Have a blast with the power-enhancing PUMA Powercat 1.10 FG. Kangaroo leather upper with SpringTech foam for explosive shooting. The material mix on the upper – using a combination of soft thin kangaroo leather in the vamp with synthetic microfiber around the heel area keeps weight down to boost control and touch. PowerGil Technology enhances kicking power by putting extra power behind the ball as it is released. TPU-injected external heel counter for stability. EVA insole for comfort. Lightweight TPU-injected outsole with pointed stud configuration.
Comfort/ Fit
For such a strange design, this boot fits very well. I was very skeptical about how this shoe would fit because of the lacing system on this particular boot. We’ve seen the offset lacing system used on other “power” boots, such as the Adidas adipower Predator and the Nike T90 Laser III, but none to the extreme that the Puma Powercat does. The laces are literally down the side of the outside of the boot, placing the laces completely out of the way of the strike zone. Upon trying them on for the first time, I have to admit that they felt a little strange, and somewhat tight in the midfoot area. Fortunately, all of these worries were gone after about 20 minutes of wear, which is about the time it takes for this boot to start feeling amazing. I don’t know what Puma have done, but this boot goes from feeling not so great to fantastic after only 20 minutes.
The heel is lined with a super soft suede-like material, providing great comfort from right out of the box. What is strange about this boot is that it feels very awkward from the first time that you put them on your feet, but they change very quickly and form to your feet almost immediately. Because the lacing system is somewhat minimalistic, it was really important that the shape of the boot is right in order to ensure a high quality fit. Like I said before, the fit is strange at first, but that all changes very quickly. The kangaroo leather upper goes from fairly stiff to nice and soft. I really found it comfortable to have the laces on the side of your foot because you are able to tie your boots nice and tight, but your foot doesn’t feel like its’ being squeezed. It really reminded me of the Lotto Zhero Gravity, in that there is no pressure on the top of the foot. After about an hour of use, this boot really feels like it has formed to your foot and turns out to be extremely comfortable.
As far as the width of the shoe goes, it will feel slightly on the narrow side from new, but they will stretch and form to a much wider fit after some use. I would say that as long as you don’t have overly wide feet, these boots will fit you fine. The length on these boots is fairly normal. I wore my usual size 9US for review and they fit perfectly, and I would recommend ordering your normal size.
Weight
This shoe weighs in at 10.4oz, which is about the same as most “power” boots, excluding the adipower. They definitely do have a little bit of weight to them, but I feel that it suites the whole idea of a “power” boot perfectly. I have always found that I could generate a little more power with a little heavier shoe, so you can’t really complain about the weight of the boot. If you were to compare it to another kangaroo leather “power” boot, like the Nike T90 Laser III, the power cat is actually much lighter, with the Laser weighing a fairly hefty 11.8oz.
Traction
This shoe sports a fairly unique stud pattern that is unlike any other stud pattern from any other shoes. It uses a unique pattern of bladed studs at the front of the shoe and an odd combination of bladed heel studs at the back. I would describe this stud pattern as very smooth. All of the studs are the same length, so the stability is next to perfect. The traction that you get when planting your foot for striking the ball is probably the best available. Once you plant your foot running forward, it will not move, which makes for some great stability and confidence when striking the ball. I think that part of the reason for this is because of the heel studs. The heel studs are still blades, but instead of running the length of the shoe, like almost all boots do, the heel studs run toward the middle of the sole. I think that this is why planting your foot is so stable. Because the studs are perpendicular to where they would normally be, when you plant your foot and your heel touches the ground, all of the studs touch the ground instead of just the back two, like most boots would have.
Touch
This is one of the categories where this shoe gets everything right. The problem that I have always had with “power” boots is that I liked how they felt for shooting the ball, but these added, bulky striking elements always seemed in the way when dribbling the ball, like the instep of the Laser III. What’s so genius about the shooting element on this boot is how it doesn’t have any effect when you are not shooting, giving the feel of a straight kangaroo leather boot. The reason for this is how the rubber rings, called PUMA 3D Power Shooting Technology, are positioned on the boot. Basically, the top of the boot has four rubber strips that curve around from the outside of the boot to the low inside of the boot. The kangaroo leather runs over top of these fins, right to the edge, where there is a drop, from where the pattern continues. It is tough to describe, but if you look at the pictures provided above you might get a better idea of what I’m talking about. So what I am getting at is that unless you strike the ball, where the top of the foot comes in contact with the ball, the ball never comes in contact with these rubber rings. Because the ball never touches the rubber, you will never get that clingy feeling on the ball when dribbling, but will instead feel only soft kangaroo leather.
Shooting
If you have read some of my other reviews, you will probably have noticed that I always refer to “technology” on soccer shoes as “gimmicks”, meaning that most of these technologies have next to no effect and are simply there to trick people into thinking that these technologies will benefit their playing abilities. In the power boot category, these technologies are always promising more power and more accuracy, and although all of these claims are not always false, the effects are never enough to be viewed as a true advantage over not having these technologies. What sets the Puma Powercat apart from any other power boot from Nike and Adidas is that I Truly believe that this technology really works. Basically how it works is that the top of the boot, or the strike zone, is Puma’s 3D Power Shooting Technology. What it is, is a material with very low rebound properties. On a regular leather shoe, when you strike the ball, the leather provides padding that will absorb some of the impact between your foot and the ball. This material by Puma absorbs next to no impact when you strike the ball. While some of you may say that this exactly what you will get from a very thin synthetic shoe, this is different because this material has some thickness to it. If you combine this unique material with the rubber rings that grab the ball when you strike through it, you get the most amazing striking experience that I have ever had in a soccer shoe. Shooting the ball truly feels amazing. I don’t like to say that one particular boot will allow you to shoot harder, but I truly believe that this boot does have a noticeable effect. I would describe the feeling as a ping feeling, similar to a golf club hitting a golf ball. The ball simply pops off of your foot when you strike it. Another thing that’s great about this striking element is that no matter how you strike the ball, you will always catch the rubber rings. The rings are very abrasive and really grab the ball when you strike it, allowing for some great bends. I also found the rings to help with the control that I had when shooting the ball, allowing you to put some pretty crazy spins and dips on the ball, effects that I would have some difficulty performing in other boots. Really I could talk about how great shooting with these shoes is all day, but to sum it all up, if you want the best shooting boots available, there is nothing better than this.
Durability
Like all Puma products, these boots are very high quality and very well built. There isn’t a lot of stitching on the boot, so there isn’t too many things that could go wrong. I would certainly say that these boots will definitely last you entire season. Keep in mind that these are made of kangaroo leather and do require some maintenance in order to keep them soft. Protection This is perhaps why you see that this has become a popular boot with many defenders amongst professionals. The boot is solid to say the least. The top of the boot is pretty solid and it will definitely take most of the blow should you get stepped on. You also get an external heel cup that will provide some good protection as well. If you are looking for one of the safest boots you can get, this is certainly not a bad option.
The Verdict
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this boot, but man was I surprised. For a shoe that felt so strange form the first time that I put it on, I am so surprised to be here saying that this has become one of the best boots that I have ever worn. You get a full kangaroo leather upper, a solid fit and by far the best shooting technology in the game. If you truly want a shoe that is going to benefit your shooting ability, this is the boot for you. Of all the “power” boots on the market, this is the only one that I truly say is by far the best. Because this shoe is not in high demand, you can get some great prices, as seen above, making this boot not only cheaper than it’s fellow “power” boot competitors, but better too. I strongly recommend that you give this boot a try.
| Comfort/Fit | 9 out of 10 |
| Weight | 8 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 10 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 10 out of 10 |
| Protection | 9 out of 10 |
| Durability | 9 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 63 out of 70 or 90% |
