Thanks to a gift from Puma, my boyfriend and I had a chance to try out some new gear for the season. The gear definitely checks one of the boxes – looks good, especially if you’re into matching – but what about performance of the shoes? Puma Faas 300 Running Shoe is their foray into natural foot running. It has pros and cons, detailed below, but overall it gets a B.
Pros:
- Light! Ridiculously so. Weighing in at about 3 ounces, the shoe practically floats out of your hands when you hold it.
- Great colors. Puma went with bold, island-inspired colors (and name – Faas is “fast” in Jamaica). The green, white, silver body with orange bottom was eye-catching in a good way.
- Matchy match. If you want your running gear to also be “an outfit,” the Puma collection is for you. The green shoes matched the shorts' green waistband, logo and zipper. The green with cut-out white circles was carried from the shoes to the jacket. My outfit was a vision in purples (photos here)
Cons:
- Matchy match. I liked it, but my guy said it was a little over the top for him.
- Unstructured. That lightness came at a price – the upper is almost entirely mesh, so there’s very little to hold your foot in place. “I feel like my foot could slide right over the edge of the foot bed,” said the bf.
Sum:
The shoes are good looking enough that my rather-particular-about-footwear boyfriend has been wearing them every day. The sole is too thin for trail running, but are worth trying on the street or treadmill. The good news: they are much cheaper than your average “natural” or barefoot running shoe.
By the way, the shorts were also a hit. They are so soft, I wanted a pair for myself. The wide waistband was comfortable and the length was right for a guy who doesn’t like to sport short shorts. The soft fabric might be a bit heavy for hot weather and the wick-away element needs further testing.
I know many runners don’t think of Puma when they’re looking for gear, but I suggest you at least add them to your line up of what to try before you buy.
Happy running!
