We're getting ready for an action packed summer of football ahead of the new 12/13 season. What better way to get you in the mood than to test out some of the best new boots in the game! Next up to the SoccerBible Play-Test is the PUMA evoSPEED 1 K – one of the most exciting recent releases from the German brand!
The PUMA evoSPEED immediately strikes you as a great looking speed boot! With so many flash and vibrant releases in recent months, we'd almost forgot how fresh and enticing a more subtle colourway can be. Unlike many of the 'love them or loath them' speed boot designs, the PUMA evoSPEED 1 is a real crowd pleaser, from the understated colourway to the re-worked lightning bolt PUMA stripe!
There's something about a clean leather speed boot that oozes class. For speed players who demand a lightweight boot, the brighter colourways that dominate the market can sometimes be a turn-off! So for those of you after a boot that's light but not bright, PUMA may have just designed your next pair of football boots.
With many speed boots, comfort can often be the main downfall. But with the PUMA evoSPEED 1, the boot is ready to go from the moment it's taken out of the box. They offer outstanding comfort by harnessing the foot and cushioning any impact when sprinting and jumping. We put the PUMA evoSPEED 1 through its paces for three hours and our feet didn't ache or feel sore. Gone are the days of breaking-in periods and blisters when wearing speed boots.
We were instantly impressed with how light the PUMA evoSPEED was when putting them on, making us feel light on our toes before breezing through the slalom test. Weighing only 193g in the k-leather edition, it's no surprise the PUMA evoSPEED 1 makes you feel quick off the mark, while providing good agility for sudden bursts of acceleration.
When changing direction at top speed, the PUMA evoSPEED football boots remain moulded to your feet to prevent any slippage of the foot inside the shoe. We were confident in the boots stability throughout the course, with the responsive leather upper generating an impressive ball feel on both sides of the boot.
Challenging a slalom on a hard to firm surface can sometimes result in a player loosing their footing when changing direction at pace. But with the PUMA evoSPEED's newly configured moulded stud configuration, we found an even weight distribution when turning.
Traction is one of the top priorities for brands when designing a speed boot – a sides fastest player is no use to their team when he's on the floor! The PUMA evoSPEED fills you with confidence when manoeuvring at top speed.
Control isn't the stand out factor on the PUMA evoSPEED – but nor is it on any speed boot. The k-leather edition will be the choice of many players who choose to buy the evoSPEED 1, and the soft leather upper did work in taking some of the momentum out of the ball.
Because the PUMA evoSPEED is so comfortable, you feel confident to receive the ball anywhere on the pitch – your first touch can sometimes be affected by nerves, so anything that provides confidence is a bonus. The leather upper is flexible and enables you to cushion the ball effectively.
When it came to drilling some shots at goal, the PUMA evoSPEED excelled. The weight of the boot gives you the acceleration that is needed to gain the extra yard before firing at goal. The k-leather upper gives you that typical leather feel when connecting with a ball – there's few better feelings in a game than hammering a shot on target wearing a pair of leather boots! We were able to repeatedly strike the ball without feeling aches or sores.
If you're after a leather speed boot that leaves the eccentric colourways in the design room and cuts no corners on quality, then you're onto a winner with the PUMA evoSPEED. Granted, the evoSPEED may be a touch heavier than the Vapor VIII and adizero but sacrificing a few grams for high quality K-leather comfort and a more subtle, fresher look is a small price to pay. With no serious flaws to report on after our test, it seems to be mission accomplished from PUMA.
