A$AP Rocky and PUMA introduce the Straycat, a new sneaker based on the 2005 Ouninpohja Explorador II from the PUMA archive. Rocky personally selected the trail model during one of his visits to the archive and developed it into a tougher design shaped by motorsport, outdoor footwear and his own approach to PUMA product.
SNEAKERS
Rocky has served as PUMA Creative Director for over three years, regularly turning to the company’s archive for references. Previous collaborative releases have included interpretations of models such as the Mostro, Inhale and PUMA Suede ’94. For the Straycat, he turns toward a less familiar trail silhouette whose original design already carried strong links to rally racing.
The 2005 Ouninpohja Explorador II provides the foundation for the new shoe. Its tire tread, aggressive wrap-up sole and rugged outdoor construction inform the Straycat, while Rocky updates those elements through new materials and technical treatments. The sneaker has already appeared onstage during Rocky’s latest US tour ahead of its official release.
The upper uses a mix of ripstop nylon, leather and suede, creating a layered construction with a durable, utilitarian character. Hardened mesh wraps around the collar, while hand-distressed treatments give sections of the shoe a worn appearance. Distressed PUMA Formstrips continue the rougher visual direction seen across Rocky’s work with the brand.
One of the main changes comes through the sole. The Straycat uses a Vibram enhanced compound rubber outsole with tire-inspired traction and rubber that extends upward around sections of the upper. According to PUMA, the shoe introduces Vibram’s first true co-branded outsole, with a cat positioned near the toe. The construction develops the rally references already present in the original 2005 model while giving the new version a heavier profile.
Rocky also introduces a double-lacing configuration across the upper. Two sets of laces add another technical layer to the shoe and allow the fastening system to become part of the overall design. Together with the enlarged rubber structure and mixed materials, the detail pushes the trail origins of the sneaker into a street-focused context.
The name Straycat came directly from Rocky. He describes it as a reference to an outlier, connecting the shoe’s roots in rugged terrain racing with its new place on the street. The concept follows his wider approach at PUMA, where motorsport references regularly move between racing equipment, fashion and footwear. The A$AP Rocky x PUMA Straycat launches worldwide on August 27 through PUMA website, PUMA retail stores and select accounts.
