Our verdict
Pros
- Real leather and suede at a moderate price
- Clean terrace sneaker vibe
- Surprisingly durable materials
- Flexible and easy on foot
- Excellent value for money
- Feels grounded and stable
- Stylish alternative to Adidas Samba
Cons
- Lacks comfort and cushioning for all-day wear
- Non-removable insole
- Very minimal in-shoe padding
Audience verdict
- Top 15% in sneakers
- Top 16% in low top sneakers
- Top 20% most popular sneakers
Comparison
The most similar sneakers compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
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Audience score | 92 Great! | 91 Great! | 91 Great! | 93 Superb! | |
Price | $90 | $75 | $115 | $110 | |
Style | ClassicSportyMinimalist | RetroSportyMinimalist | ClassicRetroSporty | ClassicRetroSporty | |
Breathability | Moderate | Warm | Moderate | Breathable | |
Weight lab | 13.1 oz / 371g | 12 oz / 339g | 14.8 oz / 420g | 14.9 oz / 422g | |
Midsole softness | Firm | Firm | Firm | Firm | |
Material | Gum SoleLeatherSuede | Cup SoleLeather | Cup SoleLeather | LeatherSuede | |
Season | SpringFall | SpringFall | SpringFall | SpringFall | |
Inspired from | Soccer | Tennis | Basketball | Basketball | |
Toebox width at the widest part | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Toebox width at the big toe | Medium | Narrow | Medium | Narrow | |
Leather/suede quality | Real leather | Real leather | Real leather | Real leather | |
Toebox durability | Good | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
Heel padding durability | Decent | Bad | Decent | Decent | |
Outsole durability | Decent | Good | Decent | Decent | |
Heel stack lab | 22.6 mm | 23.2 mm | 23.1 mm | 24.6 mm | |
Stiffness | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | Flexible | |
Tongue padding | Very thin | Average | Average | Thick | |
Drop lab | 7.0 mm | 8.5 mm | 7.6 mm | 10.1 mm | |
Forefoot | 15.6 mm | 14.7 mm | 15.5 mm | 14.5 mm | |
Removable insole | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heel tab | None | None | None | None | |
Torsional rigidity | Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
Heel counter stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Stiff | |
Closure | Laces | Laces | Laces | Laces | |
Top | Low top | Low top | Low top | Low top | |
Ranking | #14 Top 15% | #35 Top 38% | #36 Top 39% | #10 Top 11% | |
Popularity | #18 Top 20% | #58 Bottom 38% | #13 Top 14% | #9 Top 10% |
Who should buy
Tired of walking into a room full of Sambas? Then it's time to consider this beautiful alternative from PUMA! We believe that the Palermo sneaker is right for you if:
- you want the sporty vibe of a '70s/'80s terrace sneaker (gum sole and all)
- you prefer light, minimal, and low-to-the-ground sneakers
- you are after a stylish suede/leather silhouette at an affordable price
Who should NOT buy
If you are chasing comfortable footwear above all else, we don't think you will be happy with the PUMA Palermo. Its midsole is so thin and firm that you won't be getting the necessary cushioning for a day full of walking.
A more suitable PUMA sneaker would be the RS-X and if you are up for exploring other brands, New Balance and Nike have some pretty comfy sneakers too.
Breathability
The Palermo is available in many different upper variations but they all feature either leather or suede as the primary material. And none of these are famous for their breathability.
Even though some of the smoke we pumped into the shoe's upper escaped through the tongue gaps, it wasn't enough to bump up the kick's breathability score above 3 out of 5.
No secret perforations or ventilation holes showed up in our transparency test either.
Thus, we believe that the best time to rock this PUMA sneaker would be a mildly warm spring or fall weather or a cool summer evening.
Palermo | 3 |
Average | 3.1 |
Durability
Leather/Suede quality
The Palermo's affordable price point is likely to raise questions about its quality. But luckily we have some good news on that front.
Using a butane torch, we found that neither the shoe's primary leather panel nor its suede patches caught fire like fake material would.
Also, none of the upper parts melted or became gooey like the eyestay in the video above (that's an indication of fake synthetic leather).
Zooming in on the shoe's suede T-toe through our microscope, we also found that it has a shaggy texture of genuine material.
All in all, we are happy that PUMA did not compromise the quality of its upper materials even at such a budget-friendly price.
Palermo | Real leather |
Toebox durability
Soft to the touch, the Palermo's suede T-toe is not so soft in substance.
Unlike mesh or textile, it hardly gave in to our Dremel. Even after 12 seconds of drilling the material at a 5K RPM speed, the sandpaper failed to burn even halfway through the suede layer.
Considering the cosmetic damage, we didn't hesitate to rate the PUMA Palermo's toebox durability with the highest score - 5 out of 5!
Palermo | 5 |
Average | 3.9 |
Heel padding durability
The interiors of this PUMA sneaker are lined with pretty basic synthetic leather. Our Dremel test showed that it can hardly sustain prolonged abrasion.
After only 4 seconds of sandpaper exposure, we saw a tear in the contact area. Compared to the results we got in other sneakers, the Palermo's heel padding durability deserves only a moderate score of 3 out of 5.
Palermo | 3 |
Average | 3.4 |
Outsole hardness
Assessing the gum rubber outsole of the PUMA Palermo, we didn't expect much wear resistance from this soft material. Especially since it proved to be softer than average with a durometer reading of 79.5 HC.
And yet, the gum caught us off guard when we subjected it to our Dremel test...
Palermo | 79.5 HC |
Average | 85.2 HC |
Outsole durability
The material proved to be just as sturdy as the black rubber! We were impressed to see a tiny 1.1 mm scuff on the outsole after 22 seconds of drilling it at 10K RPM speed.
This is the same amount of wear as we see on most sneaker outsoles after this durability test.
Palermo | 1.1 mm |
Average | 1.0 mm |
Outsole thickness
That's why we are not particularly worried about the fact that the Palermo's outsole is 1 mm thinner than average.
With 4.5 mm of wear-resistant rubber, we expect an average outsole lifespan from this PUMA sneaker.
Palermo | 4.5 mm |
Average | 5.5 mm |
Weight
Even though the PUMA Palermo has a minimal silhouette and feels light on foot, the number on the scale did not drop much lower than average.
At 13.1 oz (371g) in a men's US size 9, we found that the shoe's weight is on par with the Adidas Gazelle but is about an ounce heavier than the Samba.
Palermo | 13.09 oz (371g) |
Average | 13.83 oz (392g) |
Cushioning
Heel stack
Choosing the Palermo for day-to-day wear, expect to feel VERY close to the ground in this low-profile sneaker.
We measured its heel stack at only 22.6 mm which is a solid 7 mm lower than the average lifestyle sneaker. It is, however, equally grounded as the famous Samba and the Gazelle.
Palermo | 22.6 mm |
Average | 29.6 mm |
Forefoot stack
The sole gets even thinner in the forefoot with only 15.6 mm of material separating the ball of foot from the ground.
Cushioning is practically non-existent here which makes the Palermo less than ideal for long hours of walking and standing.
Palermo | 15.6 mm |
Average | 18.6 mm |
Drop
The Palermo has a moderate heel-to-toe incline of 7.0 mm. This means that the heel is slightly elevated above the toes putting the foot in a less flat position.
Palermo | 7.0 mm |
Average | 10.9 mm |
Midsole softness
The primary midsole material of the Palermo is made of a pretty dense EVA foam. Pressing a Shore A durometer against it returned a notably higher-than-average reading of 37.5 HA. For reference, this is 28% firmer than the typical lifestyle sneaker!
There is hardly any give to the shoe's platform resulting in very little comfort and impact protection in this PUMA sneaker. Not our top choice for hours of walking for sure!
Palermo | 37.5 HA |
Average | 29.2 HA |
Insole thickness
To save the day, a padded insole makes the Palermo feel a little less like a brick underfoot.
Measuring its thickness with a caliper returned a regular reading of 4.0 mm.
Palermo | 4.0 mm |
Average | 5.2 mm |
Stability
Lateral stability test
The PUMA Palermo is not a supportive sneaker per se but its low-set build and firm sole naturally make it feel quite stable.
You would need to try hard to roll the ankle in this low-to-the-ground shoe.
Torsional rigidity
As a classic terrace sneaker, the Palermo's minimal construction makes it highly flexible.
See how effortlessly we were able to twist the shoe in our manual test above. On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest, we rated its torsional rigidity with a low score of 2.
This is not the kind of kick that would make your movements feel restricted.
Palermo | 2 |
Average | 3.4 |
Heel counter stiffness
We found that the heel hold of this PUMA sneaker was moderate but sufficient. For a minimal shoe like that, a highly stiff and padded heel counter is simply not needed.
Pushing and squeezing the back portion of the Palermo, we assessed its heel counter stiffness with an average score of 3 out of 5. It is not entirely floppy either!
Palermo | 3 |
Average | 3.2 |
Midsole width - forefoot
Flipping the shoe upside down, we found its footprint slightly broader than that of the Samba or Gazelle.
Our caliper recorded 105.9 mm between the widest points of the shoe's sole.
We think that the slightly wider contact area of the PUMA Palermo would be more beneficial for people with flat feet as opposed to the slimmer Adidas kicks.
Palermo | 105.9 mm |
Average | 108.4 mm |
Midsole width - heel
Checking the widest area of the shoe's heel, we got 81.9 mm.
For context, the same measurement showed 72.0 mm on the Adidas Gazelle and 75.4 mm on the Samba.
Palermo | 81.9 mm |
Average | 82.9 mm |
Flexibility
Stiffness
Completely unrestricted steps are guaranteed in the PUMA Palermo. Its thin and flexible sole needed very little effort to bend as our feet transitioned from heels to toes.
How flexible is it exactly? Just like an average casual sneaker, according to our force gauge.
It took only 20.0N to bend the Palermo to a 90-degree angle - just the same as most kicks.
Palermo | 20.0N |
Average | 22.9N |
Size and fit
Toebox width - widest part
The PUMA Palermo may seem like a narrow sneaker because of its visually streamlined design but it turns out to have an average amount of toebox space.
Measuring the widest part of its forefoot, our caliper showed 98.8 mm which is exactly the same as the average.
It's not enough to accommodate a wide foot or a bunion but it offers just enough room for a D-medium foot.
Palermo | 98.8 mm |
Average | 98.8 mm |
Toebox width - big toe
The tapering is not so aggressive in this PUMA sneaker either. We measured a standard width of 74.4 mm near the big toe.
Palermo | 74.4 mm |
Average | 74.7 mm |
Comfort
Tongue padding
The in-shoe padding is practically non-existent in the PUMA Palermo. Its paper-thin tongue returned as little as 1.3 mm on our caliper.
It is some of the thinnest tongues we've seen on a sneaker, similar to the one in the Converse Chuck 70.
Palermo | 1.3 mm |
Average | 9.0 mm |
Heel tab
The Palermo doesn't have any finger loops or pull tabs attached.
Palermo | None |
Removable insole
The entire insole of the PUMA Palermo is glued to the strobel. This makes it tricky to insert any custom orthotics to elevate the sneaker's comfort and step-in feel.
Palermo | No |
Price
We consider the PUMA Palermo's price to be fair for what the kick has to offer. It is on par with the other popular terrace sneakers from Adidas (Samba and Gazelle) and is fairly easy to cop at a discount.
The use of real leather and suede on the upper is a bonus for sure.
Palermo | $90 |
Average | $118 |
Misc
Reflective elements
None of the upper elements on the Palermo are made of reflective material. No shining in the dark with this sneaker.
Palermo | No |