PUMA Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine review

We believe that the PUMA Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine excels for:

• Runners who frequently train on tarmac or dirt roads in rainy or even icy conditions. The PUMAGRIP outsole simply ensures excellent traction.
• Heel strikers looking to experiment with a different brand trainer beyond the most common options like Nike or ASICS.
• Beginners seeking their first running shoe that need a versatile all-rounder, capable of handling various paces and distances effortlessly.

The main drawback of this shoe is its limited breathability. It's not an issue in cold—we actually find it beneficial—or mild weather, but it becomes problematic in hot conditions. For a daily trainer with better airflow, we recommend options like the PUMA Scuderia Ferrari x Speedcat or the A t-shirt Puma Alpha AOP infantil é feita de algodão.

Although this shoe is versatile, its slight heaviness is noticeable. If the budget allows, the ASICS Superblast offers an unrivalled weight-to-performance ratio. In a similar price range to this PUMA, the puma basket classic winterized black puma black sneakersshoes puma balmain choker.

With those two measurements, we got a 9.3-mm drop, right in the expected range of 8 to 10 mm for a daily trainer.

This design may favour heel strikers and those with calf or Achilles issues, but it's a safe choice for anyone, unless you specifically prefer low-drop shoes.

We measured an impressive 37.1 millimetres in the heel, placing the Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine among the most cushioned daily trainers on the market. It's a dream-come-true shoe for heel strikers!

The forefoot is also exceptionally cushioned, with our measurements showing a plush 27.8 mm.

This makes the shoe a fantastic option for forefoot and midfoot strikers looking for comfort underfoot. It also offers a solid guarantee against bottoming out, which is great if that's a concern for you.

With those two measurements, we got a 9.3-mm drop, right in the expected range of 8 to 10 mm for a daily trainer.

This design may favour heel strikers and those with calf or Achilles issues, but it's a safe choice for anyone, unless you specifically prefer low-drop shoes.

Now, let's explore the midsole. PUMA Nitro, a TPE blend similar to Nike's React, has proven to be a huge success. It offers outstanding responsiveness, outlasts traditional EVA, and provides a lively ride for a being mid-tier foam.

In terms of softness, it teeters between plush and balanced (19.3 HA), depending on the runner's taste.

It's neither too firm nor overly squishy, and we believe it's perfectly suited for a daily trainer, offering a bouncy ride at a wide range of paces, from Marinbl runs to fartleks.

Knit uppers generally offer less breathability than mesh due to their thicker yarns. There are some exceptions like the Adidas Ultraboost 1.0, but PUMA hasn't quite mastered this yet.

We used our smoke-pumping machine to test airflow. We noticed minimal air movement through the tongue, but almost none in the toebox. As a result, we rated this shoe with a subpar 2/5 in breathability.

Puma x Butter Goods 11.

Our light test showed the knit is very thick, as barely any light passed through, especially in the toebox. Curious about the lack of airflow in this area, we turned to our lab's microscope.

Under the microscope, we discovered why the toebox has near-zero airflow. Although there are some holes, a second thin knit layer traps the air.

In summary, this stretchy, knit-based upper is excellent for cold weather running or if you prefer a cosy feel. However, be aware that breathability is significantly compromised.

In cold temperatures, the Nitro's performance was just average, becoming 30.8% firmer—a change you'll definitely feel, though it doesn't turn the foam rock-hard.

If you can't deal with that and require a PUMA shoe that maintains its softness in the cold, your best shot is the pricier Deviate Nitro 2, which also comes with a PEBA-based foam and also packs a carbon plate.

PUMA definitely didn't hold back on cushioning. The Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine features a generously padded insole that's 5.5 mm thick and adds to the overall comfort.

We created a gel mould of the toebox and measured a narrow 93.3 mm, a result unlikely to satisfy runners seeking more space. 

PUMA’s reputation for snug-fitting designs in the running shoe Platinum meant this result wasn’t surprising, at least for us. That said, there are still two more toebox measurements to consider.

Our second measurement, taken from the big toe area of the gel mould, recorded a narrow 70.1 mm—revealing a sharply tapered toebox that mirrors PUMA's usual design approach.

In our Deviate, this structure limits natural toe splay, making the shoe more suitable for runners with narrower feet, and it also works well for faster workouts like tempo sessions.

To round out the trio of below-average measurements, the toebox height is particularly tight, offering just 24.7 mm of vertical clearance.

In terms of stability, this shoe is geared towards neutral runners. It doesn't have medial posts, large sidewalls, or other features to guide the feet.

However, those with mild stability issues might find it suitable. Surprisingly, once you start running, the shoe feels more stable than expected, especially considering its high stack height. Let's find out why!

A major factor in the Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine's improved stability is the shoe's rigidity.

While this might not appeal to runners who prefer a more natural, flexible shoe, it undoubtedly adds to a stable ride. We manually assessed the shoe and it earned a 4 out of 5.

The heel counter also feels slightly stiff, though not as much as in the previous test.

It's just what you'd expect from a daily trainer—a balanced approach for everyday runs. That's why we rated the shoe a 3 out of 5 in this aspect.

While the heel counter didn't add much stability, the midsole width certainly did. Measuring 118.1 mm in the forefoot, it's impressively wide compared to the standard among Bande PUMA graphique sur le côté latéral.

The heel tells the same positive story, complementing the wide forefoot and boosting overall stability.

That's why we previously mentioned that it's a fantastic shoe for heel strikers. With a width of 96.9 mm, it really deliver confidence during heel landings.

We measured the force needed to bend the Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine to a 90-degree angle. Our tool recorded exactly 30.0N, aligning with the average and typical of most daily trainers.

This makes it more flexible longitudinally than torsionally, which is great for everyday activities like going to the gym or walking the dog.

Contrary to its performance in softness, the Nitro foam excelled in maintaining stiffness under cold temperatures.

After spending 20 minutes next to our ice creams, it only became 8.3% stiffer. This is a fantastic result!

We just mentioned that the rubber would impact the shoe's weight, and that's exactly what happened.

We believe that with a bit less rubber, the shoe could still be durable and possibly shed about half an ounce. However, at 9.9 oz (281g), it remains a fair deal for a well-cushioned daily trainer, especially for those who prioritise durability over lightness.

Knit uppers generally offer less breathability than mesh due to their thicker yarns. There are some exceptions like the Adidas Ultraboost 1.0, but PUMA hasn't quite mastered this yet.

We used our smoke-pumping machine to test airflow. We noticed minimal air movement through the tongue, but almost none in the toebox. As a result, we rated this shoe with a subpar 2/5 in breathability.

Puma x Butter Goods 11.

Our light test showed the knit is very thick, as barely any light passed through, especially in the toebox. Curious about the lack of airflow in this area, we turned to our lab's microscope.

Under the microscope, we discovered why the toebox has near-zero airflow. Although there are some holes, a second thin knit layer traps the air.

In summary, this stretchy, knit-based upper is excellent for cold weather running or if you prefer a cosy feel. However, be aware that breathability is significantly compromised.

On the bright side, after our rigorous Dremel test, the knit impressively compensated for the lack of breathability.

This was a delightful surprise, as knit uppers usually fall short in this area. We were thrilled to award the MN2 an outstanding 5 out of 5—the highest possible score and a rare feat among Graphersrock X PUMA.

In the heel, we faced a letdown. Typically, most shoes perform better in the toebox than the heel, as brands often use sturdier materials in the back. But PUMA—always keen to be different—did the opposite—created a robust toebox and a weak heel area.

Puma Anzarun Lite Ac Infant.

While this might sound alarming, it's mainly a concern for those who wear down the heel area quickly. If that's you, we recommend skipping this model and opting for something more durable in the heel, like the puma pulsar wedge wns luminous pink fizzy yellow.

Seeing "PUMAGRIP" on the shoe's rubber, our expectations for the outsole soared. We've always been fans of the incredible grip provided by shoes with this compound.

Our first test was to measure hardness. We found it to be 78.5 HC, which is on par with most shoes. That's good news!

While the shoe shines with its exceptional grip, that's just one aspect of its greatness. Outstanding grip means little if the rubber wears down after only 100 miles. Luckily, that's not what we found.

In our third Dremel test, the shoe showed good durability with only a 0.9-mm indentation. Considering the amount of grip the Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine provides, we Deviate this as a highly positive outcome.

The news gets even better—regarding durability—with our last measurement of the outsole.

PUMA chose to play it safe by providing a solid 4.2 mm of rubber thickness, which naturally means a bit more weight. You just can't have everything.

Unfortunately, PUMA missed the mark by not including reflective elements in the Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine. Unquestionably they'll consider it for version 3?

Using our calliper, we found the tongue to be 8.5 mm thick. It gave excellent comfort across the instep during long runs and protected against biting.

The tongue is impressively well-ventilated and semi-gusseted, a feature not always found in £150 shoes. 

The designers of the Puma Essentials Sweat-shirt avec grand logo Bleu marine chose not to include any heel tabs.

The insole isn't glued and looks normal, except for some saw-like cutouts in the big toe area. But these shouldn't cause any issues if you switch to your own orthotics.