It’s also made of from recycled industrial waste and a more sustainable product – something Puma have really grown into as a leader in the sports equipment industry.

Puma King Football Boots | Pro:Direct Soccer Puma King Football Boots | Pro:Direct Soccer

The old-school stud pattern, which mirror the iconic range, means the Vegan Kings don't offer the supreme traction of a New Balance Furon or a Nike Mercurial but that doesn't really matter. Kings were always built for defenders and midfielders rather than speedy wingers and these feel on-brand in that regard. However, the Puma King Ultimate does not feel like a revolutionary enough update to the boot – we could repeat what we wrote for the King Platinum and the review would still be true, sans changing k-leather to k-better. Overall this is a solid boot, which were just as enjoyable while playing as they were while unboxing.Boots with Firm Ground soleplates are only to be used on natural, short-grass surfaces that are firm underfoot but may be slightly wet. Designed specifically for this playing surface, they offer acceleration, comfort, and enhanced traction, dispersing stud pressure evenly across the foot. FG soleplates are fixed (not removable) and are used worldwide; wetter countries tend to use them spring to autumn. FG boots are not to be used on artificial ground (AG) surfaces as the construction is not designed for the extra friction. Using FG boots on AG surfaces will invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty. The world is changing, with experts advising us all to take greater care over our meat consumption, so why should football be exempt. The Puma King Platinum 21 Vegan is a great way to do your bit, without sacrificing style and comfort. All five have wowed spectators wearing perhaps the most iconic boot of all: the PUMA King. Having been tweaked and refined over the years since its introduction in 1968, the King’s now available in a lighter, more streamlined design that’s engineered for modern playmakers. It gets the BOOTHYPE stamp of approval for AG surfaces, and feels like the only true FG/AG tooling in the Puma line-up. The Puma King Ultimate is a Prince in waiting The Puma King Ultimate also welcomes a new tooling. The short of it is that the studs are conical and functions… like conical studs do. You get good enough traction when running but nice manoeuvrability when pivoting, twisting and turning.

PUMA King Football Boots | Sports Direct

Unlike the old school Puma King that had a more accommodating fit, the King Ultimate is slim fitting, and I’d even go as far as to suggest that it’s the most narrow boot in the Puma link-up today, even more so than the Puma Ultra Ultimate. If Puma’s choice of upper didn’t hint that the Puma King Ultimate wasn’t your grandfather’s King, the fit will. Synthetics have come a long way, and to be quite honest, after a short break in session, the upper softened up to such an extent that I could barely tell the difference between this and the Puma King Platinum. Dribbling is sharp, thanks to the thin upper that allows you to feel more of the ball. The low pointy toe box and tighter fit also gives you the confidence to manipulate the ball thanks to the boot wrapping your foot extremely well. Touch on the ball is extremely barefoot, in part thanks to Puma’s decision to not add in any padding as is typical of modern leather boot constructions. I’d say the barefoot sensation makes it feel closer to the Puma Ultra than the Future. Not your Grandfather’s Puma KingThe Puma King is one of the most legendary boot silos, having been worn by bona-fide football legends such as Pele, Maradona and Johan Cruyff. Unfortunately, like many modern leather silos, it’s struggled to carve a place in today’s boot world.

Puma | King Platinum 21 Turbo FG/AG Football Boots | Black Puma | King Platinum 21 Turbo FG/AG Football Boots | Black

Called Konscious Leather, it is essentially Puma’s idea of a synthetic leather upper – but better. Puma claims that it’s 30 percent thinner, twice as stretchy to provide a better fit and 10 times more durable. All while giving you that same familiar leather touch on the ball. You may have heard other reviewers reference a well-loved speed boot launched in 2012 by another brand, and in all honesty, we’d agree with the comparison. In fact, we’d say this feels even better, thanks to Puma’s excellent knit tongue giving you a good amount of compression for an even closer fit, without feeling overly restrictive. K-Better also allows Puma to do more with the upper. Where a leather upper would have required the Formstripe logo to have been stitched on, K-Better allows it to be moulded directly on to the boot.Selecting the correct sole plate for the surface you are playing on is crucial, not only for the performance and longevity of your football boots, but also to avoid the risk of injury. Updated for superior touch, traction, and comfort, the King Platinum 21 sets you up to rule the pitch once more. We recommend going true to size if you’ve got a narrow or medium width foot. Definitely go half a size up if you have a wide foot, and even then we recommend taking it slow to break it in due to how narrow it is. Pro:Direct are working in partnership with our carriers to reduce the impact on our environment with low, or zero carbon emissions in the last mile delivery to your door.