I have had my Puma Enzo trainer for about one week. They are unique shoes that are categorized as trainers. I like walking in them and think they look good when I wear them.
I like the Puma Enzo Beta Weave as an everyday get out of the house and go shoe. It is an easy on and off a shoe that felt strange when running in, but was fine for walking and should work well as a gym shoe.
So far I have only run for about 2 miles in them and walked about 2 miles. These shoes are meant to be trainers, although on the Puma website they are categorized under running for some reason, so I decided to see how they felt when running in them.
Puma Enzo Beta Woven as Running Shoes?
I only ran once in these shoes and felt fine the first half of the run, but in the second half, my feet started to feel prickly like the circulation was being cut off. I may have tightened the laces a little too much.
The shoe seemed to be the right size lengthwise but as I ran my foot felt loose even when the laces were tight to snug. It can be difficult to judge how tight to pull the laces on these shoes because:
- My toes and heels were loose even when the laces were tight. This could be because I choose a shoe that may have been the wrong size – possibly one size too big.
- The shoe tongue is attached to the shoe, so it stays in place. This made the material bunched up when the laces were tightened. This seemed to put extra pressure on top of my foot as I tightened the laces.
- The laces stay tight when pulled. This means when you start running they won’t adjust at all and will stay at the same level of tightness. So you have to make sure they are perfectly laced with the right amount of pressure.
Possible workarounds to these problems could be:
- Using extra thick socks.
- Adding additional padding.
- Trying a size smaller shoe.
- Use stretchy laces.
Running in these shoes felt fine at first but my feet did start to get fairly warm after running for 15 minutes and they started to feel uncomfortable. This may be because the inside lining of the shoe is a smooth neoprene-like material.
This material helps your foot slide in and out smoothly and may also be part of the reason my foot seemed a bit loose and got warm quickly.
When comparing them to my other running shoes, the Nike Downshifter 7, I thought they felt about the same at first but then they started to feel too hard on my feet and knees.
The heel felt about the same thickness as the Nike shoes but the forefoot seemed to have a bit less foam cushion than the Downshifters.
The other feature I noticed that felt strange when running was the rubber section added to the heel of the shoe. There was a noticeable feel of something under my heel, like a layer of something, stuck on the shoe. The front rubber section wasn’t noticeable when I ran.
Puma Enzo Beta Woven as Gym Shoes
I did a short workout with these shoes and they worked well. They felt pretty good when I loosen the laces enough so they weren’t applying too much pressure on the top of my foot.
Even though they were a little loose, I felt fairly stable the entire workout doing exercises where I moved my feet quite often. I didn’t notice anything uncomfortable, although I only exercised for about 15 minutes.
I tried exercising on thick and thin carpet, a smooth vinyl kitchen floor, and a mat. They were all fairly easy to exercise on because the front and back section of rubber on the soles did a good job of gripping the floor in each situation.
I think these might make a good gym shoe for those looking for something casual to use at the gym.
I wouldn’t use them for basketball, racquetball, or any activity where I needed extra support around the ankles. My shoes were a bit too loose for these types of activities but for more stationary activities they should work fine.
Features Review
Overall Rating: Good
Features:
- Normal Width Shoes
- Grippy Front and Back rubber Section
- Heel to Toe Drop – Unknown
- Woven Fabric Upper With Smooth Lining
- Comfortable Multipurpose Gym Shoes
- Somewhat Flexible
- Lightweight (10oz)
- Good for Normal Arch
Why I Bought the Puma Enzo Beta Woven
I bought these shoes because they were on sale. They looked like the kind of shoe I would like to wear and I wanted to get a new pair of running shoes so I could alternate between shoes when running.
I now know that these are not running shoes and feel like I might want to return them, but I’ve already used them quite a bit.
They might be a good replacement for the gym shoes that I was using and I do like that I can put them on and take them off quickly because you can leave the shoelaces tied and still pull your foot out or slide it in.
When the laces are loose enough they feel comfortable on my feet and feel like a slip-in shoe.
What I Like About the Puma Enzo Beta Woven
They look well designed and sporty. They have a unique look with some nice features and can be used as multipurpose shoes.
I like the look of the woven fabric upper. It makes the shoes look more comfortable and when they are loose enough they feel comfortable on my feet for about an hour or two.
They feel lightweight when I work out, so I don’t notice any excess weight on my feet when lifting my leg or doing stretching.
The insole is soft and feels comfortable. It is removable, so you can add your own insole if needed.
The midsole is soft yet fairly rigid, which can be good for stability and responsiveness when working out.
The bottom sole is made of EVA and has two rubber sections on the front and back that help grip surfaces fairly well.
Your feet may feel fine for a 30 minute to 1-hour workout for those that have a normal arch.
It has elastic bands on either side of the shoe that allows you to insert your foot easily even if the laces are already tied. This along with the two fabric loops, one on the tongue and one on the heel, allow you to slip your foot into the shoe even if the fit is a bit tight.
The padding on the inside heel has some soft cushioning that may help lock your heel into place.
The tongue is attached to the shoe so it won’t move or adjust while you workout.
The shoelace eyelets are surrounded by a plastic layer that should help them last longer and stay secure.
Details of the Puma Enzo Beta Woven
- These shoes have a good-sized base at the heel and the ball of the foot for stability.
- They are made for the gym or as trainers.
- It seems to have a neutral arch, so if you need extra support you’ll need to consider insole replacement.
- It comes in a variety of colors. You might be able to find black like mine, pink, white, grey, and blue.
- Women’s shoe weight is about 9oz and men’s about 10oz.
- The bottom sole uses a carbon rubber for the heel and tip of the shoe. The rest is EVA like the midsole. The front tip covers part of the front of the shoe.
- The upper is lined and feels soft but doesn’t seem too breathable when doing a more intense workout.
- The 8 hole eyelets on either side have a plastic overlay so when your laces are snug it gives you good support on the top of the midfoot.
- The padding in the heel didn’t quite lock in my heel although it does help keep it from moving too much.
While I wouldn’t go out to buy these specifically to use at the gym, I do think they can work as a gym shoe. Now that I know more about them I would purchase them to get out-of-the-house shoes. I would go shopping, out to eat, or run errands in these shoes.
They feel fairly comfortable if the laces are tied at the right amount of pressure. They look nice and can grab the floor well when exercising.
If you choose to ties the laces loose for comfort, these can work very well as a slip-on shoe. You may want to try on more than one size to get the exact feel you want because the size might make a big difference in this shoe.
Review of the Upper, Midsole, and Outsole
I haven’t used these for long, but in my opinion, shoes should feel comfortable the first time you try them on. And while these do feel comfortable, it is only when the laces are looser.
That being said, these shoes do have value in several ways to me.
- They match and look good with the clothing I wear.
- They are generally priced inexpensively.
- They are easy to slip on and off. This helps me not worry about tying and untying my shoes each time I wear them.
These shoes are available on Amazon.com and other retailers online but when I searched the Puma website they were not available at this time.
Here are some of the more details that you may find interesting about these shoes.
UPPER
Very Good
Features:
- The woven fabric adds character to these shoes and gives them a comfortable look.
- The flexible clamshell design allows you to slip your foot in and out fairly easily.
- The elastic straps and grab loops make it easier to put on or take off.
- Cleatie construction – The Tongue is sewn into the shoe so the shoe and tongue are one piece.
- Laces – stay in place well.
MIDSOLE
Good
Features:
- Firm – Puma uses EVA foam that is firm.
- Flexible at the ball of the foot
- Enough cushion about an hour workout in my opinion.
- Insole – Made of soft foam that helps with comfort and maybe a bit with cushion.
OUTSOLE
Good
Features:
- Good grip on most surfaces, except maybe when wet
- Good for gym use
- Wider in some area for stability
- Covers the toe area (toe cap)
- May wear out easily if used on rough surfaces often, such as road running.
I am trying to like these shoes, although the fit is difficult to get right. A padded tongue may have helped with some of the issues around tightness and looseness. I won’t really know how I feel unless I use them more when working out and as a general use slip-on shoe.
I think if you are looking for a casual mostly comfortable shoe, these could work well in many different situations.
The design is nice and they seem to be well constructed. Now as I need to do is test them over time.
Photos & Videos of My Puma Enzo Beta Woven
Final Thoughts
I would recommend the Puma Enzo Beta Woven to those looking for a gym shoe or casual shoe. They are priced fairly reasonably at most places I’ve looked and people seem to like them quite a bit.
If you’re looking for an all-around multipurpose shoe, this may be a good choice for you. You can find them on Amazon.com(AD) and other online stores.
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