Puma Ultra 5 Ultimate Review — The Fastest Boot in the World?

Puma’s Ultra range of speed boots has been slowly solidifying itself as a contender, if not even superior, to the options available from other big-name brands. And with the competition at an all-time high, the Big Cat has unleashed one of their best speed boots to date, the Ultra 5 Ultimate. But while Puma has delivered the most aggressive Ultra to date, it’s not without some small missteps.

The Puma Ultra 5 does pick up where the 2023 Ultra left off, but fixes some of the things that bothered many wearers. The synthetic upper, which had a somewhat plastic feel on the previous model, has now been softened up with some tinkering, making them feel a lot more plush and malleable. One of the drawbacks of last year’s Ultra was the creases and bumps in the upper when you bent your foot, which is now gone with the Ultra 5. It’s a lot more tightly-wrapped around your foot and moves and bends more anatomically when your foot moves, giving a more 1:1 feel with the boot.

To elevate the comfort more, Puma has reworked the knitted tongue that sits under the laces and wraps your foot, giving you a really locked-in feel. It’s admittedly quite tight, and it does take a little bit of wiggling to get the boots on (especially with grip socks), but when you’re in, it’s like being in the seat of a race car – there’s superb lockdown and your foot isn’t going anywhere. So if you like that snug, secure sensation, the Ultra 5 is a winner.

The heel area is extra secure thanks to what Puma calls geo-fit pods – small cushioned areas that slot in between the curvature of your foot to lock your foot in place even more, which is a nice touch and fixes the more loose-fitting heel of the previous Ultra model.

Now, the flip side of the boot is where things get really interesting. After a couple of seasons, Puma has now fully revamped the stud pattern for the Ultra 5. You get a somewhat traditional positioning of studs, but with some adjustments. The stud shape is almost like a shooting-star, having a conical ‘front’ to help with a bit of rotation in the ground, with a sharp bladder edge at the back to help with cutting and acceleration. They’re also angled more in line with the way someone’s foot-plants (as you’re rarely running perfectly straight with 0-degree foot angle), making them ideal for exploding into different directions. 

And in action, these feel incredibly potent. They’re probably the most aggressive studs I’ve ever felt, biting and penetrating the ground easily thanks to the flexible soleplate, and having a notable grab when accelerating or decelerating (even on fairly soft surfaces) due to the stud shape and pattern. While the traction is as ‘sharp’ as it comes, they don’t feel unsafe, and you still have enough wiggle room to pivot when needed, which is important to avoid knee strain and injuries.

The other interesting part of the stud layout, which is less impressive, is the heel area. Instead of the traditional 4 stud set-up on the heel, you get 3 – one anchor stud right at the back of the boot, and then two that follow it. The assumption is Puma did this to have more bite with the strike of the heel. I initially didn’t think much of it, and it’s not incredibly noticeable, but that back stud does bite into the ground a bit more than two would (you know, due to less surface area), but because of the shape, it does make the planting of your heel feel a little less stable than something with a more traditional layout would. Now, again, it’s subtle, and most people probably won’t notice it, but it is something to consider if you prefer a very ‘stable’ boot from heel to toe.

For those who are looking for a raw, grippy, and lightweight speed boot experience, the Ultra 5 Ultimate is all of those things cranked up to 10. The impressive innovations with the stud pattern and layout make it stand out from the competition, even if the heel studs are not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a sublime boot though, and one that even the staunchest of Nike or Adidas speed boot fans should consider this season.

The new Ultra 5 Ultimate Formula edition kicks into high gear with Puma’s revamped Speedsystem outsole, featuring a springy plate and an innovative stud setup for lightning-fast acceleration. Sprint, cut, and brake faster with FastTrax stud design for multidirectional traction and for ultimate stability the Ultra 5 utilizes an all-new Pwrtape SQD support frame to stabilise the foot inside of the boot without hindering agility and freedom of movement.

The Puma Ultra 5 Ultimate is priced at R4,499 and is available at Puma and Totalsports. Takedown models are also available in the form of the Puma Ultra 5 Pro, Ultra 5 Match, and Ultra 5 Play.

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