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Review: PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer Boot

Football Boots

Review: PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer Boot

Since its introduction in late October the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 soccer boot (now available at the World Soccer Shop PUMA store) has caught the attention of many through its use by FC Barcelona and Spain midfielder Cesc Fàbregas. The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner has notched the majority of his 11 goals and 7 assists thus far this season in the new boots.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

The PowerCat 1.12 is also being worn by Phil Jones, Michael Carrick (both Manchester United and England), Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini (both Juventus and Italy) and Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal and the Czech Republic).

Over the past few weeks we’ve had a pair of PUMA PowerCat 1.12 boots for testing. Here is what our boot tester found while wearing them for a series of post-season pick-up matches now that local league action has wrapped up until early 2012.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Design
PUMA scores again with a brilliant design for the PowerCat 1.12. However, the look of the second incarnation of the boots is much more classic in feel when compared to the ultramodern looking PowerCat 1.10. Gone are the PUMA 3D Power Shooting shark-like gills and large kicking area encompassing much of the front of the PWR-C 1.10. They’ve been replaced with PUMA’s new 3D Duo version of the technology in the kicking area of the inner front of the PowerCat 1.12.

The famous PUMA Cat remains on the inside and outside uppers of the PowerCat 1.12 accented with gold. The new version of the boot has the Cat on a blue background on the outside to really make it stand out. I thought that this was a welcomed touch for the iconic logo.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Fit
The first thing that struck me about the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 was how easy it slid onto the foot. Unlike many new boots, no laces had to be loosened up nor did the tongue have to be adjusted to get them to fit comfortably the first time round. In fact, the tongue on the PWR-C 1.12 is much thinner and lighter than on its predecessor. It’s almost like it isn’t even there most of the time.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Once on the foot, the PowerCat 1.12 is extremely comfortable and has a very “breathable” feel on the foot. This is not to say that it is loose-fitting in anyway and I thought that the fit of the boot (9.5 US in my case) was spot on. Perhaps the roomy feel could be attributed to the use of PUMA’s new PowerLast which follows the foot’s natural contours.

The Ride
At 10.4 oz. in weight, the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 is slightly heavier than the 1.10 and many of today’s performance boots. However, if you are not into ultra-lightweight boots (in the sub-6 oz. realm), the extra half ounce in weight on the PWR-C 1.12 won’t bother you. As a wearer of the PowerCat 1.10 and PUMA King Finale, if I had not looked at the specifications of the boot to see the weight, I would not have even known that it was heavier than either.

Upon taking my first run in the PowerCat 1.12s to get the feel of them, I did notice some rigidity in the soleplate. Running a few laps on the field and some ballwork helped me to get accustomed to and eventually able to overlook this. Perhaps it was just something that had to be broken in.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Traction
The bladed stud configuration of the PowerCat 1.12 is identical to the time-tested setup of the 1.10 boot. As such, the traction on the PWR-C 1.12 is the same as it was for the 2010 edition of the shoe. What this amounts to was very good traction on dry and slightly wet natural surfaces. If you are playing on a very wet field, slipping will occur as such surfaces require Soft Ground boots. PUMA should have a SG version of the PowerCat 1.12 soon as these are the types of boots English Premier League players use.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Touch
The best thing about the PowerCat 1.12 is its touch. It is truly a midfielder’s delight and a passer’s boot. Could it be a contributor to Cesc Fàbregas’ success at Barcelona so far?

Where I found the PWR-C 1.12 to excel was for carefully-weighted on the ground passes. With very little effort, you can figure out exactly how much force to impart onto the ball for it reaches its target with deadly precision. I believe that this may be a result of a combination the superb stability offered by the boot and, more importantly, its K-leather upper with padding beneath it. What this combination results in is a classic boot feel quite reminiscent of the PUMA King Finale.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Trapping with inside and outside of the foot with the PowerCat 1.12 is almost effortless for a seasoned player and requires very little time to get used to. I suspect that PUMA may have use some new technology for the padding on these. However, I will not slice the boots open to check!

Finally, because of the front of the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 is constructed more like a classic soccer boot (again think of the King Finale and its 40 years of predecessors), you can quickly master making accurate long range passes (straight and curved) made with the front of the boot. This was not the case with boots that deviate from the classic standard such as the PowerCat 1.10. With the 1.10, the learning curve for passes of this nature was at least one training session.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Shooting
The PUMA 3D PST DUO technology used for the inside kicking area of the PowerCat 1.12 is designed to increase kicking power on of the boot wearer. Of course, this would be most effective when taking power shots at goal and for long range passes.

While I had no means to measure the power with which my shot and long passes were sent with when wearing the PowerCat 1.12, I did believe that they did have a bit more force in them than with other current boots. In fact, the 3D PST DUO technology reminded me of a bit of the shot-enhancing MetaGuard of the Concave PT+ series. What this amounted to for me was have to worry less about power and concentrate on placement during my occasional attacking forays as a rightback. I do believe though that the 3D PST DUO shooting area is somewhat of a sweetspot for shooting that can be mastered with practice in the PWR-C 1.12 boots.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Protection
At 10.4 oz., soccer boot aficionados would classify the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 as a “Power” boot. As with most boots in this category, the latest PowerCat offers ample stability and padding throughout and, consequently, protection for the wearer. There is no need to worry about the excruciating pain that you will feel if stepped on while wearing an ultralight boot with these. While no boot can prevent a metatarsal injury, I believe that the PWR-C 1.12 makes you less vulnerable to one.

PUMA PowerCat 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

Final Thoughts
A modern boot with a somewhat classic look and feel. That sums up the PUMA PowerCat 1.12 in my opinion. It’s almost like a hybrid of the PowerCat 1.10 and the King Finale with PUMA Football’s latest boot technology thrown in via the 3D PST DUO Shooting Technology and the PowerLast. The end result is a boot that can be a passer’s best friend.
If you are a defender or midfielder, the PowerCat 1.12 is definitely worth a look. Strikers can succeed in the too as long as they are not speed demons looking for less weight on boots. Let’s see what Fàbregas, Carrick, Chiellini and the rest of soccer royalty wearing them do next!

Thanks to Heather and Stephanie for making this review possible!!!

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

PUMA PowerCat PWR-C 1.12 Soccer / Football Boot

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