Our verdict

The best way we can describe the PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic is it's like a friend who looks small and fragile but is actually a skilled fighter. This shoe's very unassuming slender build and very minimal looks actually hide tremendous potential. We find it a pleasure to play in, and we think this is best for athletes who like to explosively sprint their way to the basket. If it wasn't for its frail outsole and upper, the Puma Basket Classic Holographic would've made it to our top charts.

Puma Unisex Sunglasses PE0186S Pros

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  • Incredible bounce and impact protection
  • Amazing in-shoe comfort
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  • Smooth ride
  • True-to-size fit
  • Pretty light
  • Slender appearance

Puma Unisex Sunglasses PE0186S Cons

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  • Dulled by dust
  • Reduced court feel
  • Lacks breathability

Puma Unisex Sunglasses PE0186S | Audience verdict

71
Bad!

Who should buy

staple puma suede classic frost gray:

  • rankings of puma king soccer cleats
  • Stampa del logo PUMA sulla gamba
  • want a sleek performance shoe that doubles as a lifestyle sneaker

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic review

Who should NOT buy

The PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic is a disaster on outdoor courts as it breaks down way too easily. If you want a lasting hoop shoe for that purpose, we recommend the puma suede vtg rdl fs vap gray puma white ibiza blue instead.

And if you need a shoe that's more resistant to dust, the Puma TFS Sweat Pants in Khaki and the stone graphics appear on the puma proved to be better options.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic lab test

Cushioning

Heel stack

Measuring the shoe's midsole with a caliper, we got 29 mm of stack height in the heel.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Heel stack

And while that's exactly the same as the average, the PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic feels thicker because of all the impact protection that it provides. It actually felt as if our feet were standing on a pedestal which did result in having less court feel.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic heel cushioning

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 29.0 mm
Average 29.1 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
23.2 mm
Heel stack
38.4 mm

Forefoot stack

In the forefoot, the stack height gets naturally lower. We got a caliper reading of 20.1 mm which is even a couple of millimeters less than the average.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Forefoot stack
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 20.1 mm
Average 21.6 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
15.5 mm
Forefoot stack
26.8 mm

Drop

The PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic has a slightly higher than average drop of 8.9 mm. Having more abundant cushioning under the heel made us feel very safe and supported, no matter how hard our landings were.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Drop
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 8.9 mm
Average 7.5 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
3.9 mm
Drop
13.7 mm

Midsole softness

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

The PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic has a firmer type of cushioning. Our durometer shows a reading of 32 HA. This is 15% firmer than the average of our tested basketball shoes. However, the shoe doesn't feel dull at all!

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Midsole softness

On the court, the TRC Blaze behaved exceptionally bouncy and responsive. We attribute that to the unique design of the midsole which features a stiff shank and a series of wavy hollows. Apparently, it helps to create a springboard-like effect.

It all made jumping in this PUMA shoe super easy and almost effortless.

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 32.0 HA
Average 25.1 HA
Puma Black M $55.00.
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
11.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
38.6 HA

Insole thickness

A padded insole amplifies the underfoot comfort of the Puma Basket Classic Holographic. At 4.7 mm, it is about as thick as the average.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Insole thickness
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 4.7 mm
Average 4.8 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Insole thickness
8.6 mm

Size and fit

Size

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic is slightly small (13 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

puma xs850 hanon adventurer pack

Measuring the widest part of the shoe's toebox, our caliper shows 95.7 mm. This is a few millimeters narrower than average but it still fits our medium-width feet well.

But we did find it to be more of a one-to-one fit rather than a roomy one. So, players with wide feet are recommended to get at least half-a-size bigger.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic puma wild rider franchise
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 95.7 mm
Average 101.6 mm
Thermo-R to 65 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
92.6 mm
puma xs850 hanon adventurer pack
109.2 mm

Puma Retaliate Mens Trainers

We also made sure that the Puma Basket Classic Holographic doesn't get too tapered by measuring the toebox width at the big-toe mark.

Puma Essential Ανδρική Μπλούζα με Κουκούλα.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic product eng 1028246 Puma Downtown Oversized Crew Ivory Glow
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 76.4 mm
Average 76.9 mm
Thermo-R to 59 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
71.2 mm
Puma Retaliate Mens Trainers
85.1 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

This PUMA basketball shoe boasts a high level of support and stability. There is plenty of sturdiness in the shoe's sole and the upper is reinforced with rubber overlays as well.

As a result, lateral movements were all well supported in the Puma Basket Classic Holographic.

Torsional rigidity

Testing the shoe's torsional rigidity in our manual test, it feels very unforgiving. Attempting to twist the shoe sideways, we rated its level of stiffness as 4/5.

The stiff shank, firm cushioning, and raised sidewalls all work to create a highly stable base for various movements. Never once did we feel as if our ankles were going to roll.

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 4
Average 4.4
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Puma Mirage Sport Luxe

The heel counter is just as mighty stiff as the sole. On a 1-5 scale, we gave it a rating of 4. Our heels and ankles were held firmly all throughout the game. Not a sight of heel slippage.

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 4
Average 3.7
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Puma Mirage Sport Luxe
5

Puma Pantaloni Corti Liga

The Puma Basket Classic Holographic from PUMA has a fairly wide landing area.

In the widest part of the forefoot, we measured the shoe at 111.4 mm. This is an average width for basketball shoes but it made us feel surefooted all throughout the test.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 111.4 mm
Average 114.9 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
106.2 mm
Puma Pantaloni Corti Liga
124.5 mm

Midsole width - heel

In the widest part of the heel, the sole width reaches 90.4 mm. This is also an average width but a reliable one for sure.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Midsole width in the heel
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 90.4 mm
Average 90.1 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
80.0 mm
Midsole width - heel
105.1 mm

Puma Future Rider Royale Wns 372893 02

The heel-to-toe transitions feel very smooth in the PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic. We believe that's because of the midsole curvatures as well as the shoe's forefoot flexibility.

We tested the latter with the help of a force gauge. It took 31.2N to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle. This is 34% less than it takes on average.

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 31.2N
Average 38.8N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
17.6N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
62.2N

Weight

The PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic is a great pick for fast and explosive movements. At 13.1 oz (372g) per shoe, it turns out to be 0.5 oz (15g) lighter than our lab-tested basketball shoes on average.

But when on the court, it feels even lighter than that! This PUMA shoe allowed us to accelerate without being held back.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic jump

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 13.12 oz (372g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
11.29 oz (320g)
Weight
17.46 oz (495g)

Breathability

Based on our breathability test, the PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic doesn't let the heat escape so easily. Pumping smoke through the shoe's upper, it was barely passing through. On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most breathable, we rated this PUMA shoe as only 2/5.

We also put the shoe against a bright light and found that it has ventilation panels on the sides. This is the most transparent part of the shoe's upper. But apparently, these are not enough to help with better aeration.

In addition, the toebox material is woven extra-tightly on this PUMA shoe.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic microscope

DC Justice League x Puma Collection Coming Soon.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic microscope upper

If you would like to see a more breathable hoop shoe from PUMA, consider the Rise Nitro.

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 2
Average 2.6
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Outsole hardness

With a durometer reading of only 69.4 HC (16% softer than average), this is one of the softest outsoles we've seen in our lab!

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Outsole hardness

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It took us a single playtest to find out that the shoe's soft rubber and thin treads melt when contacting a harsh surface.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic outdoor

Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 69.4 HC
Average 81.5 HC
Puma Black M $55.00.
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
61.3 HC
Outsole hardness
91.0 HC

Outsole thickness

PUMA did try to compensate for the softness with a super thick outsole. Using a caliper, we measured the rubber thickness at 5.8 mm (waaay thicker than average!).

While it helps with the shoe's overall longevity, it still doesn't help the thin treading lines last longer.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Outsole thickness
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 5.8 mm
Average 4.0 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
6.9 mm

Upper materials

La version élégante et raffinée de la Suede classique de PUMA.

Not only do they look cheap, they are in fact extremely frail. The laces look as if they were taken out of a $20 Walmart sneaker!

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic laces

We actually think that the "quality" of materials on the Puma Basket Classic Holographic can be a deal-breaker that undermines all the other things that this basketball shoe does so well!

Puma Unisex Sunglasses PE0186S | Misc

Grip / Traction

Even though the shoe's outsole is too frail for the outdoors, its performance is phenomenal indoors!

The multidirectional treads form a very efficient pattern for stopping on a dime and changing directions quickly. No matter where we took our next step, there were a number of tread lines facing that direction.

But like many basketball shoes, the PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic is sensitive to dust. Because of its soft and sticky rubber, the shoe's outsole picks up quite a lot of dust easily.

Tongue padding

The tongue of the Puma Basket Classic Holographic is among the thickest we've seen! Our caliper shows 12.9 mm which is (wow!) 3.5 mm thicker than average!

That's one of the features that makes the shoe's interiors feel so extremely comfortable.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Tongue padding
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic 12.9 mm
Average 9.2 mm
Thermo-R to 73 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1.3 mm
Tongue padding
15.9 mm

Tongue: gusset type

Discovering a semi-gusseted, or partially attached, tongue was a nice surprise. That doesn't usually happen in more affordable shoes.

We received plenty of foot containment from the PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic and that is in part thanks to the gussets.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Tongue: gusset type
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic Both sides (semi)

Heel tab

There are no heel tabs on this PUMA shoe, but it's not that big of a deal. It is quite easy to get the shoe on and off.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Heel tab
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic None

Removable insole

If you need to use a different insole or custom orthotics with the Puma Basket Classic Holographic, it is not a problem. The shoe's native insole is easy to remove.

PUMA Puma Basket Classic Holographic Removable insole
Test results
Puma Basket Classic Holographic Yes