Leave a scrap!
prateekrocksit's just good
prateek_gurbs96
i like them
chaitanya bhargava
more or less same as reebok designs
Sorry, your account does not have access to submit information.
By sneakerologist
Published: March 16, 2008
Print 
EmailMetamor-Phasis !
Life is full of small surprises. When I walked into the Puma store a few days back to buy shoes for my reviews, I never imagined that I would end up buying a pair of running shoes. I knew that Puma made running shoes, and also the fact they have been selling previous versions of the Complete Phasis for quite sometime now. But I always thought that Puma running shoes would be mediocre at best, since their forte is making ultra-sleek fashion marvels. I was wrong.
When I think about it, Puma does have a lot of performance and sport heritage. Puma came about when the Dassler brothers split in the 1940's, leading to the creation of two athletic footwear giants - Adidas and Puma. For a long time since, the brand followed a similar path as its rival sibling Adidas, creating performance footwear for athletes. The going got tough for Puma very soon, after brands like Nike and Adidas started dominating the sport footwear landscape, so it was with good reason that Puma transformed itself into a fashion brand. It has tasted huge success with that approach, and it has now nicely carved a niche for itself in the global footwear industry. But it still stays connected to its performance roots by making shoes for running, cricket, football and alternative sports like motor racing.
Puma Complete Phasis IV: The upper is a conventional combination of mesh, synthetic leather and welded overlays. The midsole is compressed molded EVA with a soft ld cell foam insert in the forefoot and a Puma Cell cushioning system in the heel.
When I looked at the shoe for the first time at the store, I was skeptical. After all, the shoe looks like just another running shoe; how good can it really be? While waiting for my box of Complete Phasis to come out of the backroom, I had already started eyeing other shoes in the store, looking around for a shoe which could make a good review. When the shoe finally arrives, I nonchalantly slip my foot inside the shoe, and I am suddenly jolted out of my reverie. The shoe feels surprisingly good - it fits like a glove and my foot softly sinks into the cushioned footbed as I walk around the store. The shoes 'complete'ly (pun intended) took me by surprise and I decide that the Complete Phasis IS going to figure in my list of first round Puma shoe reviews.
A few millimeters closer to cushioned perfection: The Puma Complete Phasis uses a white EVA foam strobel beneath the footbed instead of the conventional fabric which is found on most of the running shoes. The tongue is also secured (not seen here) by elastic bands on both sides, resulting in the glove like fit which I had experienced at the store.
When I get home, I pull these shoes out from the bright red Puma box and start investigating the reason behind the great fit and the extra cushy feel. The first thing I notice is that the tongue is held in place by two elasticized bands located inside the shoe, which helps secure the foot snugly into place. The tongue also has a different and softer lining halfway down after the midpoint and that somewhat allows the foot to slide in effortlessly. The shoe uses an EVA foam strobel between the sockliner (footbed) and the midsole, so it adds a few extra millimeters of cushioning.
The 'Cell': Puma's patented Cell cushioning system does duty in the heel area. Reebok's Hexalite and the Cell are quite similar to each other in structure. The Cell was earlier called the 'Trinomic' and it seems that the guys at Puma wisely discovered that spelling ' C-e-l-l ' was much easier than ' T-r-i-n-o-m-i-c '. I'm sure that the decision to change names must have saved some money, since it's a heck lot easier to mold the word 'Cell' in midsoles than 'Trinomic'.
Swiss cheese: A three layered molded perforated footbed (Puma Tri-rate) sits in the bed of each shoe for instant cushioning. Notice the molded Puma cat logo on the reverse side of the sockliner. I have always admired Puma's attention to detail, and they haven't disappointed.
This morning, while running a 5k in these shoes, I realise that these shoes are grossly underrated. There are a few key things which every good running shoe should have - great fit, breathability, flexibility, stability, consistent cushioning and a seamless heel to toe transition. The Puma Complete Phasis IV has all of them and I was trying to hard to look for faults where there was none. I thought it to be a pity that a shoe this competent would eventually go unnoticed unless the brand creates some hype around it. The only grouse I had was that the laces were a bit longer than they should be so the tied laces were flapping all over the shoe.
Arch-i-Tec-ure: A thermoplastic Urethane midfoot shank called the 'Arch Tec' provides midfoot stability. Puma's patented soft 'Ever Ride' rubber compound is used in the forefoot while the harder 'Ever Track' is deployed in the heel area.
Breath of fresh air: Liberal use of open mesh makes the shoe extremely breathable, but Puma has gone the extra mile to make sure that even the welded panels are breathable. Notice the transparent piece of weld on the mesh (right above where the 'Cell' is) has perforations punched into them for breathability. Very, very thoughtful. The grey heel area is a different density foam which aids healthy pronation.
Flex your muscles: Apart from an aggressive outsole design, the flex grooves in the forefoot area provide flexibility and reduce weight. The heel outsole area is made of three different parts; the outermost piece is separated from the other two - this has a positive effect on the cushioning and smooth transition throughout the running gait cycle.
I have worn many other running shoes which would have an excess of one thing or the other. Some shoes are over cushioned, whereas some are too stiff. In the Puma Complete Phasis IV, the elements come together to work in perfect harmony, be it the heel Cell unit, the Arch Tec, or the efficient flex grooves. A great all rounder if ever there was one.
The Lowdown:
Shoe name: Puma Complete Phasis IV
Color reviewed: White/Silver/Blazing Orange
Retail price (India): INR 4499
Estimated US retail: $ 50
Available at: All Puma stores and select multibrand stores.
Recommended for: Runners with normal arch types; the soft feel also makes it great for brisk walks.
Not recommended for: Runners with flat foot / low arch. Not for racing or tempo runs.
Weight: 360 grams for a half pair of size UK 10 / US 11
Verdict: At INR 4500, the Puma Complete Phasis IV is one of the best cushioning shoes available in the market. Definitely worth a try.1923 Views
|
|
|
|
|
|
|