A Classic that Perfoms

Massive Thanks to KicksClassico for sorting me out with this pair. Please follow him on Instagram!

While a classic design, the Puma Paramexico still remains in demand in Japan. This can be seen by the fact that Puma Japan still offers three different models at three different price points of the Paramexico. It is still based roughly on the classic design worn by Maradona and others at the Mexico 86 World Cup and can still been seen on pitches across Japan. Some of this can be put down to nostalgia, after all there’s a more than a few older people wanting to wear the classics, but they could not keep going if there are only a few people here and there who care. As it turns out, the Puma Paramexico still has legs.

Fit

Some of this may be cheating a little bit since the pair being reviewed has previously been worn. However, this should not take away from the softness of the kangaroo leather on the Paramexico. It also needs to be said that while the boots look bulky, they certainly do not feel that way on feet. The boot does a great job of hugging the foot and the classic lacing system is deep. This means that it runs father down the foot which allows for plenty of adjustment, when needed. And while the tongue is big and protrudes out, it is also soft and does not get in the way while striking the ball.

Since the Paramexico is a made in Japan model, this means that the leather is excellent and plush. It also means that it feels like it can take care of itself in battles without the wearer having to worry about tears. It is really impressive how nice the leather is given the age of this particular colourway, with this blue CGI model having been first released in 2006. This also again speaks to the durability of the boot, which is brilliant. Another nice touch is the brushed heel liner that is a bit thicker than wanted but comfortable all the same.

As far as sizing, I went a half a size down from normal and while little snug, the leather stretched easily to the shape of my foot.

Touch and Dribbling

As one might expect, the touch in the Paramexico is great. Sure there are no frills to speak of, but that is the point. The leather is not as thin as modern leather boots but it has good padding which makes the boot great for taking the sting out of passes and/or blocking shots. At the same time, the leather is not overly padded and does allow for some nimbleness when touching or dribbling with the ball. There is also some reinforcement on the rear of the toebox that does help keep the foot locked in while not being overly tight. And these pieces are leather as well, which means there is more leather to help with that lovely touch on the ball.

Passing and Shooting

Since the Paramexico is an older style boot, there is a little bit of heft to be found. This might bother some people, but also means that the balled can be hammered all over the pitch. Like with controlling the ball, much of harshness of the contact with the ball is taken away. What this does not mean is that there is no feedback when hitting the ball, rather it means that there is protection to the boot and when hitting the ball sometimes, a little bit of extra padding does not hurt. The bit of extra weight does mean that it is enjoyable to smash the ball while adding spin to it. When effective, it means there is a satisfying feeling crushing the ball towards the net when shooting.

Grip

Puma’s CGi soleplate has been around for about twenty years at this point, and it absolutely still holds up. No matter the surface the boots were used on, the grip was solid and there was almost no stud pressure to speak of. The grip performed well and there while there was almost no drag on artificial grass surfaces, not least unless you go out looking for it. There was good performance overall and nothing to make one pine for a newer soleplate.

Conclusion

Puma Japan knows it has a good boot out on the market to satisfying some of its more particular customers’ needs. The soleplate may be older, the design even older, but one cannot deny that not only do the boots look great, the performance is still there as well. While I personally also miss the more modern interpretations of the Paramexico, it does make me happy that this model is still available is well. If you want to experience a classic boot, while having the ability to keep up with more modern boots, the Paramexico is worth a shot.

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