Puma Stewie 3
The Puma Stewie 3 is Brianna Stewart’s third signature shoe and is very reminiscent of the Kobe 11, which is high praise.
Release date: 2024
Price: $120
The Stewie signature line from Puma has been very solid up to this point. The Stewie 1 is an above-average performance model with no obvious flaws, the Puma Stewie 2 turned out to be one of the best basketball shoes of 2023, and now we have the Puma Stewie 3 which features major tech changes.
UPDATE: The Puma Stewie 3 made it onto our list of the best basketball shoes in terms of traction, and our list of the best low top basketball shoes of the year.
Puma Stewie 3 Show
Puma Stewie 3 Review
Puma Stewie 3 Traction
The Puma Stewie 3 features a solid rubber outsole which Puma claims is a high-abrasion rubber. It’s etched with a radial traction pattern emanating from a root-shaped portion that runs through the center of the shoe. The pattern itself is also serrated, creating small nubs along the entire sole of the shoe. This setup provides excellent multi-directional coverage and bites clean surfaces extremely well.
Now, although the traction is supposedly built with a durable rubber intended to hold up to outdoor use, it might not be a super durable setup. The rubber is rather soft, and the traction lines are thin, which does not bode well for durability. Overall it’ll be better than most for outdoor use, but is not the beefiest traction setup we’ve seen.
One other detail to take into account is that there isn’t much space between the lines of the traction pattern. Therefore, the Stewie 3 will tend to pick up dust on “no-so-clean” courts.
Puma Stewie 3 Cushion
Here we see the major tech update in the Stewie 3. The shoe, much like a Kobe, features a drop-in midsole. The midsole is constructed primarily with Puma’s Profoam and is equipped with a Nitro Foam unit in the forefoot, and a TPU shank plate as well. It’s a low-profile, reactive setup that will be more durable than most foam setups and provide an adequate amount of compression and impact protection.
This setup is better suited for lighter, quicker guards, and won’t be a great option for heavier more powerful players that need more plush cushioning. It should also be a decent cushioning setup for this style of player outdoors, as it does absorb a good amount of impact.
Another interesting detail is that Puma and Serious Player Only share a factory. Serious Player Only exclusively uses drop-in midsoles in its hoop shoes, and Puma has never had a drop-in before. Perhaps, seeing the success SPO has had with this type of setup inspired Puma to create a similar cushioning system.
Puma Stewie 3 Materials
Materials on the Stewie 3 are quite good considering that the shoe retails for just $120. The upper presents a primarily textile build, with some fuse and TPU overlays for added structure and lockdown. The textile is lightweight and flexible, but it’s coated in plastic, so ventilation won’t be as great as in other textile-based uppers. The shoe takes no time to break in and the fabric offers decent durability and containment.
One interesting detail of the Puma Stewie 3 is the floral TPU piece that wraps the side and heel of the shoe. It’s an interesting design feature that also boosts the shoe’s performance. It adds lateral containment and also acts as an external heel counter.
Lastly, the Stewie 3 features flat and very wide laces. Flat laces are good to help alleviate lace pressure, but, because these laces are wider than normal, they might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The good news is that the tongue is well padded enough that, no matter what laces you use, you shouldn’t have any pressure issues, so you can switch the stock laces out if you prefer.
Puma Stewie 3 Support
As good as everything else is on the Stewie 3, support might be the shoe’s best feature. As we mentioned in “materials”, the upper provides excellent lockdown and conforms extremely well to the foot. Then there’s that dop-in midsole, which features very stable and reactive cushioning and comes with an integrated TPU torsional plate. Aside from the floral TPU wrap, the shoe is also equipped with a beefy internal heel counter.
Your foot also sits within the midsole, and there are portions of the outsole that wrap up the upper of the shoe, both of which boost containment.
Lastly, the sole of the shoe is very wide, both in the forefoot and the heel of the shoe which gives the Stewie 3 a ton of contact area with the court and provides a stable base from which to make our moves on court. The sides of the sole are rounded, similar to a Kyrie, for added mobility. All in all this will be a very secure feeling shoe on the hardwood.
Puma Stewie 3 Fit
Simply put, the fit is on point. BUT…keep in mind that in the US, the Stewie 2 comes in women’s sizes. So, if you’re looking for male sizes, you will have to add 1.5 to the women’s size. If you need a 12, you will have to order a 13.5. As long as you keep this in mind, the Puma Stewie 3 offers a very nice 1 to 1 fit that conforms very well to your foot.
Puma Stewie 3 Overall
The Puma Stewie 3 is an elevated and improved Kobe 11. It’s more flexible, wider, lower to the ground, with better torsional support and more durable cushioning…so if you like the Kobe 11 or you’re looking for an affordable Kobe substitute, the Puma Stewie 3 should be at the top of your list.
With this shoe, you’ll get top-notch traction, a smooth and reactive ride on court, and elite lockdown and containment. And you get all of that for the very reasonable price of $120. It’s more of a guard shoe, and if you need above-average cushioning, this might not the shoe for you. But all around, the Stewie 3 is a great performance model and a worthy 3rd model in Brianna Stewart’s signature line.
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