Review: PUMA Speed Star Indoor Soccer Shoe

With cooler temperatures descending upon many of us, some soccer players will take their game to their local indoor courts. For those looking for new shoes for the upcoming indoor season, here is a review of the all new PUMA Speed Star indoor soccer shoe (now available in Men’s and Women’s versions at World Soccer Shop and Big Toe Soccer) which we’ve been using for the last couple of weeks.

Look
Among the flashiest indoor soccer shoes out today, the PUMA Speed Star is part of PUMA’s Usain Bolt-inspired Faas (which means “Fast” in Jamaican) series. As with other shoes in the Faas series and like Usain Bolt, the Speed Star is showy and carries a bit of Caribbean color and style.

We wore the audacious Fade Team Violet/Lime Punch/PUMA Silver colorway (arguably the boldest of those currently available) which we thought looked great on the court and on the streets. Add in a perforated heel area that exposes the silver heel counter below, PUMA’s iconic swoosh and silver stripe accents and you’ve got an indoor shoe that is one of the best-looking on the market right now.

Fit
Our tester has a usual shoe size of 10 and wore a size 10 PUMA Speed Star. He thought that the shoe fits true to size. However, if you prefer a snugger fit, he recommends buying half a size down. For game purposes where you may need room for a shin pad ankle guard and maybe a second pair of socks, he suggests ordering your normal size.

Feel
At 8.6 oz. in weight, the PUMA Speed Star is the lightest indoor soccer shoe out right now. Through the use of PUMA’s Tec Suede and minimal forefoot padding in its upper, the Speed Star manages to shed at least an ounce of weight from that of you average indoor shoe. The result is a light feeling that we’ve never experienced before on an indoor shoe. The Tec Suede also does not retain as much heat from the foot as most traditional court shoes. Needless to say, this is a welcomed bonus of the Speed Star.

Ride
The PUMA Speed Star is an incredibly comfortable shoe to run on both hardwood and turf indoor soccer courts with. It uses a very cushioned sole that does not feel much different from that of a mid-grade $90 running shoe. Gone is feeling of running on modified running flats when playing indoor soccer. Instead, the Speed Star delivers the much sort after meld of a modern running and soccer footwear technology.

Performance
2010 saw lightweight soccer shoes such as the PUMA v1.10 SL and adidas F50 adizero hit the outdoor soccer world to great success. If you’ve worn any of the lightweight soccer cleats released over the last two years, you’ll know that they are different from traditional soccer shoes because of the removal of padding in the uppers for the sake of weight. The result for players is a different feel from more padded shoes. The Speed Star is no different.

Since the forefoot upper area of the Speed Star is just PUMA’s Tec Suede, practice with them is needed before use in game situations. While the absence of padding gives you a better feel of the ball when dribbling, passing and shooting, the weight that you put on the ball for each may differ from what you are used to with your standard indoor soccer shoe. For instance, we found a little more force is required for passing while you have to compensate when trapping hard passes by pulling your feet back a little more than you normally would. Our tester said that he spent two thirty minute sessions knocking a ball around, in some cases just against the walls of an indoor court, to get used to the Speed Star.

Once used to the PUMA Speed Star, our tester thought that they are incredibly effective for executing accurate passes and shots. He raved about the increased feel of the ball that they provided because of the Tec Suede. He also mentioned that since there are no cleats to worry about in the indoor game, the lessened foot protection due to limited padding is not a concern. Those of you who have had your feet stepped on while wearing ultrathin boots in outdoor soccer will understand what he means.

Durability
Our tester has logged an hour of break-in time and three hours of game time in the PUMA Speed Star. He said that they do have some creasing in the forefoot as is to be expected. Everything else on them looks good apart. He estimates that they should be good for at least a year of regular indoor soccer use.

Conclusion
Indoor soccer shoes are not updated or released as regularly as their outdoor counterparts. So when a shoe like the PUMA Speed Star comes along, it can be a game changer. Cool-looking, lightweight, comfortable and well-performing on the court, the Speed Star may be the most innovative indoor shoe in some time. We definitely recommend it this winter.

Check out our Football Boots section for more on the latest soccer footwear.

Thanks to Heather for making this review possible!!!