Wearables

Running in Singapore's hot and humid weather conditions can be punishing. And Puma wants to ease that woe with its Ignite 3 PwrCool running shoes.

Unlike the usual Ignite 3 running shoes, this PwrCool version has an improved upper with a more breathable mesh that helps with ventilation. It features Puma's Dri-Freeze collar lining that cools your feet upon contact. This Dri-Freeze technology also extends to the sock-liner for maximum ventilation.

As its name implies, the Ignite 3's midsole uses Puma's proprietary midsole Ignite foam for great energy return that reduces ground contact time for a faster cadence.

Its outsole consists of Puma's Performance Rubber compound that provides good grip and is said to be highly abrasive-resistant.

The review unit comes in orange upper and white midsole with accents of blue. Looks-wise, the orange colour really stands out in the crowd and is even visible at night. For the nocturnal runner like myself, it is great for visibility. But I would not wear it as a pair of sneakers for shopping at malls along Orchard Road.

The more breathable mesh upper has a more "plastic" feel that is not as smooth as fabric mesh. I would recommend wearing socks when running with the Ignite 3 PwrCool.

When I first wore it without socks for my usual 5km jogs, it caused blisters on my right foot. As it happened to only one foot, I did not know if it is the fault of the upper or the shape of my right foot. But I did notice that the tongue of both shoes tend to move towards the outstep of the foot during runs, even with the shoelaces securely tightened.

However, I could feel the "wind" moving through the foot when wearing socks.

But I did not feel much difference in terms of breathability when compared with the Ignite Ultimate PwrCool that I reviewed last April.

I also found the Ignite Ultimate PwrCool to have better energy rebound than the Ignite 3 PwrCool version.

Still, the Ignite 3 provides great cushioning for my knees and ample support for my injury-prone ankles.

• Verdict: The Puma Ignite 3 PwrCool is a good pair of running shoes for our hot climate. Just make sure you wear socks with them.