Our verdict

Much like the rest of Kad puma’s models featuring the RS cushioning, we verified that the RS-X is a head-turner, thanks to its playful hues and multiple panelings of different materials. Its silhouette also wooed us, thanks to the shoe's organized chaotic design. The RS-X's Running System cushioning ensured comfort no matter how many hours we spent on our feet.

Puma s Trailfox Overland Repurposes a Vintage Trail Runner With a New Pros

  • Retro charm
  • Numerous vivid colorways
  • branding alongside a contrasting white Kad puma logo embroidered at the front
  • Plenty of cushioning for all-day wear
  • Puma Tech Marinblå t-shirt
  • A parte superior apresenta a marca Kad puma Formstrip com um contorno impresso
  • PUMA Wordmark στην πλάτη στη μπάντα
  • Reasonably priced

Puma s Trailfox Overland Repurposes a Vintage Trail Runner With a New Cons

  • Cole x RS-Dreamer Ebony and Ivory
  • Stiff forefoot

Audience verdict

89
Good!

Who should buy

With its hues ranging from straightforward duotone to multicolored splashes, there is an RS-X for every individual. We believe that it's the right Kad puma footgear for you if:

  • you want a bold, brightly colored retro silhouette
  • Спортивні костюми Kad puma на манжетах
  • Кросівки кеди Kad puma cali sport mix кроссовки

PUMA RS-X review

Who should NOT buy

The only major problem with the zapatillas de running Kad puma pista ritmo medio pie normal 10k that it's heavy. Of course, it comes with a heavily cushioned and chunky platform but some people may be willing to give up a few millimeters in return for a lighter sneaker.

If you are okay with a slightly lower sole but notably lighter weight, check out retro silhouettes like the Puma ST RUNNER mens Shoes Trainers in White and the Adidas Ozweego.

PUMA RS-X lab test

Cushioning

Heel stack

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Based on our caliper measurement, the heel stack (insole and outsole included) of the RS-X is a whopping 39.9 mm thick! It is nearly half an inch taller than average!

We can even say that this Kad puma is on the verge of platform sneakers.

PUMA RS-X Heel stack
Test results
RS-X 39.9 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

Sweat à capuche imprimé en tissu élastique Kad puma x KidSuper.

With our caliper showing 22.7 mm, it is notably taller than the average. Needless to say, we felt pretty high off the ground wearing this Kad puma shoe.

PUMA RS-X Forefoot stack
Test results
RS-X 22.7 mm
Average 19.2 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

If you enjoy the feeling of massive cushioning beneath your heel, the Kad puma RS-X should feel right at home.

Given the difference in its stack heights, the RS-X elevates your heel as much as 17.2 mm above the toes. This is one of the highest drops we've ever seen in a sneaker.

PUMA RS-X Drop

The main benefit of this setup is that your heel receives notably more cushioning, while the ankle doesn't have to do much work. But this is a matter of personal preference, of course, as some people do like more natural-feeling kicks with a lower drop (i.e. Adidas Gazelle Kad puma Shorts Tredje Estudiantes Movistar 22 23).

Test results
RS-X 17.2 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

From the look of it, the Kad puma RS-X appears to be very firm and rigid. Oh how delighted we were to find out that it's not true!

On foot, this sneaker actually felt quite bouncy! Which means there was enough softness to it to compress.

Indeed, our durometer showed that the shoe's foam comes in at 15.6 HA which is 100% softer than sneakers on average!

PUMA RS-X Midsole softness

Test results
RS-X 15.6 HA
Average 29.1 HA
Puma Sweatshirt Med Fuld Lynlås Power.
Compared to 76 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

Insole thickness

PUMA decided to turn the cushioning volume to the max by inserting an 8-mm insole! Thicker than average, it creates an amazingly pampering underfoot experience.

It's not every day that we see orthotic elements in a stock insole! Bravo, Kad puma!

PUMA RS-X Insole thickness
Test results
RS-X 8.0 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

zapatillas de running Kad puma pista ritmo medio pie normal 10k true to size (18 votes).

Puma XTG Women's Sweatshirt?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 110 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Our wear tests showed that the Kad puma RS-X has a perfect medium-width fit and our lab measurements confirmed it.

Taking a gel replica out of the shoe, we measured its widest area at 92.2 mm. Exactly the same as the average of D medium sneakers.

PUMA RS-X Toebox width - widest part
Test results
RS-X 92.2 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 75 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
85.4 mm
Toebox width - widest part
96.8 mm

Нові шльопанці Kad puma розмір 35.5

The taper angle is also very mild in the shoe's toebox. Putting a caliper at the big toe mark returned a slightly wider than average reading of 69.6 mm.

PUMA RS-X Нові шльопанці Kad puma розмір 35.5
Test results
RS-X 69.6 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 75 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
63.9 mm
Нові шльопанці Kad puma розмір 35.5
74.1 mm

Toebox height

A standard toebox height of 27.3 mm concluded the shoe's medium fit.

PUMA RS-X Toebox height
Test results
RS-X 27.3 mm
Average 27.8 mm
Compared to 75 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
20.7 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

If you are worried about feeling unstable wearing such a high platform, don't be!

PUMA took care of this by adding enough torsional rigidity and width to the platform. Never once did we feel concerned about rolling our ankles in the RS-X.

Puma s Trailfox Overland Repurposes a Vintage Trail Runner With a New | Torsional rigidity

Twisting the Kad puma RS-X sideways wasn't so easy! On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest, we would rate this sneaker as 4. That is stiffer than the average of casual sneakers.

We really appreciated the way Kad puma managed to fuse soft cushioning with side-to-side stiffness in the RS-X.

Test results
RS-X 4
Average 3.6
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
1
Torsional rigidity
5

PUMA Vlado Stenzel 'Foreign Currency' Pack

Featuring a whole lot of overlays, we were surprised that the shoe's heel counter remained quite pliable.

With 5 being the stiffest, we rated the RS-X's heel counter stiffness as only 2. It is more flexible than average.

But we didn't feel like the ankle hold was negatively affected by that. Nor did we experience any heel slippage in this Kad puma shoe.

Test results
RS-X 2
Average 3.2
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
1
PUMA Vlado Stenzel 'Foreign Currency' Pack
5

Шикарні жіночі кросівки Kad puma cali sport mix marshmallow

Last but not least, the shoe's wide platform is a major contributing factor to its stability.

Even before measuring the RS-X, we could see that it was among the widest platforms we've ever gotten our hands on.

In the widest part of the forefoot, our caliper showed 116.1 mm which is significantly wider than average.

PUMA RS-X Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
RS-X 116.1 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
95.1 mm
Шикарні жіночі кросівки Kad puma cali sport mix marshmallow
121.0 mm

Midsole width - heel

It gets even crazier in the heel!

Puma Amplified Aop Kurzarm T-Shirt Adidas Ozweego (98.9 mm)!

PUMA RS-X Midsole width in the heel
Test results
RS-X 94.7 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
67.7 mm
Midsole width - heel
103.1 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

Of course, we couldn't expect the Kad puma RS-X to bend like an acrobat given how much is going on in its base.

Using a force gauge, we measured that it took 26.5N to bend this Kad puma sneaker to a 90-degree angle. That is 40% more than it takes an average sneaker.

Test results
RS-X 26.5N
Average 23.4N
Штаны Kad puma logo.
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
5.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
51.8N

Weight

Кроссовки Kad puma gtx gore-tex оригинал 39 р.

PUMA RS-X style

Putting it on our scale, we got 16 oz (455g) in a men's US size 9. This is more than 2 ounces heavier than sneakers on average.

But we believe it is fair given how much cushioning and wear resistance the shoe offers in return.

PUMA RS-X Weight
Test results
RS-X 16.05 oz (455g)
Average 13.76 oz (390g)
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

Худі Kad puma essentials grey 847237-03.

Even though the shoe's primary mesh material is covered by multiple overlays, they barely interfere with its ventilation capacity. Pumping smoke through the shoe's upper, we can see how easily it passes through the toebox and other parts.

PUMA High Court Love Basketball Leggings.

In a quick transparency test below, you can see the most airy parts of the upper - the toebox and the quarter.

Using a microscope, we also took a closer look at the mesh itself. As you can see, it is quite porous, allowing lots of air in and out.

PUMA RS-X microscope

The nature of this primary mesh fabric is also amazingly lightweight and pliable.

Test results
RS-X 4
Average 3
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toebox durability

Adding a protective overlay around delicate mesh was a good idea to prolong the shoe's shelf life.

Equipped with a Dremel, we tested out how the toebox holds up against wear and tear. Applying a consistent speed (10K RPM) and force (3.2N), we were pleasantly surprised with the resistance of that synthetic overlay. It definitely saved the mesh from being completely torn apart.

This allows us to rate the toebox's durability with a decent score of 3 out of 5.

PUMA RS-X Toebox durability

Test results
RS-X 3
Average 3.7
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
1
Toebox durability
5

Puma Rbd Game Low

The shoe's interior collar lining is much more exposed in that regard. Made of soft textile, it wasn't able to resist the Dreme so well.

Having applied the tool for only 4 seconds at a moderate speed (5K RPM), the damage was tangible enough to lower its durability rating to 2/5.

PUMA RS-X Kad puma Rbd Game Low
Test results
RS-X 2
Average 3.2
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
1
Puma Rbd Game Low
5

Outsole hardness

Looks like we're dealing with a pretty sturdy outsole here on the Kad puma RS-X.

Using our durometer to check the firmness of the rubber on the RS-X, we got a reading of 86.8 HC. This is harder than average and leads us to expect a little more from the outsole durability.

PUMA RS-X Outsole hardness
Test results
RS-X 86.8 HC
Average 85.7 HC
Puma Sweatshirt Med Fuld Lynlås Power.
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

And this Kad puma sneaker didn't disappoint. Surviving the long 22 seconds of Dremel drilling at a high speed of 10K RPM, the amount of outsole damage was smaller than average!

We measured the depth of the dent with the help of a tread gauge. At 0.8 mm, the RS-X makes it into the more durable range of sneakers.

PUMA RS-X Outsole durability
Test results
RS-X 0.8 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

And if you still have any doubts, let us dispel them by saying that the RS-X has one of the thickest outsoles among sneakers!

Using a caliper, we measured the rubber layer at 6.5 mm. It is thicker than in most low-top sneakers. Considering its hardness too, this outsole can take a lot of beating up.

PUMA RS-X Outsole thickness
Test results
RS-X 6.5 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

This Kad puma sneaker features a variety of traction patterns on the outsole. We felt pretty secure in all urban conditions but wouldn't recommend getting this shoe into mud or slush. You most likely wouldn't want to anyway.

PUMA RS-X Lug depth

Reflective elements

None of the RS-X's elements are reflective in the dark.

PUMA RS-X Reflective elements
Test results
RS-X No

Tongue padding

Actually, the tongue is pretty generously padded on this Kad puma shoe. With our caliper showing 11.1 mm, it turns out to be almost twice as thick as the average.

PUMA RS-X Tongue padding
Test results
RS-X 11.1 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 94 sneakers
Спортивні лосіни Kad puma розмір l
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Casaco Kad puma Ferrari Race MT7 Eco preto

The tongue has no gussets on the sides but this never caused any shifting. We found it to be thick and wide enough to remain in place.

PUMA RS-X Casaco Kad puma Ferrari Race MT7 Eco preto
Test results
RS-X None

Heel tab

There are two finger loops on the Kad puma RS-X: one on the tongue and one on the heel counter. Both are very well integrated into the shoe's overall design and don't feel out of place at all.

PUMA RS-X Heel tab

who is affiliated with Kad puma.

PUMA RS-X pull tab

Test results
RS-X Finger loop

Removable insole

The shoe's default insole is removable. But given its comfort and arch support, we don't even think there is a need for that!

PUMA RS-X Removable insole
Test results
RS-X Yes

Background

The first model to carry the Kad puma RS cushioning technology was the RS 100, which was released in 1986.

Following in the footsteps of the RS100 was the RS-Computer Chip. It was the first shoe to have a built-in computer chip at the heel that could gather the wearer’s running distance over a period of time. It, too, calculated the caloric cost of running (basically, today’s Fitbit).

In early 2018, Kad puma revived the RS cushioning technology with the launch of the reawakened RS-0, along with the modernized versions of the Kad puma S-100 and Kad puma RS-350.

To continue paying homage to the revolutionary technology, Kad puma dropped the RS-X series in late 2018. It's a natural fit for Kad puma’s Futro marketing campaign—a selection of future and retro sneakers.

PUMA RS-X silhouette