Classic Excellence

While internationally, Hummel hasn’t had a proper football boot for years, Hummel Japan (licensed by SSK) has been consistently producing quality boots for some time. While it would be wrong to say their boots are groundbreaking, it’d be even more wrong to assume that their boots aren’t excellent. While the Vorart series has continued to have solid models, the new Hummel Vorart 3 Pro Old School delivers classic vibes without sacrificing some of the modern performance we have come to expect with most modern boots. It is a boot that deserves people’s attention, especially if you are inclined towards classically styled boots.

Fit and Feel

It should be no surprise that the Vorart 3 Pro Old School feels soft and pliable out of the box. While the design may look bulky, interestingly, the leather is on the thinner side, and the boot feels more modern on foot than its looks might suggest.

The leather quality is not as nice as something like what is found on Mizuno’s Japan models, but it still feels premium, and the overall quality of the leather is great.

When compared to the standard Vorart 3 Pro, the Old School is just slightly narrower, but it is still suitable for wider feet. One of the nice things that Hummel Japan continues to do is to offer their boots in a wide (3E) and a superwide (4E) model, and the Old School is the same.

Interestingly, while my feet are narrow to medium in terms of width, I find that the Old School still fits my feet nicely. As per usual with most boots available on the Japanese domestic market, the Old School has a nice and deep lacing setup that offers a lot of adjustability in the fit.

In terms of lockdown, it’s solid, but nothing over the top. The lockdown is as good as it needs to be for a leather boot like this, but don’t go expecting overly aggressive lockdown. That’s not what this boot is about anyway.

A lot of praise needs to be given to the heel design and heel comfort, which is excellent. There is a nice amount of cushioning without feeling bulky, and the heel has this nice, brushed suede material that not only adds comfort but also helps with the lockdown in the heel area.

As expected of a kangaroo leather boot, the break in time is minimal, and within thirty minutes the boots felt ready for anything. As much as we have been getting excellent synthetic leather boots like the X Fly Pro 3, I really appreciate that even brands are still releasing wonderful kangaroo leather boots.

One of the things that does need to be noted is that the midfoot stability is only provided by the synthetic Hummel logos on the midfoot. I don’t feel my feet rolling over, but as it is a full kangaroo leather upper, it does not have an overly structured feel through the midfoot. As with other aspects of this boot, it’s not really meant to be overly structured, as that would mess with the lovely upper.

The only real criticism I have of the Vorart 3 Pro Old School is that while the boots have a nice, classic foldover tongue with Velcro, the laces can’t go under the Velcro on the tongue. This means that the tongue can sometimes get floppy because the laces get stuck to the Velcro. A weird oversight.

Outside of that, I have no real complaints about the boots, and I have been wearing them as the last boots I test every day to reward my feet.

Also, some praise needs to be given to the insole, which is of good quality, and Hummel does a great job of making premium insoles that feel nicer than boots that are more expensive in price. Like comfort, it is one of the things that Hummel Japan’s footwear continues to do well.

Additionally, I really appreciate that they also still rivet the boots to the upper. It is a nice mark of quality that they still do so. It mentally makes me feel like the boots are more robust in terms of durability.

For sizing, I find that the Vorart 3 Pro Old School fits just a touch longer than the standard Vorart 3 Pro, but I still recommend everyone go with their normal size. For me, this means I got the boots in a US 8.5/UK 7.5/JP 26.5. I am slightly tempted to try half a size down, but also remember I like a super tight fit, so again, I recommend you go with your normal size.

On the ball

It should be no surprise that the touch on the ball is lovely in the Old School. As mentioned above, the leather is thinner than it looks, which translates to the boot having a nice touch on the ball. It not only feels natural, but it is much closer than one would normally get from a classic kangaroo leather boot.

Shooting and crossing the ball are very much down to the skill and technique of the user. There are no extras, no gimmicks, just the foot and ball. While I do occasionally like having something extra to the upper, it is difficult to beat the feeling of a nice kangaroo leather upper.

Grip

While the soleplate is very basic in terms of the design and the stud placement, the Old School has a KaRVO insert in the forefoot, just like the standard Vorart 3 Pro. What I like about this addition is that you get some nice snapback when running on your toes.

On top of this, the overall stable soleplate makes the boot feel more modern when sprinting and making deep cuts.

At the same time, while the basic studs offer good grip, they are not aggressive, and some might prefer a more grippy experience. Again, these boots are not really made for that kind of experience, so it is a bit harsh to judge the boots for something they’re not designed to do.

Overall, the soleplate is multifunctional and works well on FG, AG, and even HG surfaces. Definitely a boot for all sorts of occasions.

Quiet brilliance

The Hummel Vorart 3 Pro Old School is not the kind of boot that screams for attention, and there are no outwardly loud parts of the boot. But the quality of the kangaroo leather, the excellent heel, great fit, and KaRVO wildcard in the soleplate make a boot that deserves attention.

It is one of those boots that is stubbornly only available in Japan, but I feel it could gain a loyal following should they ever be released internationally. We may be rushing headlong towards a synthetic future, but the Old School shows that kangaroo leather boots still have a place among the elite.

What do you think of the Hummel Vorart 3 Pro Old School? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram!

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I split my time between wearing HAVO Grip Socks and PureGrip Socks for training and matches.

Use code LOCKHART15 to get 15% off your HAVO Grip Sock order or click the link here: https://havosports.com/LOCKHART.

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