While Hunter was glowing in his review of the current synthetic evoSPEED 1.3 from Puma (and, after spending time in them myself, the praise is fairly warranted), the evoSPEED has always produced two very different experiences in their release of a synthetic and leather version upon the launch. Now that synthetic testing is over, it is time to shift our focus over to the leather version. For the last two evoSPEEDs, the preference of material has flip-flopped a bit. The initial evoSPEED had an amazing K-leather option that was one of my favorite “speed” boots ever, but the 1.2 had a synthetic set-up that I felt rivaled the F50 of the time. Now, with the 1.3, I was anxious to see how the leather stood up…
The current evoSPEED has the same colorway between synthetic and leather versions, but the stitching does create a different look in your hands. The launch colorway is not for everyone, but it certainly suits Puma in terms of being “loud” and (somehow) good looking. The soleplate stays the same, but the differences begin as soon as you start to take the boots out of the box.
The first few hours in the boots have been very enjoyable as the break-in has been smooth and easy. While the tongue is very thin, the leather upper and stitching pattern forms to create a great fit that avoids break-in pain. The lacing system also feels deeper in this evoSPEED than past versions, allowing you to really get those laces tight and help the leather stretch to your feet.
As far as time on the ball, the leather evoSPEED is very enjoyable. In fact, the leather feels a bit more padded than your typical lightweight leather creation, and this boot may end up appealing to leather purists and heritage fans while still pleasing the “speed” base. There are definitely boots out there that provide more of the barefoot feel that these types of boots typically aim for, but the padded feel is fantastic during passing and shooting while still making sure that you feel every strike. Dribbling follows the same m.o., with a thin leather upper melding nicely together to create a nice padding/great touch.
There is still a bit of time to test the leather evoSPEED before we pass final judgement, but the beginning experience has been extremely positive. For the first bit of testing, this model stands among the other boots on the market and it bodes well for the remainder of testing. As for the comparison to the synthetic version? The gulf is already becoming a bit noticeable…so I am anxious to see how I feel once the testing is done. Have you gotten to wear either versions of the evoSPEED? Do you have a preference? I can already tell you, turning to Puma for your next boot purchase would be a good decision no matter which boot you choose…
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