Puma Momentta TF – Boot Review

Winter is coming and here come more turf reviews! The Puma Momentta is the third tier (fourth if you count the King SL) in the latest Puma King silo. My main interest in the Momentta is mainly because it holds a similar spot to its predecessor the Puma Liga finale i, which I found to be a pretty high grade boot. I was very curious to find out if Puma replicated the quality in the latest installment.

As far as low tiers go the Momentta doesn’t stand out much from the adinova or even the tiempo mystic. There isn’t much to say about the boot starting off as it is exactly what would be expected of a low tier heritage boot. I got them in the Black/White/Ribbon Red colorway.

Initial Impression

Initially there is nothing really special about the boot. It weighs the average for a turf boot, it has a pretty traditional turf configuration, and a leather synthetic combo upper. Compared to the King version this is truly a step or two down especially in the quality of the materials but that is a given. It definitely has the low tier vibe especially when it comes to the synthetic portion of the upper. The cosmetic aspect of the boot is pretty classy but modern for the most part being primarily Black and white with a splash of red. The red portion of the instep takes away from the boot a bit as it looks a bit out of place on a heritage take down. It does however weigh in a little less than the Bomba Finale II.

Selling Point

The main reason to pick up the boot would be that it is “affordable, comfortable and reliable”. There really isn’t much tech in the boot so these three factors will be pretty much all the boot has going for it. During testing I’m sure that two out of these three elements hold true, they are comfortable, they are reliable but there are several similar options that cost less on the market right now.

The Fit

It fits true to size, no surprises here. The synthetic in the formstripe loosens up and forms to the foot as the boot breaks in so it fits nicely after the first couple of wears. The leather portion does have minimal stretch to it. Once again if there are any questions to fit look up your fit on the shoefitr app which can be found on soccer.com and soccerpro.com.

Break in and Comfort

Most heritage boots in the lower tier bracket usually have a very smooth break in process but in this case the Puma Momentta is different. While the leather was pretty much game ready from the word “Go” the synthetic formstripe took a bit of time to break in. It took at least three games until I could tie it up snug with my foot but after that the synthetic molded to my foot very nicely. During the three game break in time there were absolutely no issues with blisters or cramping.

The shoe does get points for comfort and it only gets better as the boot breaks in, this is one of the thing the boot has going for it. Having said that it is on par with boots like the Pele Sports Caldeira and the adinova in terms of comfort. It manages to be comfortable without the extra weight however as it is on the lighter side of the turf cleat weight spectrum.

Performance and Durability

With much experience with low tier heritage turf boots the Momentta fits perfectly in with the rest in terms of performance. The leather is decent with good padding, the touch is alright, and the traction is reliable as any turf set up. Having said that nothing other than a slight weight reduction over most turf boots stood out to me during performance. I wasn’t terribly impressed with them over all but they didn’t disappoint at all. They actually exceeded expectations in terms of how the synthetic in the instep affected play. I actually found it aided a bit with controlling and striking the ball with the instep, the red section actually put a pretty nice damper on the ball. It seemed rather stiff during break in but eventually adapted to foot movement. Something very pleasant about the boot is the leather, which is noticeably softer than the adinova or other lower tier leathers. Overall not a stellar performance but overall Puma have a very reliable boot here that more than competes with other low-tier leather options on the market.

It took seven games before one of the top eyelets started to tear, I suspect that it won’t be a common issue as it hasn’t happened with any of the other eyelets but it is still a bit of a downer. It is an easy fix though and won’t be hard to repair. I do have suspicions that the synthetic portion of the boot could potentially crease to the point of separating but not until it has seen excessive use. Other than that I have no real concerns with durability.

Critics Notes

In a nut shell, they didn’t impress me. I didn’t find them to be really noteworthy other than the fact that they are lighter than one of the most expensive turf boots on the market. Sure they are reliable but so are the adinova and tiempo mystic. The only stand out is a minor weight advantage and the fact that they are a bit more readily available. The synthetic, while it does add a bit extra, also adds a bit to break in time. Lastly the tear in the top eyelet is concerning, but I’m sure it won’t be a common issue.

Overall

The puma momentta is another affordable, reliable and comfortable heritage boot on the market. It would be good for someone looking for a solid pair of turf boots to play in when the occasion calls for it, or those who play a little more leisurely than competitively (though its the skill and not so much the boot that matters in the end). It won’t disappoint and will make a very solid boot for any kind of playing style but it won’t leave you thinking it anything special. But I will say this, It is as reliable as the Puma king though it might not be as high grade. It won’t let you down. Price wise  it is on par with every other third tier turf boot but it is one of the lightest weighing in at 9.2 oz (the firm ground version is only 8.4 oz!) so it is definitely more interesting in the top three in those terms. I would recommend them over the adinova and mystic turfs and especially over the fg models of either if you are considering the firm ground over turf.

You can head over to soccer.com and pick up your own pair for $74.99

Jim’s Ratings

Comfort: 70%
Performance: 50%
Quality: 60%
Value: 67%

Total Score: 62%