5 Best PUMA Basketball Shoes

In terms of overall performance, the All Pro Nitro easily trumped all other basketball shoes from Puma. This shoe boasted a good deal of breathability, which of course kept us comfortable. This basketball shoe also delivered amazing stability and commendable impact protection. 

During our test games, we never felt our feet overheating inside the Puma All Pro Nitro. This experience remained even when the games became intense and our movements were becoming more and more aggressive. We gave this Puma shoe a 4 out of 5 for breathability because of our comfortable experience with it. 

Stability was another highlight of this shoe. Both the heel counter and the shoe’s base put up a whole lot of resistance to our manual twisting and squeezing in the lab. This shoe, therefore, got a perfect 5 for the heel counter stiffness and torsional rigidity.

The midsole was just as thick as any other, but it was definitely softer. Because of this, we enjoyed a bit more compression and impact protection. Our HA durometer gave it a rating of 22.0, which is lower (therefore softer) than the 26.2 average.

Too bad we could not recommend this shoe to those who want a more spacious toebox. The Puma All Pro Nitro shoe tapered a lot toward the big toe. Its big toe width was only 72.3 mm when the average is 76.8 mm.

If you want a Puma basketball shoe that’s big on support and containment, then the MB.02 is definitely for you. Hands down, this basketball shoe has got to be the most supportive kick that we’ve ever tried! Besides amazing containment, this basketball shoe also delivered a good deal of outdoor worthiness and linear flexibility.

The amazing support that this shoe gave came from a number of sources. One of which was the generously padded tongue, which we measured to be 10.5 mm thick (average is 9.2 mm). Then there was the tongue’s gusset-type design, which practically ensured that our feet remain inside the shoe even during aggressive motion.

The outsole felt hard and thick, so we were quite confident to use the Puma MB.02 outdoors. Our lab results only confirmed what we have always known. Our HC durometer gave it a hardness rating of 86.5 when the average is only 81.8. The caliper showed that the outsole is indeed thicker than usual, 5.6 mm versus the 4.0 mm average.

Even if its base was thicker, this Puma shoe was still able to get rid of any form of clunkiness because of its flexibility. After performing our standard flex test on it, we learned that it only needed 32.2N to bend at 90 degrees. A typical basketball shoe would need as much as 40.8N.

It was just a little disappointing that the Puma MB.02 couldn’t let a good amount of air in. It only scored a meager 2 out of 5 in our breathability smoke test.

The PUMA Rise Nitro easily rose above other PUMA basketball shoes in terms of fit because of its fully gusseted and well padded tongue. Aside from a nice fit, this shoe also boasted of a pretty stable platform and well-ventilated upper: completing a truly comfortable and confidence-inducing experience.

The thick (11.2 mm versus the 9.2 mm average) and fully gusseted tongue definitely helped with foot containment during our test games. The fit was truly A+ because of these features.

The shoe’s stability was also pretty noteworthy. Not once did we think that we would slip or that our feet would fall off the footbed. We have the Rise Nitro’s pretty wide platform to thank for this experience. At the forefoot, this shoe is 119.8 mm wide (the average is 113.9 mm). Our caliper measured the heel part to be 95.2 mm wide while the average is only 91.6 mm.

The comfort that we enjoyed while wearing the PUMA Rise Nitro was largely because of the quite airy upper. We subjected the upper material to a number of breathability assessments in the lab. We were convinced that it deserved a pretty impressive 4 out of 5.

The hardness of the outsole, we have to say, was a source of some disappointment. Our HC durometer measurements confirmed that it was way softer than average at 68.4. The average rating is a staggering 81.8.

The TRC Blaze Court, for us, has the best comfort among all shoes from Puma because it delivers a good blend of impact protection and bounce. Moving fast while wearing this shoe did not feel like such a chore. The shoe’s lightness and structural flexibility complemented the performance of the cushioning so well.

The cushioning system of the TRC Blaze Court from Puma is a real-life paradox. While both the thickness (29.0 mm vs 30.0 mm ave) and the softness (32.0 HA vs 26.6 HA) of its midsole do not indicate a lot of softness and compression, our experience while wearing it was more than OK. We felt protected from pain, and our steps were even aptly energized.

We also appreciated the lightness of this Puma basketball shoe. At 13.12 ounces or 372 grams, this shoe is indeed lighter than the 14.22 ounces or 403 grams.

When it comes to flexibility, we learned through our standard lab test that the Puma TRC Blaze Court has more give than the typical hoop shoe. Our assessments revealed that this Puma kick needed only 31.2N of force to bend at 90 degrees while the average shoe would require 40.9N.

This shoe would have been more appealing to us had it been better ventilated. It only got a 2 out of 5 for breathability after both smoke and light couldn’t pass through the upper easily.

At only $100 per pair, the Puma Court Rider is definitely cheaper than the average basketball shoes ($134). But more than just being cheap, the shoe is actually a convincing performer. First off, its midsole felt firm, so we were able to control our movements better. This shoe is also structurally flexible, allowing us to move much more naturally.

Compared to the average midsole (26.6 HA), the Court Rider’s is definitely on the firmer side (30.4 HA). Aside from affording us more control, this firmness also allowed us to accelerate with much ease.

In the lab, we measured how much force was needed to bend this shoe at 90 degrees. We learned that it needed only 34.9N, which is significantly lower than the 40.9N needed by the typical basketball shoe. The added flexibility allowed our feet to move naturally. We were able to strike at peculiar angles.

If there is one thing that we would want to improve, it would be its weight. The Puma Court Rider weighs 15.84 ounces or 449 grams, making it heavier than the 14.22 oz (403g) average.