Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
PURE, ABSOLUTE, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SPEED!
That is exactly how I would describe the Puma ULTRA SL 21, a boot that brings back gravity-defying technology onto the soccer pitch. Over the past few seasons, there was an obvious shift in the trend as brands look to create more stable boot designs. Puma’s history with SL has been mixed, with some successful designs and some designed to only last 10 games.
With this latest edition, they have re-tooled and created something that should (in theory) last a little longer. This is in part thanks to an upgraded, specialized upper made of a thin woven mesh and coated with an advanced, ultra-thin TPU skin. What you get is a lightweight, durable upper able to withstand the most explosive speeds! Each shoe weighs in at an incredibly light 3.6oz.
Underfoot, the outsole is constructed with exclusive Pebax tooling technology to support energy transfer when accelerating at lightning speeds. Combined with the innovative new upper, this lightweight stable plate makes the ULTRA SL 21 one of the fastest, most elusive boots available today.
And by elusive, they are more of a limited edition release, only available right now in one colorway. It was officially listed as Aged Silver/Black/Elektro Aqua, released as part of the “Tech Pack”.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been wearing these in games. As it stands, they have got through 4 games fully intact. There is still a lot of wearing to be done in order to really test the overall durability. But, to date, they have held up fine and seem like there is plenty of wear still to get from them. Let’s be honest here, any time you look to purchase an SL boot, you have to know that they won’t last as long as a more traditional release. Less materials just naturally means that they are likely to fall a part quicker. So, you need to take that into account before investing in a pair.
How do they feel on foot? Incredible lightweight. You absolutely notice a difference when you put them on foot, they feel like wearing a pair of ballet slippers or just a soleplate with a bunch fo feathers glued on. They truly are insanely light. At the same time, they are also very comfortable – I’ve really been enjoying wearing them. Initially, I was nervous about how they would fit, but from first wear they have been impressive.
One of the first thing you will notice when you slip them on for the first time is how the upper materials hug your foot. Immediately, the super thin upper forms around your shape, providing a semi relaxed but snug fit. In terms of actual size, just stick to your normal size, they fit true in length and offer a little extra stretch through the width compliments of the knit.
Important to note, with an upper material comes a lot of natural feel on the ball. So, you will feel everything that touches the upper just a little more than you would with other boots. This includes striking shots and feeling the impact of another players studs. I’ve already been on the end of some painful challenges across the forefoot and I’m sure there are more to come!
Overall, I’m ULTRA impressed with how Puma has re-tooled this version of super lightweight speed. Time will tell if they prove value for money – I’ll follow-up on that over the next few weeks – but initial reaction offers a lot of optimism.
Find remaining pairs available at SOCCER.com.
