puma future rocket overview

Puma Future Hybrid Rocket

From the pitch to the streets. It’s been done before by many including the Big Cat but with this Puma Future Hybrid Rocket, Puma created a real beauty. They stirred together a great football boot and modern sneaker comfort and style to create magic. This new boot and sneaker mashup possesses top-of-the-line comfort in the hybrid market and I haven’t come across a mashup this good in a while. I’ve worn this shoe everywhere and not once have I felt any discomfort in it in any way. The designers at Puma have taken the Netfit upper of the Future 19.1 and the running/lifestyle HYBRID sole and splashed them into this piece and the combination of the two is amazing.

puma future hybrid rocket upper

The big thing to start with is Netfit. Puma has been working on the endless possibility of lacing systems with Netfit “technology” for a little bit now. The Big Cat giants are thrilled by the fact they have created a lacing system that allows the shoe wearer dictate how they want their shoes to be laced up, giving them unprecedented levels of control over look and style. The first two generations, Future 18.1 and 2.1, quite literally had a woven net on a synthetic base as their upper. With the Future 19.1, Puma has given us NETFIT 3.0, a knitted, unofficially called but pretty much, evoKnit upper with holes woven throughout the upper designed to allow custom lacing to the wearers’ specific needs or desires.

It’s a great idea and well executed by Puma, but with the Future Hybrid Rocket, I haven’t found a need for a new lacing system. I’ve worn them with the same style they came in and haven’t found any areas of complaint. The fact is, I could go laceless in these shoes if I chose to as the upper is a one-piece construction. The fit of the shoe when laceless is slightly spacious but not in a bad way so it’s very doable. With laces it’s not overly snug to the point where you feel your feet sweating and gasping for air, it’s all about personal preference at most.

Outside of the lacing, the other end of the spectrum is different to me. The knitted upper is a strange one in my books. It’s a bit stiffer than a usual knitted sneaker would tend to be. It feels rather fixed in shape and won’t budge too much, though it’s still a comfortable shoe. The Future Hybrid Rocket feels like a heavier sock on my feet if that makes sense. It’s seamless and there’s no pressure on any part of my foot, whether that be toes or heel, I feel nothing.

The midsole is a major topic to talk about for sure. Puma has featured it on their big running shoe, the Hybrid Rocket Runner (where the Future Hybrid likely gets its name). It’s a combination of two midsole “technologies”. One they call “Ignite”, and the other “NRGY”. Ignite is a basic, stiffer but squishy midsole foam used as a stiffener in the mid-foot of the sole to balance out the NRGY. NRGY, on the other hand, is not very stiff at all. It looks like slime with foam beads inside and feels like a bouncy cloud.

It’s ridiculously responsive and gave me a nice bouncing sensation while walking or jogging. The NRGY midsole provides great comfort as my foot rested in it like a springy but soft cushion. The combination of the Ignite foam and NRGY is great, however, the space between the NRGY and Ignite soles provide a great nesting place for rocks and with the adhesive used for the midsole, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some sole separation in the long run.

Pricing is a big thing when it comes to sneakers nowadays. Some big-name retailers have their top style selling for $300+ sometimes, which can be ridiculous for a normal consumer. In my opinion, Puma has done us right with the Puma Future Hybrid Rocket making it only $150 MSRP. That’s a great price for the quality of this sneaker. It provides great comfort and fit with a modern style while staying within a manageable price, which is desirable across the board of buyers. It is most definitely worth the $150.

Some people will see this sneaker and believe it’s a dedicated indoor soccer shoe but I beg to differ. It’s not designed for rigorous running and cutting on a court or street all the time. Sure, you could get away with using them in a pick-up game of sorts occasionally, but not for a whole season of futsal. The fit and overall shape of the sneaker doesn’t support the type of game futsal or street football is. The Future Hybrid is designed for running, and even then, I wouldn’t use it for quick changes of direction. It’s primarily a casual and jogging/running sneaker with no small style.

Overall, the Puma Future Hybrid Rocket is a class sneaker. It’s top of the line for a reasonable price and provides pretty much all aspects a casual runner should. It’s remarkably comfortable with the knitted upper and Ignite/NRGY midsole. The concept of limitless options for lacing and personalization is well executed with NETFIT 3.0. The fit is snug, but it doesn’t choke my feet. I am very pleased with these sneakers and will be rocking these anytime, anywhere I can.

4.5 / 5 stars     
 

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