The first time I saw the FAAS 300 and FAAS 500 was at the 2011 New York City Marathon runner’s expo. The style of these shoes was undeniable; they looked like nothing else out there. I was pretty excited to try the Puma FAAS 500 v2 since guest reviewer Luke Sinak gave the FAAS 500 such high marks awhile back. Puma sent us two pairs to review, a men’s and a women’s. Here are our thoughts.
Meaghan: The Puma Faas 500v2 is a good looking shoe. And it fits well, very well. I appreciate that Puma designed a gender-specific shoe, giving the women’s version a slightly narrower heel and more arch support. The interior is lined with an OrthoLite padding that makes the shoe extremely comfortable. You can easily go sockless, but I paired them with some thin, light socks. The uniformly flat sole reminded me of the Nike Flyknit Lunar 1+, and similarly, encourages a midfoot strike. The FaasFoam cushioning and sole provide a stiff, yet responsive ride. To me, this shoe felt a little like a racing flat. It’s stiffer than the typical trainer; however, it offers enough support and cushioning for everyday use. Weighing at about 9oz, these shoes felt surprisingly light and fast.
Thomas: The FAAS 500v2 fits extremely well on my narrow foot, and feels firm and cushy at the same time. It is kind of hard to explain. The cushy comes from the insole that has a spongier feel than most insoles. The firmness comes from the mid and outsole. I guess it wasn’t that hard to explain. I agree with Meaghan that the outsole reminds me of Nike’s Lunarlon material and the ride of the shoe felt very similar to my Nike Lunar Racers. The shoes look heavier than they are. I was surprised by how light they feel on the run.
Meaghan: I only had a couple issues with these shoes. Primarily, the laces didn’t stay tied for me. I had to stop and re-lace on several runs. Secondly, the tongue never seemed to stay in one place. It was always sliding to one side. I’m thinking a pair of lock laces may solve both of these problems, but I haven’t made the switch yet.
Thomas: The biggest complaint I had with the FAAS 500v2 came from the sponge like insole. When the shoes were dry the insole feels great and adds a nice amount of cushion. On one long hot and humid July run, sweat and water from a well that we used to refill our water bottles turned the insoles into a sloppy, heavy mess. For 10 of the 18 miles of the run every foot fall made a squishy sound like I was stepping in mud. This was the only run I had this issue in. They were really soaked. The FAAS 500v2’s upper could benefit from being a bit more breathable. I did not have the issues with the lacing or the tongue that Meaghan did.
Meaghan: The Puma Faas 500v2 is a stylish, comfortable trainer. The first few outings felt a little stiff, but it didn’t take long for me work them in. I never had any hot spots and I felt comfortable running at just about any distance and speed. I think with a simple swap of the laces, I could recommend these shoes to just about anyone.
Thomas: The Puma FAAS 500v2 fits right into my sweet spot with trainers, 4mm drop, light weight, and aggressive styling. I also think they are a value compared to the Nike Lunar line up. Right now the Men’s version is on sale for $70 and the Women’s is on sale for $60. They are a fun trainer on the track and on the long run. Other than the squishy insoles the Pumas felt good on many 10+ mile runs.
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