Puma V1.10 Review

The Puma V1.10 has hit the US market, nearly two weeks earlier than expected! We are not complaining though, as we have had over two weeks to test them out, and I have been eagerly awaiting 10/10 to arrive! The v1.10 is Puma’s latest follow-up to the popular v1.08, with some advanced updates in design and looks! In case you were wondering, the ’10’ in v1.10 stands for the “year” they are being released to the market. Even though we have not yet hit 2010, Puma are adding some futuristic thinking into these ones! Here are the vital statistics about the new release:

• Weigh-in at an ever-impressive 8.2oz.
• Front panel is created using a soft, abrasion-resistant microfiber, lightly covered by a grip-like texture
• A front lace cover that is loose enough to pull away from the laces when tying
• A lightweight Pebax frame, that is see-through (just take out the inserts!)
• Pointed stud configuration designed to enhance ground traction

There has been a lot said about the Puma V1.10 over the past few weeks in news articles. Most of it is plausible, but I found a lot of the information lacks the correct information about how these cleats are actually designed and perform. One thing to bear in mind is this is just my review, and I have learned that different cleats suit different players in different ways.

Important to Note – Sizing
The Puma v1.10 is another top release by Puma. I tested the Blazing Yellow/Black/Chili version in a size 9. I pointed out in the Puma V1.10 US Release Set for 10/10 post that there were certain things you were going to need to know about these cleats before you buy them. The first and probably most important thing to note is size! These cleats fit small, so you are going to want to order up a half size, at least. I am normally a size 9, but these were tight! I did blister on my left heel from them after 1 or 2 practices (if you want to see pics let me know!) One of the reasons they fit so tight is related to the insert. Whereas normal inserts are grounded to the sole of the cleat, the Puma v1.10 has an insert that lips up around the heel. This obviously fits tighter to the back of your foot, resulting in what I consider to be the reason I needed a half size larger.

Style & Design
What about the color designs? Both the Blazing Yellow/Black/Chili and the Red/White/Black bring new looks to the market. After some of the designs that Nike and Adidas has recently released, I am not surprised to see such bold colors released by Puma! When I first saw them, I had negative feelings, but after testing them for a few weeks, they are starting to grow on me. It is a matter of taste, though. I typically prefer cleats that don’t stand out…and these definitely stand out!

The actual design of the cleat is very unusual. First off, Puma have placed an emphasis on African soccer by using a unique “Kinte” pattern. This is something I liked about the appearance of the cleats. I also liked the front materials used, as it is abrasion-resistant. This was definitely noticeable as there are no scrapes or nicks, which usually happens after a few weeks of testing.

Negatives
There were two negatives about the design that I personally did not like. The first thing is the front lace cover. It actually has elastic on each side that pulls it tight to the cleat, which is fine. But when you tighten the laces, it seems to bunch the tongue up. I’m not saying that this effects performance, but it was a little annoying when tightening the laces. The second concern, for me, is the toe area. Heavily impressive is the fact that Puma have used stitching around the sides to attach the upper of the cleat to the sole. This is highly unusual for cleats on the market currently. But what I did not like was the fact that you lose a little bit of the sharp angle into the toe because of this. Again, this is personal opinion as I prefer, and feel more confident in, cleats that angle sharply down to the toe.

Summary
Performance wise, I had no complaints. They feel light and are great for striking a ball. Other than size, these cleats match up with the types of technology the other big two (Nike and Adidas) have recently released. Player-wise, I think the Puma V1.10 is most suited to quick and/or creative players. I will definitely expect to see these cleats on wingers and strikers in the next few months. In terms of a comparison to the v1.08, I would say there has been some slight improvement, but nothing ubber dramatic. As the cleats have been exposed to the marketplace over the next few months, I will be interested to see how they fair up with the competition!

(boots supplied for review by soccer.com)