Umbro Velocita Design Interview : Product Design : Soccer Bible

The Umbro Velocita Pro has taken the boot world by surprise this week. Yeah, it's happened and yeah, it's good. We spoke to Umbro Footwear & Equipment Product Manager Simon Bowsher, who gave us the low down on the R&D behind the boot.

First thing's first, Umbro are passionate about the Velocita and they've got every right to be - they've applied a great amount of honesty to produce the boot you see today as Bowsher explains, “First conversations took place 2 years ago, we looked at where Umbro traditionally sat amongst speed boots and we saw that we had an awful lot of ground to make up. So we needed to be honest in where we thought we were and what we had done previously.” By taking a step back and looking in from the outside Umbro distinguished the demands of the modern game and where they weren't delivering.



An extensive time period went into testing the Velocita to understand how the team could create a boot that would work in harmony with the foot. “We found out very early on that the foot flexes at three axes. The foot tends to pronate so the arch of the foot collapses inwards naturally, which places a lot of emphasis on the front end of the foot when running and changing direction. We wanted to make a boot that allowed natural flexion allowing the foot to spring off the ground effectively as a massive amount of pressure and force is exerted through the bone structure in the foot when running. So to cater for the speed player we needed to bring a multi-directional sense to the Velocita" Bowsher explained.



Footballers don't always sprint in straight lines so speed boots have to be flexible and Umbro recognised this. Using clever tech, Umbro found the ideal solution in the stud configuration. "The conical stud configuration on the medial side allows for a medial pivot." Bowsher tells us. "Whilst at the same time we have cut away a section of the circle studs to help reduce weight. Then we used diamond shaped studs because the natural shape creates a strong structure, helping to distribute weight and pressure evenly but at the same time allowing you to get in and out of the ground as quickly as possible." Showing flexion within the boot is more natural whilst an acute stud pattern helps acceleration and agility, as well as offering a stunning traction system. 



Umbro continue to use new technologies for the upper to help enhance the fit and feel for the Velocita. “We wanted to reinvent the A-Frame cradle and the way it was executed was by having a seamless upper construction, which allowed a natural degree of stretch without deforming, by using a specific last. We used an ultra-light microfiber material which gives a natural degree of elasticity whilst maintaining a really thin upper”.



The use of advanced tech doesn’t stop here with Umbro introducing more clever and effective techniques to enhance the overall boot. Bowsher went on to tell us, “We used a hotmelt material to really call out the A-frame by applying a second very thin layer of synthetic which is pressed against the base material allowing the A-frame to stretch with the movement of the boot. However, it also incorporates a certain degree of structure which immediately connects the lace system and is essential to achieving the best fit of the boot.”



Umbro go that step further with the heel of the boot undergoing intense work to maximise comfort as well as a stylish speed-esque shape that's one of the standout visuals of the Velocita. Bowsher and his team didn't want to sacrifice comfort as he explains, “The collar is built with an embossed memory foam giving it that sculpted feel around the heel helping the overall fit.” Umbro knew what was at stake with the Velocita, a boot that could potentially change the perception of the brand and catapult them back into the big time as far as footwear was concerned.

Every single detail has been geared towards speed to give the Velocita a functional purpose. An example of this immense detailing can be seen in the laces, which have been flattened so that it minimises any of the excess nylon. All that tech packed into a boot that weighs in at just 165g, Umbro’s lightest ever football boot, impressive work.

What's your view on the Umbro Velocita Pro? Can it challenge the big time? Get up close with the Velocita here and let us know what you think.