Puma Ultra 6 Ultimate Review

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 6 Ultimate. It not only improves upon the already-excellent Ultra 5 from last season, but adds some new elements that make it a must-own for boot nerds.

You’ve got to give it Puma – they listen to the community and stick with what works, while changing what doesn’t. The Puma Ultra 6 uses the best parts of the Ultra 5, bringing back the outsole, stud pattern, and sublime heel counter; but features a revised upper that is even softer, along with a better fit.

The waxy, synthetic upper, which was soft but had a slightly plastic feel on the previous model, has now been softened up with some tinkering, making the Ultra 6 feel a lot more plush and malleable. Furthermore, some additional rubberised elements have been added on the upper around the sides and forefoot for extra grip on the ball.

There’s no denying that the Ultra 5 was incredibly tight and not for the wide-footed, but with some shaping revisions, the Ultra 6 feels a lot more accommodating to larger feet. It’s weird in the best of ways, as it fits even better while allowing for a bit of breathing room. It’s likely down to the reshaping of Puma’s PWRtape reinforcing, which makes you feel more locked-in while having a more natural fit as opposed to being suffocated in the boots.

To elevate the comfort even 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 far easier to put on than the Ultra 5, and doesn’t feature the little tab around the front of your ankle, which caused the tongue to flap over during play. It’s a great revision that blends seamlessly into the upper, as opposed to feeling completely different from one material to the next.

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.

One of the biggest radical changes from the Ultra 4 to the 5 was the introduction of the Speed System outsole, and it makes its return on the Ultra 6. 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.

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.

And thanks to the better fit and more accommodating upper, the outsole appears to work even better, especially in the heel area where the boots feature three studs, as opposed to the traditional four. The benefit of this aggressive ‘anchor’ at the back is more pronounced as you won’t feel your feet rocking side to side as much, thanks to the stability in the midfoot area.

The Puma Ultra 6 isn’t an entirely new speed boot, as it utilises a lot from the Ultra 5. However, it’s better in every way, having a better fit, softer upper, and improved knitted one-piece tongue. It’s version 2.0 of Puma’s best speed boot in years, and a must-try for anyone who loves a lightweight, grippy, and raw experience on the pitch.

The Puma Ultra 6 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 6 Pro, Ultra 6 Match, and Ultra 6 Play.