Will the cheese in my fridge outlast a pair of Pumas?

October 12, 2009 5:28 PM

Am I expecting too much from a pair of Puma sneakers?

I recently got some brown and yellow Pumas and liked them. However, a couple of days ago—about 7 weeks to the day since getting them—enough of the tread is gone that a hole has formed in the air-filled "cell" heel. Now I get that squishy "fsshhh" sound each time I put my left foot down.

This is my first pair of Pumas (and I was planning on buying more in the future), but are they not for everyday use or something? Should I have only been wearing these indoors on carpet? I'm a student, so I walk between classes and around downtown a bit, but it's not like I've been cross-training on broken glass.

Fellow Puma-wearers—especially those Pumas with the air-filled "cell" heel (this not my shoe, but you can see a similar example here)—do you usually get more than 7 weeks from your Pumas? Or was this pair just perhaps defective?

posted by blueberry to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

Return them and buy New Balance.
posted by fire&wings at 5:31 PM on October 12, 2009

I think most people can reasonably expect their shoes to last more than two months. Where did you get them? Do you still have the receipt or a credit card statement? Start with the store first, if they won't help you (and they should), then go directly to Puma.
posted by elsietheeel at 5:32 PM on October 12, 2009

had the same problem a couple years back to some puma cells. It happens to a lot of air cushioning systems. I don't think you hit a defective pair, just a nail. I'd try to take em back, but I think that's just the rub of buying a balloon for a 200lb support system. (there's a reason real running shoes ALL use foam cushioning systems except for mizuno!) Can anyone verify stuff like this happening on something more "robust" like a nike AM180, AM360, etc?
posted by wuzandfuzz at 5:47 PM on October 12, 2009

I've had pretty good luck with Pumas surviving daily wear for closer to a year. If you bought them online call the company and if you bought them in a store bring them in. They should be replaced, and if they aren't, I would recommend contacting Puma themselves.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 5:52 PM on October 12, 2009

I've been wearing pumas for years. I've never had a pair with air cells but all of mine that have had solid soles have lasted me 2+ years of daily wear. I'd agree with the previous posters that you should try and return them or you might just have had a defective pair or punctured the cell of something. I'd be pretty upset too if I had less than two months of wear on a pair of shoes before having to buy another pair.
posted by woolylambkin at 6:01 PM on October 12, 2009

Yeah, I agree with elsietheeel, you should whine to the store if you can and then to Puma. Surely one will try to smooth things over, as a company that has been in business (at least, in Puma's case) awhile selling a product that eventually does wear out, they would like to develop loyalty to their brand/store. I am no CEO but your situation could be seen as a great opportunity by them to romance a customer for life, that would be my policy, as long as the shoe was not being used on "broken glass."
I have done this (whined) a few times with varying sucess, and have been pleasantly surprised a time or two. Lemons come in all varieties (with manufactured goods), I am very loyal to those who have corrected problems for me, and the quality of the product will will be evident in the future, in case you end up changing your mind about the brand.
Of course, a new replacement pair, no questions asked, will probably not happen, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't get somewhere.
Good luck!
posted by bebrave! at 6:01 PM on October 12, 2009

You should complain. Even extremely junky Chuck Taylors last almost a year for me.

If the store doesn't take back used shoes, contacting Puma may be worthwhile. I had a pair of Pumas whose sole started delaminating from the shoe within a few wears. I sent them back to Puma with a nice note and they gave me credit for the online Puma store equivalent to the MSRP of the bad shoes.
posted by meowzilla at 6:14 PM on October 12, 2009

Somewhat related: I bought a pair of shoes online; a year later, with very little wear, a strap completely broke off in an unfixable manner and the company refunded the full purchase price. Just telling you this so you know it is possible to get a refund or new pair from some sellers.
posted by mareli at 6:17 PM on October 12, 2009

My daily-wear shoes are a pair of non-aircell Pumas that I've worn for more than 2.5 years. I'm finally starting to wear out enough parts of them that I'm considering replacing them, but in general they're good-quality, durable shoes.
posted by bookdragoness at 6:22 PM on October 12, 2009

Pumas have been notoriously flimsy for me in the past. Not quite as bad as you describe though, and I think you definitely have grounds for a refund/exchange. These days I stick with New Balance and Saucony though, NB in particular have easily lasted me a year of near everyday use.
posted by sophist at 6:39 PM on October 12, 2009

I bought two pairs of aircell Pumas (purple and beige), wore the purple ones pretty often (I don't wear the same shoes every day, however) and it took me a couple years (or more) to wear them down particularly far.

I wonder, however, if you tend to shuffle your feet as you walk. If you drag your heels along the ground instead of picking up your feet further, you'll wear down the heels a lot faster. Do other shoes you get wear down in the heels?
posted by that girl at 6:57 PM on October 12, 2009

I own a large number of Pumas, but would not if they were flimsy or poor quality. I'd say your pair is defective and should be treated as such.
posted by Sutekh at 6:02 AM on October 13, 2009