Leave a scrap!
prateek_gurbs96just nice
karanh
nice pics....
karanh
the half moon shaped toe bumper wud hv lukd better..still a
gr8 shoe!!
solereviewer
ayone there
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By sneakerologist
Published: March 22, 2008
Print 
EmailThe Chucky T's have some serious competition...
Yeah, we all love the Chuck Taylors' - they're cool, inexpensive and timeless classics. But if you had to buy a pair of sneakers other than the beloved Chucks, what choice did you really have? Knockoff versions of the Chucks by Reebok, Levi's and Adidas, with nothing more than a bland canvas upper and a less than perfect white midsole? Give me a break.
Many brands got into the canvas game in India after the mighty Chuck Taylors started rolling, but no one has even come close to delivering a product which matches the Chucks as far as accessible price, great design and 'cool' quotient is concerned - until now. Puma has been quite a late starter in India, and after having Planet Sports sell their shoes for a few years, they decided to set shop in India on their own. They have quickly gone ahead and opened many bright red Puma stores and have also realized the pitfalls of a high import duty regime in India. To counter that, they have started manufacturing some of their shoes locally so that they can start offering products which look cool and are great value for money at the same time. At INR 1249, the Puma Vibrant is one of them.
Vibrant is my name: Compared to all the me-too 'Chuck-esque' sneakers offered by Reebok, Adidas and Levi's, the Vibrant comes across as a breath of fresh air.
I tried hard to find out which Puma shoe the Vibrant was inspired from, but I drew a blank. But judging by its upper design, I can safely say that it is heavily influenced by the Puma Basket and Clyde, both of which are well known Puma classics. The Vibrant is a pleasant departure from the no-frill canvas upper based designs which Adi-bok and Levi's are trying hard to sell, and it is obvious that a lot of thought seems to have gone in making this entry level sneaker. For starters, the color combination lives up to its name and the appealing black-yellow-grey color allows the Vibrant to instantly score over its monochromatic rivals. In a price zone which normally is the domain of plain Jane grey, blacks and whites, Puma has gone ahead and broken convention with the very colorful Vibrant. They might be slightly ahead of their time, but someone had to start the trend, and kudos to Puma for taking the first baby steps.
A new twist to the canvas story: The Puma Basket/Clyde inspired Vibrant sports a crescent shaped rubber toe cap with a waffle patterned toe and heel bumper. The rubber midsole has an aged off-white look to complete the retro story. Nice.
"I'd like some sunshine please, medium rare" : The yellow contrast stitches adds life to the black and grey panels. Puma branding is anything but modest; the Puma logo is emblazoned on right from the woven tongue and eyestay label to the heel embroidery (See the picture at top).
Cats gone wild: Solid gum rubber outsole with over 50 cats having a wild time jumping over each other. But jokes apart, it is really a pleasant change from other sneaker outsoles with unbranded herringbone textured designs.
Puma has also done a great job in the fit department. The laces might not pass through the metal eyelets as smoothly as with a pair of Chucks, but once you've laced them properly, the upper does a lovely job of wrapping your foot in all its canvas glory. The Vibrant also offers a better 'firmly-planted-on-the-ground' feel as compared to Chuck Taylors and other comparable canvas sneakers, since it uses a cellulose board between the cushioned footbed and the outsole, instead of the traditional rubber filler. (See Converse CT AS HI review). Though it takes away some of the cushy feel, it is still a great trade-off by any standard. I also liked the crescent shaped toe bumper instead of the traditional half moon type found on most of the canvas kicks. Not only does it add some extra breathability, but it also allows me to wriggle my toes, he he.
The lace place: The Vibrant comes packed with an additional pair of laces in a different color. The shoe I picked up had a pair of black laces, but I prefer yellow to black, so there.
Many of us crib about not having a pair of extra laces with our shoes, and Puma has been thoughtfully benevolant. Every pair of the Vibrant comes with a free pair of laces in a different color, so one can use them to play mix and match with the colors. It is simply amazing how much value packed can a sneaker priced at INR 1249 be, and Puma has pulled all stops to make sure that their sneaker is the best at that price. And it is.
The Lowdown:
Shoe name: Puma Vibrant
Color reviewed: Black-Yellow-Grey
Retail price (India): INR 1249
Estimated US retail: N.A.
Available at: Majority of Puma stores and select multibrand stores.
Weight: 434 grams for a half pair of size UK 9 / US 10
Verdict: If you want a pair of cool looking kicks which doesn't cost a bomb, look no further than the Vibrant.
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