I read an interesting article with a shoe designer who said that the most important aspect of creating a new line of shoes is making the new design/technology visible, and thus making it marketable. So when you guys see something like Shox, do you wish you would have thought of that concept? Give us insights into the role of making a shoe look good on the banner of a website plays in its design.
P.S. My mom got me the FAAS 300s for Xmas
benpaull wrote:
I read an interesting article with a shoe designer who said that the most important aspect of creating a new line of shoes is making the new design/technology visible, and thus making it marketable. So when you guys see something like Shox, do you wish you would have thought of that concept? Give us insights into the role of making a shoe look good on the banner of a website plays in its design.
P.S. My mom got me the FAAS 300s for Xmas
Hello BenPaul thanks for your question.
To answer your first question there are times when I see a design or feature from different shoes and think why didn't I think of that, or better yet, I may see a shoe in the market and think "I did a sketch like that 4 years ago in college" that looks similar to a current shoe. On one hand I am sort of mad that another company beat us to something, but I also feel good that some of the designs or ideas that I came up with were actually good enough for someone to bring to market. For me I always look to design a shoe from a performance standpoint. I'm really big on "form follows function", but sometimes the most functional designs can look boring and basic. So part of my job is to find ways to make the purely functional design look good, so people will want to buy the shoe. At the end of the day if we designed running shoes that were perfect in every aspect, but the shoe was not aesthetically pleasing, a lot less people would buy the shoe.
Hope you are enjoying the 300s.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
benpaull wrote:I read an interesting article with a shoe designer who said that the most important aspect of creating a new line of shoes is making the new design/technology visible, and thus making it marketable. So when you guys see something like Shox, do you wish you would have thought of that concept? Give us insights into the role of making a shoe look good on the banner of a website plays in its design.
P.S. My mom got me the FAAS 300s for Xmas
Hello BenPaul thanks for your question.
To answer your first question there are times when I see a design or feature from different shoes and think why didn't I think of that, or better yet, I may see a shoe in the market and think "I did a sketch like that 4 years ago in college" that looks similar to a current shoe. On one hand I am sort of mad that another company beat us to something, but I also feel good that some of the designs or ideas that I came up with were actually good enough for someone to bring to market. For me I always look to design a shoe from a performance standpoint. I'm really big on "form follows function", but sometimes the most functional designs can look boring and basic. So part of my job is to find ways to make the purely functional design look good, so people will want to buy the shoe. At the end of the day if we designed running shoes that were perfect in every aspect, but the shoe was not aesthetically pleasing, a lot less people would buy the shoe.
Hope you are enjoying the 300s.
All - just wanted to mention that the reply to BenPaul on this post is from Reginald Wilson - Footwear Designer at Puma Performance Running
Student wrote:
As an engineering student, innovation in running shoe technologies has always been an interest of mine. How does one go about getting into the field of footwear development/engineering for a running (or other branch of athletics) company? Did you guys start with Puma and running, or did you explore other areas first?
Hi Student,
We got some input from a couple of our developers at Puma Running Footwear division. Hope that helps.
Gary Siriano - Sr. Developer, "I know quite a few people that end up in development/engineering who got their start in retail. (tech running store - e.g. manager of the Nike Georgetown store in Washington DC.) Working the sales floor allows an individual to learn the basics on fitting an individual, understand gait basic analysis, types of footwear for specific needs,etc...... Also, taking part in tech sessions from various footwear companies allows that person to better understand that companies mantra on fit, function and short/long term mission statement."
Another Developer - "I graduated UNH in 2002 with a business degree. Wasn't sure what I wanted to do and the job market was not that good so I went to a temp agency (Adecco). They gave me a temp position at Timberland where I was working directly with the developers on the Kid's and Outdoor Performance teams. I worked as a temp there for 15 months and built relationships with the creative/development staff working at Timberland. In Nov 2003 they hired me as an entry level developer on the Outdoor Performance team, working on outdoor product like Hiking boots, Multi Sport shoes, Trail Sandals, etc. I worked there just shy of 5 years and then came to Puma as the Developer of Golf and Training in 2008. A year later transferred to the Running team, and have been developing running shoes ever since."
Nickk wrote:
I like the FAAS300; light, flexible, good for faster running. But why does the insole slide to the front of the shoe so easily? It always ends up (and this is after 5k or so, bunched up around my toes and I have to stop to sort it out. That's my only gripe, other than that the shoes are great.
Hi Nikk,
You bring up a good point - the sockliner slipping is an issue we had wth a few batches and is something that has since been addressed. I'm glad you're enjoying the 300s!
I know at least a handful of people that have this happen to them on their shoes, including me... the outsole wear down right where they strike under ball of the pinkie toe and the tread is worn down within a couple hundred miles making for terribly awkward landings.
If a single company could take care of this they would immediately snatch a solid percentage of the market in my opinion.
I know one guy already mentioned this but I wanted to mention it further because it's the reason I have to throw out my shoes, not because the EVA is smashed or anything, the tread is gone entirely.
illegitimate wrote:
I know at least a handful of people that have this happen to them on their shoes, including me... the outsole wear down right where they strike under ball of the pinkie toe and the tread is worn down within a couple hundred miles making for terribly awkward landings.
https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPUfbVpq_kIj2rwFmKYZl2aaz0ta7xSuTGUAqrgmn3Wlw2gOSRIf a single company could take care of this they would immediately snatch a solid percentage of the market in my opinion.
I know one guy already mentioned this but I wanted to mention it further because it's the reason I have to throw out my shoes, not because the EVA is smashed or anything, the tread is gone entirely.
Thanks for the great feedback illegitimate. Really appreciate it and we'll definitely work on that area. I've seen it on a number of shoes as well - need to find a balance between durability and feel.
Should I wear a pair of racing flats/lightweight trainers as opposed to a pair of regular trainers for a half marathon if I am running each mile between 7:45-8:15? Will it make much of a difference if I am going that slow? What are some good Puma shoes for 5K to half marathon on the roads that you would recommend? Thanks in advance.
WHICH PUMA model most closely resembles the 1989 Nike Air Pegasus or the Onitsuka Tiger G-9 racing flat?
Thank you very much for having this thread.
checkmeoutimabook wrote:
Should I wear a pair of racing flats/lightweight trainers as opposed to a pair of regular trainers for a half marathon if I am running each mile between 7:45-8:15? Will it make much of a difference if I am going that slow? What are some good Puma shoes for 5K to half marathon on the roads that you would recommend? Thanks in advance.
Hi checkmeoutimabook,
It all depends on what you are comfortable with and whether you have trained in the racing flats/lightweight trainers while training for your half marathon. It might help a little with your time with the shoes being lighter, but you don't want to get over enthusiastic either and get injured, so train in the flats and build up strength in your feet and legs to handle that distance in flats. But to answer your question directly Yes it can make a difference even if you feel you are running slow as there could be a number of differences in terms how racing flats are constructed as compared to regular trainers.
As far as Puma shoes for a 5k to marathon - it depends on your foot type and running gait so it's tough to just recommend some shoes. Your beast bet would be to go to a run specialty store. I can tell you that if you have more of a neutral gait check out the Faas 550, Ryjin. If you need a little stability look out for the Faas 800 or the Setsuna.
Why are puma shoes so WIDE?
Hey Joanna, wanna go out for a coffee?
Hey Joanna, wanna go out for a coffee?
Obviously, from this thread, you can't please all of the people all of the time. But what has worked for me over the years has been the simple and functional. The Faas 300 I've been wearing since its intro to the market - never had a prior Puma. Since I've developed nagging, crippling heel/achilles problems in the past, the Faas 300 works quite well since it lacks those obtrusive plastic heel counters; also, the flat-bottom eliminates plantar fasciitis problems; finally, since I have a narrow heel and semi-wide forefoot, the last is a perfect match. I just hope Puma sticks to these features for feature updates. Many runners reminisce about the "old-school" shoes - well, the Faas line shares many similarities. Nicely done design team. As long as you make them, I'll be in them.
sodbuster wrote:
Obviously, from this thread, you can't please all of the people all of the time. But what has worked for me over the years has been the simple and functional. The Faas 300 I've been wearing since its intro to the market - never had a prior Puma. Since I've developed nagging, crippling heel/achilles problems in the past, the Faas 300 works quite well since it lacks those obtrusive plastic heel counters; also, the flat-bottom eliminates plantar fasciitis problems; finally, since I have a narrow heel and semi-wide forefoot, the last is a perfect match. I just hope Puma sticks to these features for feature updates. Many runners reminisce about the "old-school" shoes - well, the Faas line shares many similarities. Nicely done design team. As long as you make them, I'll be in them.
Thanks for the post and the support sodbuster. Glad you are enjoying the current Faas 300s and am sure you will enjoy future updates.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
The last thing a runner wants is for the initial point of contact to feel extremely hard and the more durable the rubber/outsole the harder it will feel.
This is totally wrong.
I WANT the outsole to be firm and hard.
I do NOT like the outsole or midsole being soft.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
On the other hand you don't want your shoes falling apart prematurely either so that's where running brands look to strike a balance.
There should be no concession. I want firm outsoles, midsoles, for them to be durable, and to last as long as possible.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
You might have one runner who wears out that section over 200 miles where as another runner might be able to get to 600 miles.
I'm not interested in any shoes that would last only 200 to 600 miles.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
The Faas Foam is a blend of EVA and rubber that is durable enough for ground contact which in turn allows us to reduce the amount of outsole coverage on the shoes.
This is one of the issues. EVA foam is not suitable for midsoles, and totally not for outsole material. It has no firmless, is hard on the legs, causes injuries, compresses, and wears out quickly.
A nice firm hard durable rubber would be much better for outsoles, and midsoles.
J.R. wrote:
Nikhil Jain wrote:The last thing a runner wants is for the initial point of contact to feel extremely hard and the more durable the rubber/outsole the harder it will feel.
This is totally wrong.
I WANT the outsole to be firm and hard.
I do NOT like the outsole or midsole being soft.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
On the other hand you don't want your shoes falling apart prematurely either so that's where running brands look to strike a balance.
There should be no concession. I want firm outsoles, midsoles, for them to be durable, and to last as long as possible.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
You might have one runner who wears out that section over 200 miles where as another runner might be able to get to 600 miles.
I'm not interested in any shoes that would last only 200 to 600 miles.
Nikhil Jain wrote:
The Faas Foam is a blend of EVA and rubber that is durable enough for ground contact which in turn allows us to reduce the amount of outsole coverage on the shoes.
This is one of the issues. EVA foam is not suitable for midsoles, and totally not for outsole material. It has no firmless, is hard on the legs, causes injuries, compresses, and wears out quickly.
A nice firm hard durable rubber would be much better for outsoles, and midsoles.
Hi J.R.,
Thanks for the post. I think you were pretty clear about how you prefer a firm ride. That's the best part about the running industry - you have choices that the brands provide you. No two individuals are exactly the same, so what might be right for you or what you like best might not be right for the next runner. All the best with your shoe of choice and keep running.
On behalf of the Puma Running Footwear team i'd like to thank Letsrun.com and all of you who posted questions for this opportunity to answer them and talk to you all more about Puma running shoes. We are excited to be working on new product everyday and hope all of you enjoy running now and forever. Cheers.
As many of you know, the Puma designers and product line managers for their award winning Faas line of shoes are going to brave the LRC messageboard today through Thursday to answer your questions about the brand. They got started answering questions on the front page yesterday - http://www.letsrun.com/2012/faas-answers-0108.php - and are continuing today through Thursday on themessageboard.
We've already received a huge response in pre-submitted questions. To get things started, we've paste five of them below and they'll be answered, but if you have a new question, feel free to fire away.
-Robert
PS. Are you interested in trying out the Puma Faas line? Well you are in luck as now is the perfect time to shop away as they are having a semi-annual sale with prices up to 40% off. To take advantage of the sale click here
PPS. More info on the Faas line can be found here: http://www.puma.com/running/faas
I've never worn Puma shoes before. Why should I switch from my current trainers (Mizuno Wave Rider) to a shoe in the Faas line?
