I own the Puma Alsten III L’s (Leather) and today I am going to give a review about them from a runner’s perspective. The Alsten III L’s are not your typical running shoes. I’m beginning to think they’re not really classified as running shoes even though their design is clearly inspired by original spiked track shoes. I’ve looked around the web for reviews of this shoe from actual runners wearing this type of shoes but could not find any. The only Running website that I know that mentions them as “recommended running shoes” is Posetech.com, but then again, the model mentioned in the website are the Alsten II’s and they are already extinct. Posetech.com’s list of recommended shoes is also outdated and most of the shoes listed there (including the barefoot recommended substitute Puma H-Streets) are already discontinued. I currently wear the Puma Alsten III L for my running. Most people who notice my shoes would ask if they were really running shoes or would say they’re “too flat” and “don’t have any support.”
Support/Comfort:
The Alstens do have very thin soles with no heel support. You can literally feel the ground when you wear them as if you’re almost barefoot. They are light but the soles may not be as flexible like the H-Streets hence comfort may be an issue for some people. The shoes also do not offer any stability support. As I have mentioned in my previous posts, I am now running using the POSE technique and these shoes work for me because they naturally let me land on the balls of my feet instead of the heels first. These shoes may not work for people who are heel strikers or require motion control. Make sure you do some research on POSE method first or similar running methods before you wear these types of shoes.
Durability:
As with most racing flats, these shoes are known to have short running life spans because of their thin soles. Since the POSE method and the growing “barefoot revolution” require non-traditional, minimal shoes, to no shoes at all (hence it’s called barefoot running, duh!), these shoes will work but expect them to have shorter lifespan as running shoes. I’ve only put 30 miles on them and I could already see some minor wear on part of the sole. I have not even started my 18-week marathon training program and I am already on the lookout for an alternative shoe. The grip can also be an issue on wet, slippery surfaces. The Alstens only have tiny studs under the sole to provide minimal grip. I found myself slowing down when running on wet pavement because I could feel that there was not much grip underneath there.
Fit:
As far as fitting goes, most Pumas are known for their narrow style. The Alsten might not work for people with wide feet. Also, I noticed that the Alstens might be a half-size smaller than most regular shoes. All my shoes are 9.5 (US) but when I tried out these shoes, I had to get a 10 (US) instead because the Alstens at 9.5 were too tight.
Cleaning and Breathability:
The Alsten III L is made of leather. I have the brown one with white Puma stripes on. The advantage of this is that they are very easy to clean. Just wipe them with soft cloth with a leather conditioner and they’re clean again. The only disadvantage of this is that they can be hot for your feet especially if you’re running on hot asphalt or concrete on a summer day. Some leather sport shoes have small holes to provide for air circulation but these shoes do not have air holes for your feet to breathe. But that feature can also work better on cold winter days.
Looks:
The looks category is often difficult to judge because people can have different and various opinions when it comes to fashion. But since this is a free world, I’m going to offer my opinion anyways. As far as style goes, I think these shoes are eye candies and they look FAST. They have your traditional Puma “fast” stripes on the sides that run around to the back of the shoes. There is a cool red plastic button that has the Puma Cat logo on the center and the est. year date of 1948 in Roman numerals as well as the word Puma written around the logo. These buttons are located on the back (heel) of each shoe which I think were just there to add more style points. You can wear them with jeans for a casual outfit or jogging pants for a sporty look. The soles also have the large recognizable cat logo. I think Puma created the Alstens with the intention of selling them as more of a fashion shoe instead of an actual running shoe. Even the guy at the Puma Retail Outlet (who clearly didn’t know anything about POSE running) told me that I shouldn’t wear these for running and tried to convince me to get the bulky running shoes that I was trying to get away from.
The Verdict:
Bottom line is that these shoes seem to have been created for casual wear instead of running. If you want a stylish, versatile, shoe that you can use for active wear as well partner them with jeans, these shoes will do the work. If you are a POSE runner who is trying to run long miles, you can wear these but based on what I’ve seen so far, I am going to recommend you to pick an alternative shoe instead, unless you are willing to spend $$$ often for replacements.
I’m currently on the lookout for different shoe that I can rotate with the Alstens during training. I love Pumas because of their style and during my research some people have recommended the Puma Saloh which is what I am probably going to get next. I will post another review as soon as I get my new pair.
Summary:
| Pros: |
Cons: |
- Fit for POSE running
- Easy to clean
- Versatile, can be worn for casual
- Stylish
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- Might be narrow for some people
- Soles are not as flexible
- Short sole lifespan as a running shoe
- No holes for air circulation
- Traction is not good on wet surfaces
- Can be pricey (like most PUMAs)
|
