Thursday , March 28 2024

Umbro Stealth Pro Review

Umbro Stealth Pro WhiteRedThe release of the Umbro Stealth Pro has had one of the most bizarre advertising campaigns in recent memory! “Are you Fox or Chicken?” reads the headline, followed by guys running a round a field in masks with feathers flying about the place. Strange, odd, confusing. But, once you get past this and actually try out a pair things become a little more predictable. With the World Cup just around the corner, Umbro have stepped up their range of releases in order to compete with the rest of the market. Players like John Terry, Deco and possibly Darren Bent will be on hand to dazzle in them. For testing, I wore a size 9US in the hard ground White/Red/Silver color and got in 5 games and 2 training sessions (more games than training the past 3 weeks!)

Breaking In
No complaints on this one! I took these out of the box and into the first game without any problems (*I don’t recommend that you try this, over time I have developed a sense of what will work well from day 1.) My advice to you is simply wear these for one training session and they will be ready for game time. I didn’t encounter any blisters or any discomfort for the duration of testing. The Stealth fits absolutely true to size and they really mold to the shape of your feet quickly. Umbro use a grip type material just inside the cleat that surrounds the heel area. Because it has a grip texture feel to it, the boot moves in sync with your foot. Another cool feature that helps is the padded tongue that Umbro have included. If you lift the tongue area, there is a yellow mesh strip that runs along the forefront of your foot. Again, this area feels like it aids in keeping your boot in place, while also adding a little extra comfort when striking the ball. Umbro also use a high performance Poron insert that adds increased amount of shock absorption.

Umbro-Stealth-Pro close up

Style and Performance
The initial releases in the Umbro Stealth range are very unique. Both versions have a focal color with a second color running in two separate lines across the cleat. I tested the White version, which has  red lines running through it (the Red version has blue running through it.) I have to admit that I am a fan of both designs. They are not overly flashy, yet they offer something unique that is not present in any other releases on the market. Admittedly, I was glad to get the White version as I prefer it over the red.  In terms of performance, there are n0t many better cleats currently on the market! Throughout wearing the Stealth, I felt comfortable and well protected. Along the upper front of the boot there is a riveted area, almost like Umbro have created a series of ridges. This also falls along the strike zone, and whether intentional or not it creates an extra element of power when you strike the ball (or that is how it felt to me.) You can clearly see the area in the images of the boot.

Umbro Stealth Tongue Umbro Stealth pro Soleplate

Technology
Rather than spending time trying to create new elements to add, Umbro have worked on improving what they know works! The boot is built around tradition and success. These are created using a soft, lightweight Teijin Japanese microfiber that allows for a shiny looking finish. I am more of a fan of leather, but there is nothing wrong with this material and it almost adds a new dimension to the design since it is shiny to look at! One key advancement on these is the stud design. Umbro have added two additional lateral studs that act just like running spikes to give extra grip when you take-off, with the purpose of improving acceleration. These two studs are located on the forefront of the sole, in the middle of the cleat. Do they work? I felt like I could push off faster on my first step so I would say they do serve a purpose.

NegativesStealth-Pro-from-Umbro
The one problem I have with these is how easily they scuff. After only one or two wears the scuffs are quiet evident. I took some time after wearing them to clean them off, and this is key if you want to give them extended life. I don’t really have any other negatives to report. Umbro have really done a great job in creating the stealth and I enjoyed the fit, comfort and performance of the boot without it causing any problems.

Summary
The Umbro stealth really doesn’t fit into one of the Speed, Power or Control categories. It is more of an “all of the above” type cleat. Weight wise, they are a decent 9.8oz, not the lightest on the market but anything below the 10oz mark is decent. The ridges on the front of the cleat add a slight element of power, but not enough to place them in the category. After testing, these will be one of my go to cleats over the next few weeks as I know they offer comfort and I can rely on them to perform well. If you are looking for an all around effective cleat, without having to pay a large fee, then I highly recommend checking out the Umbro Stealth.

(*boots supplied for review by soccer.com)

About Bryan Byrne

The mastermind behind the revolution that is SoccerCleats101. Bryan started this website back in 2008 and has been testing boots on a daily basis ever since. Check out our About Page for more details on Bryan and the website.

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20 comments

  1. I have a pair of the Umbro Specialis and I really like them, but they are a little to wide for my foot. I really like what Umbro has to offer, and I was wondering if these fit more snug to the foot.

    Thanks for the help.

  2. I also have a pair of Special and love them! Most comfortable boot out there! So, I bought the Umbro Stealth Pro expecting a lot and received a lot in return. However, by accident I purchased the SG version, and I play on turf so there is a big dilemma. Do you have any idea where I can get replacements which are shorter and are able to be used on turf? Thanks a lot. And I agree on all the review points except for one. The value should be a 10/10. It only $115 usd for one of the best boots out there!!!

  3. Quite useless release. AP III are far superior to these and they cost almost same price.

  4. I had x series (forget which one) very long time ago. Fink these are almost the same feeling with the one I had. Too bad Umbro is pretty rare to release blade studs boots.

    And oh I like Bryan's color way but I like the silver one most

  5. I was wondering if these fit the same as the ctr360. I have the ctrs in size 9 and was really interested in these, no local stores seem to carry umbro unfortunately.

  6. The CTR360 have a very similar fit to the Stealth Pro, so if you like the CTR360 these will be a suitable option!

  7. I'm thinking of getting a pair of these. My sneaker size is 11 and i have worn tiempos in 10.5 and vapor 3's in 10.5 as well. Do you recommend also ordering half a size down?

  8. Rodrigo,

    I would say yes. The stealth fits a little longer than the Tiempo's, so if they fit in a 10.5 then these will also.

  9. Hey Bryan,

    I was thinking about getting these, seeing as how they're on sale now! But i'm not exactly sure what size I should get. I wear size 8 in Adipure III's and 8.5 in my CTR's. Any suggestions?

  10. Pedro,

    They fit pretty similar to the CTR's, so if they are the right fit go with that size.

  11. does the Umbro Stealth run big in size?

    is this boot good for a player that has a wide foot?

  12. Elias,

    I have a medium/wide fit and they felt fine. They run true to size.

  13. I see that these are HG cleats. Will these be ok for FG surfaces?

  14. Also, I wear a 7.5 in predators should I order the same size?

  15. Greg,

    They work fine on a firm surface, and they do fit true to size.

  16. Hello,

    I need little help here. I like to buy one pair of these boots for SG.

    So I would like to know how these work out on wet and mud, do they absorb wet and could be a lot heavier than they should be? And if they are wet do they change size… usually leather ones does a little… but i like tight and snug… i wear all adidas boots UK size 8,5-9 and here is said that stealth fit true to size… and I also read a lot of previews here and and all the boots you have tested here are size 9 and it is said that size is OK, but in my experience the size isn´t allways the same… I mean how you compare them, do you mean that fit true to size means that the same size boot is always tight and snug or if it is little bigger you say ahh… it is almost same size. I managed to try 4-5 years old umbro boots size 8 and they were leather ones and fitted very well, but maybe the sizes have changed in time… like the new predator x is half size bigger than the older version…

    I don´t like to wear 2 pair of socks especially in wet condition thats why I wrote this novell :). If somebody who have predators and these boots could say something that could help me, i would be very happy!

    all best!

  17. This is a kind of follow up to gregs q, but do most other umbro cleats work on firm ground? Because ive noticed that most Umbro cleats are HG and was wondering if they were suitable for firm ground too

  18. Kyle,

    They are designed for HG and typically should only be worn there. In saying that, I did wear them on FG and they worked decently well. Umbro have definitely taken a different approach with how they design their boots to the market!

  19. Finally got them when they were $50 at soccer.com. Its been nearly a month and i just scored a sweet goal yesterday with them. Power it really does help, and they are lightweight without any fancy technology. I think ill stay with Umbro stealth for a long time

  20. i tricked out my silver stealths with some black accents, like a cyber zebra colorway! no joke, its wicked!

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