Details
Brand
Puma
Heel To Toe Drop
12mm
Breathability
10/10
Latest Version
No
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• Hard rubber outsole with dimples and diagonal plates• Dual-density midsole with FaasFoam and FaasFoamLite cushioning• AirMesh upper with Ortholite internal sockliner• 12 mm heel drop• NeutralCELL upper cushioning
Upper
Starting from the top, an Everfit lacing system was implemented in the design of the Puma Faas 1000 v.15’s upper that securely fastens the tongue and shoe to the wearer’s foot without leaving excess slack hanging off the side. AirMesh is used for the rest of the upper and tongue: a lightweight and extremely breathable material that provides comfortable padding as a secondary benefit. Finally, an Ortholite sock liner securely restrains the wearer’s foot with a material that ensures that their feet remain cool and dry. Thanks to all of these different materials, wearers will experience a potent combination of comfort and stability.
Midsole
Due to its size and peculiar appearance, the midsole is the most immediately noticeable aspect of the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5. Several watermarks and emblems are also prominently displayed that denote different aspects of its construction. Aside from Puma’s trademark logo, they proudly advertise FaasFoam+, the name of their proprietary midsole material that provides dense durability. The rearfoot has been outfitted with FaasFoamLite, a less dense form of cushioning that provides greater comfort. Despite the distinction between names, both forms of EVA foam are extremely lightweight and perform excellently under pressure.
Outsole
Due to the fact that the bottom half of these running shoes look as though they are entirely made up of a midsole, some casual observers may be led to the opinion that the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 has a foam outsole or some kind of combination midsole/outsole construction. This is not the case, these shoes have an outsole made of the traditional hard rubber, albeit placed very thinly. Its design is remarkable based on the sole fact that the vertical and horizontal grooves that make up its tread pattern are diagonal rather than aligned in the traditional parallel setup, offering a great deal more flexibility while still managing to retain its stability. The forefoot and rear feature large circular pads designed to absorb impact, resulting in a very cleverly designed underfoot that is both lightweight and surprisingly durable.
Breathability
As was previously mentioned, the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 uses AirMesh material for most of its upper in order to provide adequate breathability. Thanks to this highly porous material, wearers are able to keep their feet cool and dry even when running for long periods of time in warmer environments. The Ortholite sock liner further enhances this effect, helping to wick away moisture and maintain a comfortable internal temperature. However, the one design aspect that is perhaps the biggest contributor to this Puma product’s impressive breathability is its exceptionally lightweight construction materials. Thanks to the lighter design, wearers of these shoes will have a lessened risk of generating higher internal temperatures in the first place.
Comfort
Normally, a pair of shoes that weigh this little is going to be less comfortable than heavier shoes due to a lack of heavy cushions or extra padding. Shoes in the weight class of the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 are closer to minimalist road running shoes than they are traditional runners. However, these Puma running shoes buck this trend by applying its comfortable padding in clever ways. For example, the AirMesh material that provides this shoe’s upper so much breathability is also light and soft enough to provide excellent padding for the wearer’s foot. Something similar can be said for the FaasFoam midsole, which is made up of lighter foam that provides more give than denser forms of padding. Because of these features, customers won’t feel as though they’re missing out due to the Faas 1000 v1.5’s lighter weight.
Style
Many comparisons can be made between Puma and Adidas. Both are brands with an urban appeal that are well-known for creating a variety of athletic apparel with an overall minimalist fashion aesthetic. This isn’t to say that one brand is merely imitating the other: just that there are clear comparisons to be drawn. Unfortunately, the stylistic appeal of the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 is far from the same level as some of the most popular Adidas runners, mainly due to the placement of multiple garish logos all over its front, rear, and sides. There’s still a lot to appreciate about the way these shoes look, such as their fun colorways and fascinating outsole, but these are far from Puma’s best-looking running shoes.
Durability
Another common stereotype is that lighter running shoes aren’t as durable as those with more heft to them. The most notorious examples of this principle in action can be seen from Nike, with many of their lightest shoes failing to maintain their structural integrity after only a few months of regular use. Fortunately, the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 manages to sidestep this negative design aspect for the most part, with a sturdy outsole and multiple layers of midsole cushioning able to withstand a decent amount of punishment. That said, there are some limitations to its durability and some customers have left reviews for these shoes online stating that the upper portion began to fray and separate from the bottom half after a short time.
Protection
The Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 is a shoe that emphasizes comfort and breathability above nearly every other feature. Unfortunately, this means that protecting the wearer’s feet from injuries or stress wasn’t a major priority in its design. This doesn’t mean that wearers should expect these shoes to offer no protection for their feet whatsoever, just that they won’t offer the same defensive capabilities as something with a heavier construction. These Puma shoes won’t offer any gait correction or protection against shin splints, although it may be possible to accommodate these discrepancies with the aid of an orthotic insert.
Responsiveness
The key to any running shoe’s responsiveness can be found in its midsole, and the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 is no exception. Usually, the shoes with the densest midsole will provide more support and durability at the expense of its comfort and responsiveness, with the opposite being true as well. In regard to this paradigm, these running shoes have a midsole that attempts to provide a bit of both design styles through its use of dual foam densities. The standard FaasFoam located toward the forefoot is dense enough to prevent damage to the wearer’s toes, although it won’t provide an exceptional level of responsiveness if the wearer prefers to strike the ground with this part of their foot. On the other hand, the FaasFoamLite found near the heel is fantastically responsive due to its lighter and less dense construction, meaning heel strikers will experience much more impressive response times.
Support
Something that is certain to come as a disappointment to many wearers is the fact that these Puma running shoes don’t have much of anything to offer in terms of support. In fact, the one aspect of its design that is most supportive to the wearer’s foot is the Ortholite sock liner found inside the upper portion. Other than that, Puma didn’t place any more effort into accommodating runners with issues that may require the aid of additional supportive material. This means that anyone who struggles with overpronation or has a proclivity to develop repetitive stress injuries such as shin splints or plantar fasciitis will want to look for a different pair of shoes since the Faas 1000 v1.5 won’t be able to help them.
Terrain
Although it may not look the part, the underside of the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 is surprisingly resilient to damage. This means that these running shoes can be used on tougher forms of running terrain without leading to injury or shoe damage. However, the high heel drop and lack of adequate protection or support mean that they shouldn’t be used for anything other than casual running on predominantly flat surfaces. Anything rougher than hard dirt or any environment with plenty of obstacles and steep inclines will likely lead to problems for any runners wearing these shoes.
Price
These Puma running shoes were released a few years ago, which means that they have been largely replaced with newer models. There are two major effects this phenomenon has on the price of any running shoes. The first consequence of this occurrence is a significant price drop, which is why the Faas 1000 v1.5 has had its price reduced to almost half its initial asking rate. The second consequence is that certain colorways become rarer than others due to the manufacturers no longer creating new models. As a result, popular color options become scarce in certain sizes and will have drastically inflated prices through online resellers. For the average customer, the Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 will come at a reasonable cost. However, sneaker fanatics looking for the perfect model may have to shell out quite a bit more money to get exactly what they’re looking for.
Drop
With a difference in elevation of roughly 12 millimeters between the rear and front of this shoe’s midsole, it’s clear that Puma designed the Faas 1000 v1.5 to provide the maximum amount of comfort for heel strikers. This isn’t to say that people who prefer to strike the ground with the front of their feet during a run will feel uncomfortable, but they will experience a diminished amount of responsiveness and comfort when compared to rearfoot strikers. Still, this shouldn’t be enough of a factor to dissuade toe strikers from trying these shoes.
Stability
As previously mentioned, the diagonal layout of this Puma Faas 1000 v1.5’s outsole was designed with the intention of providing decent flexibility without sacrificing stability. In practice, this works out quite nicely and many runners have left reviews stating that they feel comfortable on the track while still providing the wearer with full control over their movements. And while the FaasFoamLite layer of midsole cushioning provides enhanced pliability in the rear, the standard FaasFoam near the forefoot is rigid enough to provide decent stability. As a result, Puma is able to pull off the impressive design feat of balancing these polar opposite attributes.
Flexibility
It’s tough for running shoes to provide enough flexibility and stability to strike the perfect balance where the wearer is able to run at their full potential. This is even more difficult when designing a shoe to be as lightweight as possible. However, Puma managed to pull this difficult task off impressively thanks to one small trick. The outsole of the Faas 1000 v1.5 is aligned diagonally with a checkerboard pattern. This makes it highly flexible thanks to the many small plates having the ability to move independently of each other, but the angle at which these plates are situated make it so that they won’t shift unnecessarily or excessively. The FaasFoamLite midsole material placed near the rearfoot of these shoes also enhances its flexibility to a similarly impressive degree.
Traction
The hard rubber outsoles that can be found on the bottom of each Puma Faas 1000 v1.5 are designed to provide just enough traction to handle a casual running session without going overboard. This was managed by covering the majority of it with small dimples, much like a basketball, which provides the similar benefit of nonintrusive grip. This will be most effective on flat and artificial surfaces, such as a hard gym floor or concrete sidewalk, but it can also be helpful on grass or hard dirt. It is important to understand that these are not viable shoes for use on more severe terrain, such as a steep incline or rough hiking trail.
Bottom Line
It’s truly a shame that Puma isn’t as popular as many companies with similar philosophies, but that is bound to change if they continue to create fantastic footwear offerings like these. The Faas 1000 v1.5 truly must be seen to be believed, and they must be tested on a suitable surface for all its impressive features to truly come to life. These shoes may have some negative design aspects, like an abundance of tacky logos and a somewhat fragile upper, but the vast majority of its design is structurally sound and functionally impressive. These shoes are definitely worth your attention and are well worth the cost.
