With both the European Championships and the Olympics on the horizon, national pride is quite high on the agenda. So following the launch of the new England kit, Umbro have turned their attention to footwear by revealing a new collection of patriotically inspired football boots, here's a look at the White/Vermillion/Claret Geometra Pro's...
Unveiled on St. George's Day, the new series is inspired by England’s patron saint and is Umbro's first major tournament collection. The red striped theme has been designed to unify each of the brands three silos – the Speciali III, GT II Pro and as featured below, the Geometra Pro.
The red and white colour scheme of the St George's flag is the fundamental inspiration behind this patriotic collection, with the unified striping detail referencing the Umbro jacket worn by England manager Sir Alf Ramsey which is also featured on the current home kit. Varying in size and shape across each boot, the patterned design occupies the heel areas for a visually powerful look.
The Umbro Geometra Pro soccer shoes feature a full grain ceramic leather, thicker than average leather to build more strength into the pass, with a 'grip surface' on the instep toe-area of the boot. This robustness is further enhanced by the inclusion of a solid heel wrap and stabiliser.
The main feature of the Umbro Geometra Pro is the ECZ – Energy Control Zone – which has been designed to absorb excess energy quicker for better ball control. The memory foam pass pad sits on the instep of the Geometra Pro and consists of high density foam. Sitting next to the ECZ are new dampening pads positioned towards the inside rear of the boot. Labelled as 'Medial Pads', the technically surfaced pads contain memory foam for enhanced ball control.
Another key feature is the swerve coated 'grip surface' visible on the inside toe-area of the Umbro Geometra Pro soccer cleats. This material is technically applied to the Geometra vamp to allow an improved ball feel in wet and dry conditions whilst offering better distribution abilities.
The Umbro Geometra Pro's feature a specialist sole with a unique stud configuration, which borrows the same theories as the Nike CTR360. As the pivot zone pressure point allows players to make sharp turns in small areas. The design also enhances ball control, with sharper heel studs helping to lock down the planted foot.
The new Umbro St George Collection is available to pre-order now for launch on May 4th. If you're looking to show your patriotism or are just a fan of the sharp looking red and white combination, the Umbro Geometra Pro football boots will set you back the standard £125 GBP / $170 USD / €150 EURO.
Umbro have shown their cards for the 2012 European Championships. Let us know what you think of their patriotic efforts! Are you excited to see the Umbro players kit up in style this summer? Join the conversation and share your thoughts online, on Twitter and on Facebook.