PUMA Stewie 1 Review

Breanna Stewart is one of the greats when it comes to WNBA basketball. She’s a 6’4″ forward for the Seattle Storm and has only been in the league for six years. In those six years, she earned four all-star appearances and one regular season MVP award in 2018. She averaged 21.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 2.9 AST in the 2021-2022 WNBA season. Although the PUMA Stewie 1 is for ladies, we think every hooper will find something they like.

Traction

Stan: The Puma Stewie 1 uses a multidirectional grid pattern that just does the job and does the job well. The traction was sturdy and gripped the floor very well. No matter what change of pace and/or direction change I threw at it, It never impeded my movement nor made me second guess myself. Of course, when you get the occasional gym with a dusty floor- you’ll definitely need to wipe. The grid is so close together, it tends to pick up all the little particles. Another minor caveat is that this shoe is made to be used strictly indoors, in terms of durability, so outdoor ballers be aware as the traction may wear a lot quicker on the blacktop.

Rico: Puma basketball shoes have been some of the most consistent and best performers in recent years, and the traction on the Puma Stewie 1 is no different. You’re really not going to have any issues in these, they give you a nice smooth stop for some easy and effortless smooth changes in direction, and you really get into a flow especially chaining together combos after combos, they truly never let up; even on the less ideal court conditions (I’m looking at you, 24 Hour Fitness), and on the clean courts, no worries whatsoever. This traction, in my opinion, is just under the Clyde All Pro, and that shoe is on par with the Nike Kobe 9. The only thing I will say negatively about these is that the outdoor durability on these may not last that long. I would recommend keeping these for indoor play only, but for $120, it might be okay to add to your rotation and an easier pill to swallow when they wear out.

Cushion

Stan: The cushion setup for the Puma Stewie 1 is Nitro infused directly into the midsole. The cushion setup while it seems minimal, actually provides ample responsiveness, comfort, and feedback. This shoe is definitely amplified for those who are quick on their feet or even with a heavier first step like myself. Initially, it required minor break-in time, but after a quick workout session, the cushion breaks in very lovely.

Rico: Now, this is a first for me, which is the Nitro foam to start; it’s a little bit on the denser side and does require a session or two of play before it breaks in entirely, at least in my experience. Still, after that, it was a smooth and surprisingly very responsive ride going up and down the basketball court. You get into a flow, and if it weren’t for the bottom-heavy feeling underfoot, you wouldn’t notice it doing its thing just like the Curry 8 or 9. And the impact protection the shoe provided was much appreciated, especially after three hours or more.

Materials

Rico: The upper on the Puma Stewie 1 is built with monomesh, a version of engineered mesh, and I had no complaints with this textile upper. The fuse high-wear areas did their job of protecting the materials from toe-off and potentially being stepped on, which is nice. It was also breathable and ventilated hot air pretty well, which is a nice bonus. Your gym bag will thank you after using these for hours of playing.

Fit

Stan: Let’s not forget, this is a WOMEN’s shoe. So for my usual size 13, I needed a women’s 14.5. Second, the fitting of a women’s basketball shoe has slight differences between the heel and the forefoot area. The shoe itself fits slightly snugly from a width standpoint, however, lengthwise, it’s perfect. I did have a little less than a thumbs length space which is my personal preference. One caveat that I did have a gripe with after playing in the shoe many a time is that if you wear super thick (old Elite) socks then the area where the top of the upper midfoot and the initial bottom of the tongue meet, there is definitely some lacing pressure. Once I switched to alternative socks (WNBA Nike, Stance performance socks), I didn’t have much issue with the lace pressure but it is still present. I do wish the shoe was made with a traditional format of the tongue, but this is just my minor issue, and it doesn’t affect much of the rest of the review. All in all, the fit was solid.

Rico: Even though this is a woman’s release, I went with my true-to-size equivalent in men’s sizing, which is a size 11, a size 12.5 in women sizing, and that’s what I would recommend for you as well if you want a little bit of wiggle room. Now, if you want a snug fit, maybe go a half size down, which helps the support pieces work how they are intended. And after I broke these in again, only after a quick session or two, I had no hotspots or pinching anywhere on my foot, and they molded very nicely to my foot shape, especially the back heel section which sucks your heel into the back of the shoe.

Support

Stan: The support comes directly from the aspects of fit, lockdown, cushion, and traction for me. And guess what? Everything worked well. A wide base shoe with proper cushion, an awesome rubber traction set, a large TPU heel counter, and a lightweight upper is really the icing on the cake. There’s not much to complain about. it’s everything you need in a competitive basketball shoe.

Rico: Like the design, the support is straightforward and has many tiny things that, when put together, provide a significant impact. For example, the lateral outrigger offers ample protection from rolling over on heavy forefoot movements like crosses, stepbacks, jab steps, and any other actions you think of on the court. The heel counter, though small, helps keep your ankle on the footbed along with the nylon cables in the forefoot with midfoot lockdown with a traditional lace pattern keeping you secure. Now even though this doesn’t have a torsion bar or plate or anything stated in the midfoot, I didn’t find myself needing one. It all just got the job done, and it did that very well.

Puma Stewie 1 Overall

Stan: In the past few years, Puma Hoops has really come out swinging with hits, and the Puma Stewie 1 is no exception. It’s great to see a women’s signature line come to fruition and there is no better athlete than Breanna Stewart to represent the present moving into the future of women’s sports. The Puma Stewie 1 has all the necessities to be deemed as one of the most consistent basketball shoes to date. And for the price point of $120, you really can’t beat that. Puma really is coming with the hits, and this is an absolute hit. Can’t wait to see what they do with the next model.

Rico: You know, genuinely, after Puma announced they were getting back into basketball, it has been a steady process of improving their shoes from year to year, but now I feel they have found what works and consistently have been putting out hit after hit for the past few years. The Puma Stewie 1 is another great hit in their rotations of options. Also, that $120 price tag is hard to ignore for the performance you get, matching the likes of the Nike Kyrie Infinity, Li-Ning WoW All City 10, and New Balance Two WXY V2. Yeah, they are that good and can’t be ignored, just like Brianna Stewart herself.

Initial Impressions

What’s in the video?

In the video, Chris provides detailed information from all the usual categories, providing the in-depth information you need. He supplies expert-level opinions on the materials, cushioning, traction, support, and fit. Here’s some of what he discusses:

• WNBA signature sneakers breakdown (there are more than you’d expect)
• Scale-like traction pattern
• Original outsole design that was scrapped
• Nitro Foam midsole
• Beefy lateral outrigger
• All textile upper with synthetic overlays
• Thin fuse in stress zones
• Weird tongue setup
• Blue Ortholite insoles
• Additional foam layer
• Sizing recommendations

Let us know your opinion on the Stewie 1 in the comment section below or on YouTube or Twitter.

How to Buy the PUMA Stewie 1

The PUMA Stewie 1 is available for $120 at Puma and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Did you know we have a great community where we discuss reviews and various other nerdy topics? You can join WearTesters here.