the upper is a soft natural leather, that does require some break-in time, but does fit comfortably even before they are fully broken-in. The rest of the boot is made up of much stiffer synthetic materials that keep the boot from stretching in the width. The lacing system that all of the Bombas use is identical to that of the Laser series from Nike, which is a good thing. The instep if the upper, as well as most of the top of the shoe, is free of any kind of laces, and the boot wraps the foot quite nicely, making for a secure and tight fitting boot. I did find the sizing to be just a little off on these boots. I wore my usual size 9US for review, but I did find it to fit very snug, not only in the length, but in the width as well. They weren’t necessarily too tight in the length, but they were very tight in the width. I have a fairly narrow foot and found these boots to just barely fit me comfortably in the width. For this reason, I would suggest ordering up half a size in order to ensure the proper fit.
Weight
This shoe weighs in at a very average 10.6 ounces. This is about average weight for most turf soccer shoes, of which none are looking to be an ultra-lightweight turf shoe. They do not feel heavy at all, especially when they are on your feet. Any shoe that is very tight fitting, will almost never feel heavy.
Traction
These shoes use a very unique tread, made specifically for use on turf, and nothing else. Nike has taken some of the round, hollowed out studs from their AG soleplate, in combination with the standard rubber nubs. It is one of the more aggressive turf soleplates available on any turf shoe, and it will provide excellent grip on turf. You could even use these as hard ground soccer shoes if you really wanted too. Pease note that you cannot wear these boots on an indoor surface, simply because there is plastic around the edges of the boot.
Touch
The natural leather used is not the best quality of leather, but it is still very good for an indoor/turf shoe, as there are not as many options as there are in comparison to outdoor soccer shoes. Since these do require some break-in time, the leather will feel a little bit stiff at first, and it makes the shoe feel a little clunky. This problem is soon resolved after around 2 hours of use when the leather begins to loosen up and become more flexible. The overall feel on the ball is very cushioned, since the leather is on the thicker side. The shoe feels a little bit bulky in my opinion, but not in a bad way. For me, it just took some getting used too, but after that, I found the touch to be good.
Shooting
I really like shooting with these boots on, simply because they feel very solid when on your foot. The leather is a little bit stiffer over the top of the foot, which makes for a great striking surface. These boots remind me of the feel that you do get when shooting in a pair of T90 Lasers, in that they add on some extra bulk, but the extra bulk is there to provide the perfect amount of padding for striking the ball.
Durability
This is a very well made boot, and Nike has considered how harsh turf is on soccer shoes. In order to ensure durability, there is stiffer, more rugged materials around the normal wear and tear separation points that usually occur on soccer shoes. This is a shoe that you can beat up with no worries of them breaking. If you are looking for a turf shoe that is going to last, the Bomba Pro is one of your better options.
The Verdict
The Bomba Pro is a takedown to the Bomba Finale, but it isn’t necessarily an inferior boot. It offers a nice leather touch, a very solid feel, a very well designed turf soleplate and a build quality that will allow this boot to last. For the price, you really can’t go wrong with the Bomba Pro.
| Comfort/Fit | 8 out of 10 |
| Weight | 7 out of 10 |
| Traction | 9 out of 10 |
| Touch | 7 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 8 out of 10 |
| Durability | 9 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 48 out of 60 or 80% |
