PUMA MB.02 review

We believe that the PUMA MB.02 will benefit the following folks:

• bigger players who need plenty of impact protection
• athletes who want the highest level of stability and ankle support
• fans of the star player LaMelo Ball who want to experience his signature shoe

Based on our lab tests and the shoe's court performance, the PUMA MB.02 really lacks bounce and energy return. If that's what you prioritize in hoop shoes, then we highly recommend checking out the Nike KD 15.

And if you are someone who takes the game outside a lot, we suggest going for shoes with thicker and more aggressive tread patterns, like the PUMA Court Rider.

This PUMA shoe is clearly not meant for sweaty games.

Its layers of plasticky mesh embraced by synthetic overlays really suffocated our feet.

In addition, when we pumped smoke through the shoe's upper, we found that the material barely allowed the smoke to pass through. Thus, we rated its ventilation as low as 2 out of 5.

PUMA MB.02 (left) vs. UA Curry 10 (right)

Shoes like the PUMA Rise NITRO and the Under Armour Curry 10 did much better in the same breathability test.

Trying to find a reason behind such a lack of breathability, we investigated the shoe's mesh under our microscope.

The PUMA MB.02 features an insanely tight-woven fabric with what appears to be TPU threads for added durability.

For comparison, here is what the mesh looks like on the highly breathable UA Curry 10 (score: 5 out of 5):

Don't be misled by the transparency of the PUMA MB.02!

What the PUMA MB.02 loses in breathability, it reimburses in durability!

Those sturdy synthetic materials have demonstrated some amazing wear resistance in our Dremel test. Having applied the tool for 12 seconds, we only drilled through the upper overlay and barely scratched the mesh. That deserves a solid 4 out of 5!

Here is what the same test did to the cheap Nike Precision 6 shoe. No wonder the MB.02 costs $55 more.

PUMA MB.02 (left) vs. Nike Precision 6 (right)

The shoe's durable upper paired with a large toe bumper practically makes it immune to toe dragging. As long as it occurs on the hardwood (outdoor use is discussed below).

The PUMA MB.02 keeps surprising us in a good way even when it comes to such a sensitive area as the heel padding.

After 4 seconds of drilling the heel collar with a Dremel, it ended up with a mere scratch. This is way more wear-resistant than what we typically see in basketball shoes - 4 out of 5!

The outsole looks just as promising as the upper.

First of all, the rubber which covers the heel and midfoot is exceptionally hard. Pressing our durometer against it, we measured the hardness at 86.5 HC - notably higher than average!

This is always a good sign because softer rubbers tend to wear out faster than hard ones.

Not only is the shoe's outsole hard, but it is also shockingly thick!

Using a caliper, we measured it at 5.6 mm, which is among the thickest outsoles we've ever seen in our lab. Another outlier in this category is also a PUMA shoe - the TRC Blaze Court (at 5.8 mm).

We expect the PUMA MB.02 to last way longer than your typical hoop shoe, especially indoors.

But unfortunately, as hard-wearing as it seems, this PUMA shoe is not great for outdoor courts. The problem lies in its overly narrow treads.

We found that vigorous, multi-directional movements put too much pressure on these slender lugs as they tend to shift a lot under pressure and erase prematurely.

This is the kind of tread pattern you want to see on an outdoor-ready hoop shoe.

PUMA Court Rider

If we hadn't weighed the PUMA MB.02 ourselves, we wouldn't believe that it weighs 14.6 oz (414g) per shoe!

It is 7% heavier than the average of our lab-tested basketball shoes but certainly doesn't feel that way.

On foot, it felt light and fast to us and never got in the way of our footwork. But we understand if you want a shoe that's lightweight both on paper and on foot. If that's the case, we recommend the following:

• Nike Zoom Freak 4 12.3 oz (348g)
• Jordan Luka 1 12.8 oz (363g)

Just by looking at the PUMA MB.02, we knew it was among the most generously cushioned basketball shoes on our list.

Using a caliper, we measured its heel stack at 31.6 mm, which is a little taller than the average.

Thicker midsoles typically work best for heavier players and we can confirm that the MB.02 is the right tool for this group.

The shoe also beats records in the forefoot stack height. Measuring in at 24.9 mm, the MB.02 outdoes the average by a few millimeters.

We felt like this PUMA got our back whether we landed on the heels or jumped on the toes. The cushioning was sufficient all throughout.

The heel-to-toe drop on the PUMA MB.02 is fairly average for a basketball shoe.

Based on our stack measurements, it comes in at 6.7 mm. This means that the heel is only slightly elevated above the toes and the foot feels natural inside the shoe.

We experienced a fine balance of being cushioned yet feeling steady on the ground.

The primary cushioning of the PUMA MB.02 is made of compressed EVA. Pressing our durometer against the foam, we measured it at 22.4 HA. It is a little softer than average but still not in the "plush" range.

From our own experience with the shoe, it did a fabulous job protecting the feet from impact but unfortunately, it never gave anything back. Meaning, no bounce or energy return whatsoever!

We think that it might be due to the rubber carrier around the foam. Apparently, it mutes out the softness of the cushioning, making it feel dense underfoot.

PUMA did use its responsive NITRO foam in the MB.02. But here is the trick - it is only present in the form of two small units, one under the toes and one under the heel.

From our durometer measurements, we found the NITRO foam to be firmer than the primary foam. At 30.5 HA, it is 36% firmer than the compressed EVA.

We have also found from PUMA running shoes that the NITRO is a fairly durable foam. 

The shoe comes with a standard type of insole. We measured its thickness at 5.2 mm, which is the average of basketball shoes.

The PUMA MB.02 is one of the most supportive basketball shoes we've ever tried.

Our feet and ankles felt 100% locked in thanks to the shoe's mighty clutch. Its sturdy heel clip and strategically placed overlays made sure that our ankles weren't rolling anywhere.

Contributing to a sense of stability is the shoe's rather stiff platform.

Because of a shank embedded in the midfoot, it takes a lot of effort to twist the shoe. It feels very dense and unforgiving. We rated its torsional rigidity as 4 out of 5.

This is great news for players who crave extra underfoot support.

We found that the heel clip at the base of the foot is the primary source of heel hold in the PUMA MB.02.

The rest of the collar is not as stiff, offering some breathing room without compromising support. In our manual assessment, we rated it as only 2 out of 5, where 5 is the stiffest.

Last but not least, the MB.02 relies on a pretty wide base to create a steady platform.

Using a caliper, we measured the widest part of the forefoot at 110.9 mm, which is only a couple of millimeters away from the average.

Wide soles are essential in helping you change directions quickly without hurting the ankle. 

The PUMA MB.02 is just as wide in the heel. Our caliper shows 91.2 mm at the shoe's widest point.

Despite being a stable shoe, the MB.02 didn't cut back on flexibility.

In fact, it proved to be notably more flexible than the average of our lab-tested basketball shoes. It took a force of 32.2N to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle, whereas most require around 40N.

Having a flexible forefoot in a hoop shoe definitely made us feel more in control of the court when moving fast.

The PUMA MB.02 works wonders when it comes to biting the court, be it hardwood, rubber, or asphalt.

Playtesting the shoe, its outsole felt very sticky and provided excellent stopping power. Until it got dusty, of course. Occasional wiping is still needed in this PUMA shoe. But it's not critical.

Measuring the shoe's toebox at the widest point (102.6 mm), we found that it is a couple of millimeters wider than the average.

This is not enough to claim it a wide shoe but it makes the MB.02 a solid medium.

We recommend players with wide feet get half a size bigger in this PUMA shoe.

We also measure the toebox width closer to the big toe, to get an idea of how pointy the shoe is.

The PUMA MB.02 has the exact same width at the toes (77.3 mm) as the average of our lab-tested shoes.

It is always a nice bonus to get a gusseted tongue in a basketball shoe. Even if it is semi-gusseted as in the PUMA MB.02.

This kind of tongue is a major contributor to foot containment. We felt like our in-shoe movements were limited when shifting side-to-side in the MB.02.

The padding is very generous in the PUMA MB.02. We measured the tongue thickness at 10.5 mm which is a little thicker than the average.

It creates a cozy in-shoe feel, contributes to ankle support, and prevents lace bites from happening.

If you need to use custom orthotics with basketball shoes, the MB.02 is a very accommodating option.

We found that it has an easily removable insole and enough space to fit in the insert.