The Puma Future Z Lazertouch football boots are a new take on the brand's most recognised boot these days. The Future Z has been put on the map by the likes of Neymar – so now comes a kangeroo leather version of the massively popular original.
Puma are great are making icons, after all. They helped to establish the images of Maradona, Cruyff and Pele, for goodness sake, by supplying these legends with Puma King boots – yep, another icon of the game – so they know a thing or two not just about legacy but how to alter a well-recognised boot and keep it looking fresh.
The Lazertouch sounds like it should be an oxymoron. Sharper than the Future Z? Or… softer? FFT were keen to grab a pair out the box ourselves to investigate…
FFT went on a trip to the local park with a couple of mates for a kickabout in these ones. That's grass, by the way, on an uneven surface, though mainly flat. There was a small pitch with a 3G surface adjacent, which we had a 15-minute run about on, too.
As you can see from the photos, some of the grass was pretty long in places – so don't assume that we tested them in pristine conditions. It was a dry Saturday morning, however, which meant that the pitch was firm enough for the studs not to stick in the ground.
We tested a pair of the Puma Future Z Lazertouch football boots in a UK size 10 (US 11/EUR 45/BR 43/CM 29 - Women's: UK 10/US 12/EUR 45/BR 43/CM 29).
Comfort and fit
FFT worried about these ones when we got them out the box. Notoriously, the lighter the boot, the more difficult it's going to be to get on.
Not with the Future Z, though. These ones slipped on like a pair of slippers and felt fantastic – though over time when you're running, you can feel a slight pull across the top of your foot from the wear, due to the material.
You see, the top of the boot is more elasticated with the front of the boot feeling more like natural leather. You don't want the leather to crease, do you? So naturally, it's going to pull slightly just above the leather and you might want to readjust your socks every now and then. No biggie.
The leather around the toe-box of the foot does not stretch, though. That's a good thing: it means you don't have to up-size to get bigger. Over time, however, this leather is probably going to soften, so look out for that.
The sole flexes a little as you run but not as much as other lightweight boots out there, like the Adidas X. No, no – the Lazertouch has the feel of a traditional leather boot and that's the way we like it.
On the pitch
SPECIFICATIONS
• RRP: £200
• Gender specification: No difference in gender specs
• Sizes available: 3.5 -12
• Colors: Black
• Recommended for: Midfielders, wingers, passers
OK, so maybe Puma were going for an oxymoron after all.
Get a few touches of the ball in the Future Z Lazertouch boots and it feels a little odd: these are leather football boots… and yet they're so light. Apparently, these are just 15 grams heavier than the last Future Z boots, which are far more rubbery, with little nobbly bits for clearer touch.
Of course, that 15 grams doesn't mean much between models – but try these ones out against, say, the heavier vegan Puma Kings, and you can notice a world of difference in weight. They're heavier than the incredibly light Nike Tiempos but not by too much.
The lack of any kind of touchpad on these boots means that you can get a cleaner, more natural touch, too. A lot of players prefer having a striking zone of some kind but actually, it's refreshing to have it with these: all that you have is a softer leather on the inside of your boot for side-footing with.
Design
This is a classy take on an established model, with laser-etched patterns on the front of the boot (we see what they did, there) rather than the standard rubber. The all-black look is great and since this is a more traditional design, it makes sense to have a white sole – though we'd prefer a black one (that's just us).
Oh, and props to the designers for Puma cat logos: they nailed the effect on the front of the toe and with the gold version on the heel. They, in particular, look excellent – as does the "LAZERTOUCH" leading up between the leather and the main body of the boot.
That sidefoot panel doesn't quite sit right, though. The softer, elasticky material doesn't end at the bottom of the boot: there's a more natural leather look from the heel under the sidefoot panel itself. On other models, the word "FUTURE" is plastered all over this but when the entirety of the boot is made from different black materials, it just takes a little away from the cleanness and the minimalism of the boot.
It's a minor gripe, though. These boots feel old-school and if they were too polished and futuristic, they wouldn't have the same charm.
Summary
Neymar isn't quite the ideal posterboy for these boots: they're far too mature for a PSG prince with (occasionally) pink hair. Were Messi to be a Puma athlete, we could see him wearing these: they're classy yet cool and feel like exactly the kind of boot that a wide playmaker or attacking midfielder with pace and passing accuracy would don.
The Future Z Lazertouch is a welcome addition to the Future Z family. It bridges a gap between the newer models of boots and the legacy of Puma's legendary models – and they feel fantastic, too.
