SIZING

The Adidas Puig firs true to size; we recommend going for the size you usually wear in adidas.

DURABILITY

Overall, the durability of the adidas Puig was good, however there were some areas for improvement. Let’s start off with some highlights; there were three main points that helped prolong the entire lifespan of the shoe while skating. First off, the quality of the materials used in the shoe proved to be very high-performance quality, and in this case, you absolutely get what you pay for. In our 10 hours of skating for previous adidas skateboarding models, the shoe’s vulc and suede would wear out and rip through fast, but in the case of the Puig, the shoe was very resilient to griptape abuse and the suede was a hit. The second durability highlight is the shoe’s sole. The sole is very thick, especially in the toe area. It helps to protect the suede toe from griptape contact and provides great flick, which is a huge bonus especially when trying out a new shoe you’re not used to. The third great feature is the lacing system. The hidden lace system proved to be extremely effective and even the seams in the midfoot area did not show signs of wear.

A detail that was very noticeable that didn’t help with durability was the positioning of seams where the toe area connects to the midfoot area and seams of the panel around the laces. As you can see from the pictures,  although the seamster deliberately positioned outside of the critical zone, the seams still ripped and the suede became rather loose fitting. With that said, the suede was still quite thick, so the overall quality of the suede did help prevent the loose suede areas from ripping further. Another flaw of the shoe was the heel collar; even-though the material was very comfortable, the collar gets shredded up very quickly from the griptape, Neither of these affect the overall performance of the shoe, but they do make the shoe look a bit untidy and makes it seem like the shoe has been skated for a really long time.

CUSHIONING

Even though the differences between vulc and cupsole constructions seem to fade off more and more, capsules still take the cake when it comes down to cushioning. The adidas Puig is no exception. The cushioning is above average, thanks to the high sole construction in the heel area and the additional EVA-foam inlay. However, the absence of a foamed midsole in the center and front-area reduce the model’s ability to dampen high impacts in these regions.

SHAPE

The toebox area of the adidas Puig closely resembles that of the Busenitz Pro, with a more rounded tip. The pointed arrow shape of the shoe offers great flick and allows plenty of control while doing flip tricks. The suede is thicker than usual and thus, the shape also holds rigidity throughout the 10-hour test, without any shoe wrinkles. The mid foot and heel run almost parallel and are very slim gutted which helps that the shoe feels very close to the feet.

Boardfeel and Grip

Boardfeel and grip are two more strengths of this model. The thin forefoot area and sockliner in the first third of the shoe create a very close connection between foot and board. As shown in the cut-picture, the sole is very thin in the front and quite thick in the last third, the balance between cushioning and direct contact to the board is executed really well. This is further supported by the flexibility of the sole unit. Due to the thin treaded pattern and the medium thick sidewalls of the sole, the Puig adapts very well to the concave of the board, especially for a cupsole.

COMFORT AND STABILITY

The most important features for a comfortable skate shoe includes weight, ventilation and a well-crafted inner shoe area. The adidas Puig is lightweight and the inner area is crafted very well, although some slight pressure marks on the top area of the tongue, made out of a very inflexible material, were noticeable during the sessions. The only disappointment of the shoe is it’s below average breathability. The model has basically no areas designed to alleviate the feet heat generated from skating. But when it come to stability, the Adidas Puig is by far the best model on the market. The stability is incredible and well balanced, ensuring a secure feeling on and off the board. The heel area is very stiff, due to the sole, which goes up to almost the mid heel area and acts almost as an external heel reinforcement. The padding in the heel area makes the shoe extremely comfortable and also helps secure the heel when skating. The midfoot area keeps the foot in place and prevents any horizontal movements within the shoe. The suede upper did not stretch out at all during the test. This means the sidewalls won’t get too flexible and lose their shape, and the stability of the shoe should maintain it’s full potential over the whole lifespan of the shoe, which is rarely the case with most suede models.

SUMMARY

The third upgraded and sleek new offering from adidas’ Lucas Pro models is highlighted by strong durability in the toe area, excellent stability, and exceptional boardfeel. However, there were some flaws with the comfort of the tongue and certain points of weakness in other parts of the shoe’s durability. If you can cash out for a pair, we definitely recommend trying the new upgrade out.

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Many models stood out in 2013, a complete list is hardly possible. Here are the first four from our personal top 8 in 2013 (no particular order).

Nike SB Project BA

The Nike SB Project BA is an outstanding model in 2013. Brain Anderson deserved to develop a shoe with Nike SB and he did a very good job. The model has innovative features like the Lunarlon sole, a running shoe inspired design and a great balance between cushioning/comfort and board feel. Try the Nike SB Project BA and be surprised how good it is.

Lakai Vincent

Vincent Alvarez has delivered one of the best parts in Pretty Sweet in 2012. This year it got honored by Lakai giving him his first pro model. Inspired by the OG Lakai Manchester the model comes as close as possible to the original form with a new design. Watch his Chocolate Skateboards introduction clip, get his shoe and go skate – you won’t regret it.

Vans Chima Pro

Since Chima Ferguson was always skating the Vans Authentics he is one of those guys that took model-loyalty to new levels: However, Vans managed this year to create a pro model for Chima that resembles the Authentic silhouette, but possesses its very own style and look. The review is online, read it and get yourself a pair of the Chima Pro for the summer.

adidas Busenitz ADV

Dennis Busenitz is one of these constants in this universe that helps us restore faith in the future of skateboarding. Adidas skateboarding and Dennis Busenitz have developed with the Busenitz Pro an outstanding model, and they managed to repeat it in 2013 with the Busenitz ADV. The Adidas Busenitz ADV keeps it simple and clean, but doesn’t lack originality. Watch his part in the “Diagonal” video, go out and skate the Busenitz ADV.

part 2 coming soon

The post weartested skate shoe recap 2013: part 1 appeared first on Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews.

Supra

With probably the longest shelves and a shoe for everybody, Supra’s booth generated a lot of traffic. besides the recent releases of 2012 in updated colorways, they introduced a vulcanised version of the “Stacks”, Terry Kennedy’s pro model. The “Hammer”, that will be released in the following weeks was shown in new colorways, too and seems to sell quite good.

The new, vulc-soled Stacks.

The Hammer, Jim Greco’s signature style and inspired by a cut-down Skytop 3.

Lakai

With subjectively the most new models on the shelfs, Lakai definitely impressed. A new Guy Mariano, the first Vincent Alvarez, a Rick Howard boot in smooth brown and anthracite suede as well as the Quite Life capsule collection, there was something for everybody.

The newest Guy Mariano model that successfully combines a clean toebox and sophisticated lines with vintage running elements in the heel area.

The Vincent Alvarez signature style, well deserved and somehow brings back Lakai Manchester memories.

The Rick Howard/Fourstar collab boot was very well received according to the Lakai rep.

Lakai overview

adidas

Mark Gonzales is celebrating 15 years with adidas in 2013 and receives an expanded capsule collection including two new signature styles. Besides that, the Seeley is getting a color treatment by the adidas pros and the pro models of Dennis Busenitz, Silas Baxter Neal and Lucas Puig were presented in great new colorways for fall 2013. Adidas’ apparel offerings get broader and better with every season as well, especially many pieces of the Silas Baxter Neal range stood out.

Three columns, three team riders. Adidas presents great colorways every season, including fall 13.

The Mark Gonzales collection, at least parts of it.

The Adi Ease by Nestor Judkins, his third (?) colorway of the model and always a favorite one.

Other highlights

Praxis footwear had a tiny but stacked booth including an all rubber shoe, definitely an eye-catcher.

For more behind the scenes pictures, the Nike SB 10 years exhibition opening as well as pictures of the “House of VANS” party, have a look at our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram (@weartested).

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