Review: PUMA IgniteXT and Gear

I love the PUMA logo. Something about that leaping animal speaks to me: fast, graceful, sleek.  As a brand, PUMA has a wide appeal not just to the runners of this world, but to everyone.  And now in Miami, you can purchase PUMA footwear at Macy’s in Dadeland Mall; I am reviewing PUMA apparel, including the IngniteXT, as part of the opening.  I may not be necessarily fast at running, but I accepted the assignment at the speed of light.

They sent me this look so let’s start top to bottom.

First up the Essential Graphic Bra. This is a sports bra for medium impact. Which means, I use it when I bike or cross train but not when I run. For the run I want the least amount of jiggle so many times that means two bras. I like my bras to be wide both on the back and front so this was a great fit for me. It wicks as much as it can for someone who sweats as much as I do. Definite thumbs up.

Next the PWRCOOL Graphic Running T-Shirt, probably my favorite item of this outfit. I usually like to run in tanks as the sleeves tend to bother me, but this shirt was so light and breathable it felt great. I also love the style and color. It is a little fitted, but not a long tube cut as many of the fitted shirts now a days. Those, by the way, are 100% unflattering to body types like mine.  This shirt however, has become one of those items constantly in the washing machine as I wear it so often.

For the pants, I received the All Eyes On Me ¾ Tights. It has a little internal pocket, but my favorite feature is that it has great stomach support. The extra support feels great when exercising keeping everything tight, but yet you still have full range of motion.

The main thing I received to review was the IGNITE XT Women’s Training Shoes. And again, if you are in Miami, PUMA has a new shoe store located inside the Macy’s at Dadeland mall. There you can find the Ignite XT as well as your other favorite PUMA footwear.

The Ignite XT is not a running shoe, it is meant for cross training and you can tell. I wore them during strength and fast twitch workouts. There is a full-length flex groove on the bottom that helps with agility, so that your foot doesn’t slide around when you move side to side. You can feel this same sort of multi directional support on the heel where there is additional thickness. The traction keeps you from slipping around but yet there was plenty of cushioning. All in all, a pretty good choice for cross training. Comfortable yet stable.

Warning: I found PUMA tends to run a little small so I had to get one size larger than usual on everything, including the shoes. I suggest you either size up on an online order or go directly to the store and make sure you get a good fit.  All in all, I found my outfit and shoes functional, fashionable, and fast!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of PUMA.