Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Although we have seen plenty of images and coverage over the past few weeks, the Puma PowerCat 1.12 has only now been officially released. These boots look really good and when you factor in the technical speak, they seem to have a lot of potential. Having a player the caliber of Cesc Fabregas to help unveil the new boot doesn’t hurt either, especially since he decided to make a pretty unexpected switch from Nike to this particular Puma boot!
Puma has drastically changed things up with this release, choosing a new focus for the silo and slimming things down. You are getting a more streamlined boot that focuses on combining power and control, while maintaining a decent level of protection. The upper is split into two sections; the front is a soft K-leather, ensuring you are getting great touch on the ball, while the lateral region is a lightweight microfiber that supports the midfoot and helps to keep the weight down. Rather than being a Power boot, these sort of drift towards a playmaker mold.
Currently, there are several colorways released in the range – check them all out at soccer.com.
It all comes down to the new PUMA 3D DUO power shooting technology that sits along the strike zone. It is set with two different materials that hold different densities. The small bars in the middle of the region are more compact and result in quicker rebound as the ball impacts. The rest of the region is more springy or less dense, and offers a more fluid rebound effect. This means you are getting less energy adsorption and more power as you meet the ball. The technology sits in the ideal spot and is a major change-up from the ridges of the PowerCat 1.10. I can understand how this new design would conceptually be beneficial – but the big questions lies in how it performs in play.
As for the design, well, Puma are on to an absolute winner here! The White Pearl/Team Gold/Puma Royal colorway has received extremely positive comments right from release. They are sharp, clean and in my opinion they really lift the new silo to a new level. The gold detailing is a fantastic addition and makes for a more expensive look.
Interestingly, the release date for these boots is December 1st – the same day as the Adidas F50 miCoach. It will be interesting to see how the goes! I haven’t got details on the actual retail price yet, but I expect these will fall in the $160-$200 range (*UPDATE: they are priced at $180). Also, I am working to secure a pair for testing before the actual release date – so stay tuned for a full review!
Was just on http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/shop/home?locale… , they need to change the description of the CTRs… it says, "…And worn by game-changing players like Fabergas and Iniesta, it's time to take control" Hahaha It says it when you roll your mouse over the CTR section.
How much will they weigh?
Even though they do have Fabergas as the spokesperson, I think these boots still lean more toward power and accuracy. Puma brought these out of all intents to compete with the T90 and Preds. Just so happens Fabergas likes them, or was paid the just right amount to "like" them.
But next year, Puma is coming out with a boots focused on the control aspect of the game. Those are something I'm really looking forward to. Along with the Vapor VIII, Adidas 11 Pro, Adidas D5, and the CTR Maestri III. Should be another great year for us consumers.