Under Armour Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 Review — Almost Amazing

Under Armour is a brand making some stellar gear, but while some players do swear by their products, the American company hasn’t fully broken into the football boot market. There’s no doubt that Under Armour takes a different approach to their boots, prioritising comfort and fit, and the Clone Magnetico line is the poster boy for that, but should you consider these over offerings from the ‘big 3’ brands?

The Under Armour Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 is an interesting boot, to say the least. Not necessarily a control boot (something that would feature a grippy upper for ball control) nor a speed boot (something light with aggressive traction), the boot falls into a more well-rounded, classic category, despite having some new tech innovations.

The Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 goes for more of a traditional boot experience, likening itself to something closer to a Nike Tiempo or Adidas’ newer Copa Pure models. You get a fully synthetic upper that simulates the feeling of leather, and even has a woven, knitted pattern giving it a luxurious look and feel. It’s incredibly soft and pliable, although does have some thickness to it, giving you that padded feel on the ball and around your foot. There is a tongue too, which is so soft that it actually gets crumpled up when putting the boots on, requiring you to pull it up and strighten it out when your foot is in the boot. It’s definitely comfortable and separates the laces from the upper part of your foot, but there’s not much structure with it.

The ‘trademark’ feature of most of Under Armour’s boots is the ‘Clone’ technology (hence the name) which claims that the boot moulds to your foot straight out of the box, and admittedly, this is true, for the most part. The boots feature snug, suede-like cushioned padding around the heel liner for a snug fit around the ankle, along with grooves on the inside that allow the boot to almost vacuum onto your foot. Add the softer woven synthetic over your toe area and you get a very secure fit around your heel and midfoot, with a bit of softness and wiggle room in the toe-box.

The boots slip on fantastically and do feel very secure thanks to the stiff soleplate (that we’ll get to in a minute), but upon a bit of playtime in the boots, something just didn’t feel right. Personally, I have fairly normal-width feet and can slip into everything from Mercurial Vapors to wider boots with ease. However, the Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 just felt like I was wearing someone else’s shoes, which was probably more down to the shape of my feet versus the silhouette of the boot. There were no harsh edges or hotspots hurting my feet; it just felt like the curves and bones of my particular foot were not in the right place in the boots. They’re comfortable boots, but I highly recommend just trying them on before purchasing due to the last or shaping of the inside of the upper.

On the underside of the boot, you get a very conservative yet excellent stud pattern, with an all-conical layout (including two extra studs on the forefoot area more akin to AG boots), with a stabilising bar to balance things out. They’re a little longer than something you’d find on a Tiempo, but with the extra studs, you get a more balanced feel and better weight distribution across the whole of the boot. The one medial stud does sit right under the metatarsal bone, which can cause a bit of pressure during extended wear. However, this pattern performed very well on natural grass and allowed for some pivoting and turns, without being too grippy, which isn’t a bad thing for those looking to avoid injuries.

Another great thing about Under Armour’s branding and design is that they do lean on the understated, more minimal side; so the boots don’t feature many graphics or garish colour clashes. You get a toned-down visual design, with the UA logo on the side of the heel.

There is no doubt that the Under Armour Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 brings a level of premium feel and comfort that is admittedly hard to find in the boot market today. While many are leaning on gimmicks and pushing the razor’s edge in terms of technology, UA prioritises comfort and feel, while still ensuring the Magneticos shine on your feet. The shape and feel is unusual though, and does warrant a try-on before purchasing, but if you’re a fan of that padded, thicker feel with your boots, the UA Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 is worth looking at.

The UA Clone Magnetico Pro 3.0 FG model retails for R2,799 on Under Armour’s website.