Umbro Soccer BallsUmbro Soccer balls are not as widely used in the professional game but they do, never the less, manufacture FIFA Approved footballs. What Umbro do offer is fantastic deals on multiball buys. The best prices are at 50 unit orders but good deals can still be found on one or two ball orders. Umbro Match Balls Umbro have a range of Fifa approved soccer balls, the top of the range being the Umbro X III football. The X III is made of a 1.7 mm Japanese Microfibre with a super latex bladder. The material depth of this ball gives an excellent soft feel upon impact. There are no fancy technological twists with this ball. What you do get is a capable match ball suited to all surfaces. At around £50 mark it can be quite expensive but if you look for multi buys then you can pick up a bargain. As these only come in size 5’s then these will not be suitable for young kid’s football. Other Umbro soccer balls suitable for matches are the X II FIFA approved ball which is made from Japanese Microfibre outer material, 4 Polyester Linings system, matt material finish for added aerodynamics and is fitted with a performance latex bladder. This ball is really only suitable for all surfaces but only comes in Size 5. Another option is the Umbro pro flight which is FIFA Approved. This ball is made of durable PU outer with performance latex bladder. This makes this ball more rugged and it wears extremely well. Surprising then that Umbro recommend this ball for Grass use and not other surfaces. Umbro also have the Umbro Match Play which is a cheaper ball and therefore is not up to the quality of the previous Umbro soccer balls mentioned but it will be suitable for youth football. This ball also comes in size 4 and 5 so it can be used for ages 10 and up. Training balls It is worth noting that training balls are sometimes more rugged and last longer than certain match balls. Training balls can take a pounding and although it would seem that you should use the same balls in training that you use in a match it is not always cost effective. Umbro do advocate the use of the Match play and the ProFlight as training balls but they do have another couple in their armoury. At the lower end of the training balls are the PU trainer and the PVC trainer. Both balls are fitted with a high air retention butyl bladder which will stay inflated for a longer period of time. This is important when you, as a soccer coach, have a million and one things to do before training sessions. You do not want to have to blow up balls every session. These balls are ideal for kids as they come in sizes 3, 4 and 5. As these balls are hard wearing then they are recommended for grass and synthetic surfaces. Umbro also have the X Skills ball which is a smaller size ball that is used for skill development. This is a size 1 ball with a PVC outer surface and the high air retaining butyl bladder. Umbro Futsal Balls Futsal is the game that originated in Brazil. The ball is smaller at size 4 and less bouncy than traditional footballs and player such as Ronaldinho and Kaka have honed their skills playing this game. The Umbro offering is the Umbro Futsal F5 soccer ball which is designed specifically for Futsal. The ball has a PU outer surface and is fitted with a low bounce Futsal bladder. Designed for indoor use this ball is hard wearing due to it’s soft feel and good wear properties. Umbro Indoor Soccer Balls Umbro soccer balls range has two indoor footballs, the Indoor Pro and the Indoor Trainer. The Umbro Indoor Pro has a super soft PU outer surface which results in a reduced rebound. This ball has a good feel and only comes in size 5. The Umbro Indoor trainer has a TPU outer surface which is machine stitched. This ball also has a high retention bladder fitted to stay inflated for a greater period of time and is ideal for 10 + as it comes in sizes 4 and 5.
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