PUMA Men's GV Special Sneaker, Black/Black, 10 D US Review

When I first received them and took them out of the box it had such a strong synthetic smell, however the label states "man made/leather". What does that mean, is it leather, man made or a combination? The second thing I notice was the tongue was just some cheap material single ply sewn together with a very thin felt like material. Gives a very cheap feel & look. Had to leave on a 3 week trip, but on my returned took 2 very longish walks each of about 5 miles to give them a test (and for exercise :})They felt good. Had very good cushion on the soles, good flex, just the right amount & the fit was right on for me. Also has satisfactory arch support. But let me mention something about my fit, for dress shoes I obtain right on sizing including the width, but for the athletic type I will usually order 1 full size larger. So far this has worked all the time for me.So my initial impression was not good, but I'm glad I gave them a chance & they do feel good & look good as long as you don't look at the tongue.I read a review by another person & they mention how the bottom sole was just painted a different color. So I looked and peeled back a little of the bottom sole, mine are a solid color and are stuck with the next part like tennis shoes usually are.

Still the best PUMA lifestyle shoe on the market in my opinion. I've been wearing Pumas off and on since the mod 1980's. As I age, I still seem to gravitate back to classic Pumas versus Chuck Taylor's, Vans, Addidas shell toes, etc. It appears PUMA doesn't mass produce these any longer, which is a shame, since you can rarely find them on PUMA'S website other than all black or all white. I've been wearing a pair of GV 2's the past few years, but like the higher profile and thicker sole of the GV Specials better. They have more cushion than the Puma GV 2's, Clyde's, or Classic Suede's and are more comfortable. The size runs a little smaller as I wear a 9 1/2 in the classics but 10 in these and could probably do a 10 1/2. I get a ton of compliments on these and it is just a shame there aren't more color choices as these would look great in multiple colorways.

IMO, this shoe is almost perfect. I use to wear these about 8-9 years ago and loved them. They are solidly built shoe and aesthetically sleek looking especially in all white or all black. The shoe is overall a very rigid shoe and will need to be broken in. Upon receiving mine, it was the shoe I remember loving and wearing. I followed the majority trend here on the reviews in ordering up a half size (I am usually a 10.5 and ordered an 11), and I would say it fits true-to-size, so therefore I’ll be sending back the 11 for my 10.5. It can be very subjective so the universality rule goes out the door (feet are all made differently!), but I would say I have slightly wide feet and although the shoe is more narrow than average, the extra 1/2 inch gave me “too much” room overall. Conclusively, if you are like me and think you have narrow to only slightly wide feet, IMO I would recommend staying true to your usual size as gaining extra room in going up in size can make your feet look disproportionately long to your body (like a clown lol). If you think your feet are pretty wide than yes, size up accordingly. Otherwise, I will be returning mine and sticking to my usual 10.5 size. Sleek, sharp, and cleaning-looking pair of shoes that go well with jeans, chinos, shorts or anything! The sole is hard but I actually find the shoe comfortable.

I've been playing tennis since the early '70s and the GV Special might be the best shoe I've ever worn. They're light, snug, offer good arch and instep support and have abundant cushioning in the sole. Altogether, I can run faster and change direction quicker than other models I've worn recently, including quality models from Babbolat and New Balance. One of the key design features that make this shoe special is the minimal amount of leather for the tongue and around the instep, making the shoe lighter. To balance this reduction the instep is reinforced by a broad area around the eyelets, reducing the space toward the insole, creating a good snug fit. The top of the shoe is perforated, helping reduce heat around the foot. A classic design feature for a tennis shoe.As with other Puma models, I ordered the next size up. I wear a 12D in Red Wing boots, but need a 13 in Puma's.Puma is advertising this shoe as a "fashion sneaker" but make no mistake, it's a tennis shoe. Guillermo Vilas ("GV") was an iconic tennis player from Argentina back in the '70s, winning the French Open and U.S. Open in 1977. Maybe Puma thinks it can sell more units by calling it a fashion sneaker.I hope that Puma continues this model, even if they need to get a modern player to name it after. I'm going to purchase a couple of pairs for the future. It would be a shame if it's discontinued.

Here's the deal... I needed a white pair of shoes for an event. They were affordable and fit the bill. The problem I've found with all Puma's is that no matter what size of shoe you are with every other shoe in the world, the Puma shoe will be too small. In most cases you'll need to get a size at least two sizes too big for them to fit you comfortably.The only reason for this that I can conceive is that Puma enjoys binding of people's feet. They enjoy all feet being small. They think it makes them easier to massage. This is obviously true and the only reason for them making all shoe sizes too small.

These shoes are really solid. Firm enough so that it's supportive but not so much that the sole is too stiff. The puma's always run narrow btw which for me is a bummer so I buy a half size up and that seems to work well enough. These sneakers are good in the rain. Not water proof but doesn't let water in easily. I appreciate an all black shoe without any ugly designs or a white sole. I also like that while this shoe is athletic it does look good with a pair or pants or shorts or if you're going to exercise. The price is great for the quality. I can tell they are going to last me at least a year too which says a lot as I dog walk. Only con is if it's a hot day, the ventilation is only OK. But i prefer that to a mesh top show that looks bad quickly and tears easily. Its a great androgynous shoe.