With Singapore baking in mid-30 deg C temperatures, the heatwave makes exercising outdoors a challenge, if not masochism.
You can take some heat off you with Puma's new Pwrcool Collection of apparel and footwear, which apply a cooling technology called Pwrcool to keep the body at an optimal temperature.
Pwrcool apparel has cooling prints on the inside, while the footwear uses a ComfortTemp tongue liner to regulate body temperature.
I tried the Puma Pwrcool Graphic SS Tee running T-shirt and the Faas 500 v4 PwrCool running shoes.
The review tee was in cyan and looked quite plain with just a big Puma logo and the word "faster" printed on the front.
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TECH SPECS
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Puma Faas 500 V4 Pwrcool
PRICE: $169MATERIAL: Puma's proprietary Faas Foam+ midsole, AirMesh upper and Evertrack+ outsole
WEIGHT: 240g (US 9, Men's)
RATING
DESIGN 1 2 3 4 5
PERFORMANCE 1 2 3 4 5
VALUE FOR MONEY 1 2 3 4 5
OVERALL 1 2 3 4 5
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Puma Pwrcool Graphic SS Tee
PRICE: $49
MATERIAL: Polyester
WEIGHT: 128g
RATING
DESIGN 1 2 3 4 5
PERFORMANCE 1 2 3 4 5
VALUE FOR MONEY 1 2 3 4 5
OVERALL 1 2 3 4 5
On the back is a tiny Puma logo with three hexagons and a circle lined up vertically below the neck.
The T-shirt is very comfortable. On the inside are many tiny squares, the cooling prints that are activated upon contact with moisture. The more you sweat, the more they will cool you down.
The Faas 500 v4 Pwrcool resembles the original version. Puma's Faas Foam+ midsole material and special Evertrack+ outsole provide better cushioning and durability, while the AirMesh upper optimises breathability.
The shoes have a 4mm heel-to-toe drop for a more natural running stride that encourages you to move to a mid-foot strike.
The difference from the original is the ComfortTemp tongue liner. It, too, has many tiny square prints on the underside and on top of the sock liner.
The review unit was a zingy fluorescent green, bright enough to be noticed at night. Great for nocturnal joggers like me.
Running with the Pwrcool Graphic SS Tee T-shirt and the Faas 500 v4 PwrCool shoes on, I found the cooling effect more evident in the T-shirt than the shoes.
The more I perspired, the cooler the top felt. It was almost like wearing a portable air-conditioner, with mini gusts breezing through.
Not so the shoes, although I was sockless. Or perhaps my feet just do not perspire enough to produce a cooling effect.
But the shoes were comfortable and felt broken in even on my first run. Sans socks, too. I loved the ample cushioning and the "lift-off" that the shoes provided.
•The Puma Pwrcool Graphic SS Tee running T-shirt is useful apparel to provide some coolness in this hot weather. The Puma Faas 500 v4 Pwrcool running shoes probably need more sweaty feet than mine to realise their potential.
Trevor Tan
