black and silver Puma H-Street shoes, white and yellow and blue Puma H-Street shoes

Puma H-Street Wear & Longevity: How Long Do They Last?

Felix Wong's avatar
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“I can’t believe you’re still using those shoes,” a couple Fort Collins runners told me as I did a warm-up run at the track in some rather well-worn white and blue Puma H-Streets—a shoe model that was a favorite of POSE runners in the 2000s and still is my favorite.

But gauging by how the colored sole had worn through to the minimal padding under the heel of both shoes, my friends’ comments were probably warranted. Also, these were 2008 models that I had been using since June 16, 2009. Six years! How in the world did these shoes last so long?

One reason is I was only using them for races and track workouts until early 2014, when I retired a pair of similar, but slightly heavier and less durable, Puma Salohs. After that, the H-Streets became both my training and racing shoes.

A second reason is the Puma H-Streets are simply very durable. I got 1114 miles out of the very first pair, and these went 1174 miles and 220 hours of running. The fabric was starting to tear where it met the sole, but nothing too alarming. I might have continued to run with them even longer had I not have two additional boxes of 2012 Puma H-Street+’s and I was not getting all those comments.

On the other hand, it appears that how quickly the Puma H-Streets wear is largely dependent on an individual’s running style. My friend Adam, however, has worn some pretty significant holes in the soles a couple centimeters outward of where the ball of his feet would be.

In fact, one of the photos below are of his and my shoes. His are the ones in the Oakland Raiders colors. Never mind that he is a San Diego Chargers fan.

I think it is so cool that we run in the same shoes!

Why I Still Like Puma H-Streets

There are many reasons why I continue to use Puma H-Streets, including:

  • They are really lightweight: only 5.8 ounces each.
  • They are inexpensive: usually about $40-65.
  • They are very comfortable.
  • They are long lasting, as discussed above.
  • I have successfully used them for over 100 races between 1-100 miles, including off-road ones.
  • I like their style. They also often come in different colors.

Where to Find Them

It seems like Puma has been making the H-Streets for decades but frequently stops making them for a couple years before bringing them back. When they have brought them back (e.g., 2008 and 2012), I have stocked up on some boxes.

Fortunately, there are other channels you can usually find them from. For example, eBay has many listings of Puma H-Streets, albeit not in every size.

What to Use Instead

[Written May 2021] Unfortunately, Puma discontinued the H-Streets in 2012 and unless you count the 2020 H.ST.20 Training Shoes that were inspired by the H-Streets but seem to have a rather thick sole, never brought them back.

So in 2017 I started using Lems Primal 2 shoes and have been using them for training—and even a few marathons and walking across Spain—ever since. Read about my experience with the Lems Primal 2 shoes.

black and silver Puma H-Street shoes, white and yellow and blue Puma H-Street shoes
Adam Tow's black and silver Puma H-Streets, and my white, yellow and blue ones.
Overhead view of white, yellow and blue 2008 Puma H-Street shoes after 1174 miles.
How my 2008 Puma H-Streets looked like after 1174 miles.
worn Puma H-Street shoes after 1174 miles
How my 2008 Puma H-Streets looked like after 1174 miles. A tear and a small hole developed in the right shoe but it was still usable.
worn soles of Puma H-Street shoes after 1174 miles.
The wear on the soles of my 2008 Puma H-Street shoes after 1174 miles.
holes in soles of Puma H-Street shoes
Photo by Adam Tow
Holes in the soles of Adam Tow's Puma H-Street shoes.
blue and white 2012 Puma H-Street+ shoes
My new blue and white 2012 Puma H-Street+ shoes.