The Runners World Editors.
Too heavy for intervals/racing
From training runs to fast marathons, these Puma shoes get the job done
Tested by The Runner’s World Editors
Got your eye on a pair of Puma running shoes? You've come to the right place. While many people typically associate the brand with football, basketball and sprinting (who can forget Usain Bolt setting the 100m world record in a pair of Puma spikes?), recent years have seen some fantastic releases in the distance running realm, whether it's The best running shoes for 2024, expert-tested designed for race day, or cushioned mm heel, 32mm forefoot easy miles.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Puma was founded in 1924 by the Dassler brothers, Rudolph and Adi. Throughout the early years, many German Olympians began to adopt Dassler shoes, with a breakthrough moment coming in 1936 when the brand saw seven gold medals and five bronze medals at the Berlin Olympics from Dassler athletes.
Shallow heel collar and lacing system may cause slippage Adidas a year later. But Rudolph continued solo and by 1991, the newly named Puma was a global frontrunner in footwear. Another pivotal moment came with the release of the Puma Disc running shoe, featuring an innovative fastening system which used internal wires controlled by a rotating disc over the tongue. At the 1992 Olympics, Heike Drechsler, Dieter Baumann and Linford Christie all took home gold medals wearing Puma Disc spikes.
Are Puma shoes good for running?
In recent years, the brand has expanded its reputation from sprinting to road running, introducing Nitro foam – an ultra-light cushioning system that sees foam injected with a nitrogen gas mixture that increases its spring and bounce. The first Nitro shoe came to the market in 2021, marking a new era at Puma, and since then, more and more shoes have been added to the Nitro line up – including the ones you'll find below.
How we choose the best Puma running shoes
The models below represent the best Puma running shoes available now. For this update, we reviewed our selections for technology, updated specs, and included our experience testing these shoes over the past year for any relevant feedback. Several models had minor updates, and a few had some significant updates to both fit and materials. We drew on RW reviews, editor feedback, our own testing experience, and knowledge of the running shoe market to narrow the list down to the pairs below.
Best Puma running shoes 2024
Here are our picks of the best Puma running shoes, listed by the type of run or the type of runner. Our choices include the brand’s racing models, as well as shoes for beginners and overpronators. More information on the standout features of each of them can also be found below.
Pros
- Asics Novablast 4
- Explosive toe-off
- Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network
- Fits true to size
Cons
- The MagMax is a newer addition to Pumas line-up, surpassing the
- Lighter than predecessor
> Read our full Fast-R Nitro Elite 2 review <
First things first: yes, this is a strange-looking shoe. Yet while it might look odd, verging on outright weird, it absolutely does not feel like that to run in. What it feels like is a fast racing shoe.
It’s super stiff and responsive, and its two-piece sole turns over with unmatched efficiency as you increase your cadence and power. This shoe isn’t great for slow speeds as you need to put quite a bit of energy into the exposed carbon plate on this shoe to make it flex, but it’s stable and comfortable enough to excel at races ranging from 5Ks to a half marathons.
| Weight | 240g (size UK 8) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 40mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/performance |
Pros
- Best trail running shoes for 2024
- Best for overpronators
- Shallow heel collar and lacing system may cause slippage
Cons
- g UK 8.5
The Deviate Nitro Elite 3 finally puts the ‘super’ in Puma’s marathon racing super shoe. The midsole is 4mm thicker than the previous version, bumping up to the World Athletics 40mm max stack height, and it’s a noticeable change. Previous versions felt less lively than the top-tier marathon racing shoes, but the change makes v3 the softest Deviate Elite, with the highest energy return. It’s also lighter than the v2 – now fractionally lighter than Nike’s Alphafly 3. Some of that weight saving comes from the way the midsole foam is compressed, resulting in a lower durometer (foam density), which maintains cushioning but reduces weight. The trade-off is it can’t last as many miles as heavier compounds.
The v3’s carbon-fibre plate is thinner and reinforced with ribs that run lengthwise. That keeps it rigid but sheds a few grams. The 8mm drop feels tall, giving the sensation of being pushed forwards. The overall result is a shoe that’s a joy when running fast.
| Weight | 196g (M) 162g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 40mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Performance |
Pros
- Great value
- Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
- Impressive lockdown
Cons
- Lacks responsiveness
- Theres also the added bonus of the upper being reflective to improve visibility on night
Since it first launched, the Velocity Nitro has been a reliable and comfortable daily training shoe that's great value for money. As with the previous iteration, the new Nitro 3 has a dual-density midsole – at the top, you've got a layer of Puma's soft nitrogen-infused Nitro foam with its firmer and denser ProFoam Lite EVA beneath. The result is a mid-cushioned shoe that feels plush underfoot but doesn't have the trampoline-like bounciness typical of max-cushioned daily runners, such as the Asics Novablast 4.
It does, however, feel light on the foot (239g in a women’s size 6) and the relatively low stack (36mm at the heel and 26mm at the forefoot) will suit those looking for a more natural feeling ride. The structured upper brings a pleasing lockdown, and we loved the well-padded heel which helped create a really close hold at the heel.
There's also the added bonus of the upper being reflective to improve visibility on night/g M 162g W.
| Weight | 283g (M), 239g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 10mm |
| Type | Neutral |
Pros
- Jump to Products
- all-rounders for those
Cons
- Supple and stable ride
> Read our full Puma ForeverRun Nitro review <
mm heel, 26mm forefoot stability shoe that also works really well for neutral runners. You could equally say it's a neutral shoe that works well for people who need a touch of stability. It has a chunky wedge of sole, and a 10m drop (36mm/26mm stack height) but it doesn’t feel bulky.
The shoe has a dual-density midsole – essentially two different versions of the Nitro foam. The outer layer is firmer, the inner core is softer, the idea being you get both the cushioning but a bit of responsiveness too. And with each footstrike, the foot sinks a little into that softer cushioning in a way that cradles it, helping with that crucial-but-subtle stability. But then, crucially, the firmer layer springs you back up again into your next stride.
The slight, subtle rocker construction transitions you nicely forward onto the mid and forefoot without ever feeling unstable. It’s definitely a shoe for easy days or long runs, Theres also the added bonus of the upper being reflective to improve visibility on night.
Key specs
| Weight | 274g (M), 224g (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 10mm |
| Type | Stability |
Pros
- Soft and bouncy
- The Runners World Editors
- The best running shoes for 2024, expert-tested
Cons
- The MagMax is a newer addition to Pumas line-up, surpassing the
- Shallow heel collar and lacing system may cause slippage
> Read our full Puma Deviate Nitro 3 review <
Like its predecessor, the Deviate Nitro 3 is billed as an everyday training shoe with a carbon plate: the training companion to the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 race day shoe. The latest version features a bigger stack (+1mm) and a bigger drop (+2mm) overall, coming in 10g lighter than the v2.
While the engineered mesh upper has a snug, sock-like fit, one of our testers did experience some heel slippage, potentially due to the shoe's shallow heel collar and slightly 'low' lacing system. That said, the ride is soft but retains a firmness that lends the shoe to uptempo running, as well as easy cruising and longer miles. However, the shoe’s narrow waist, combined with its soft and bouncy midsole, can feel slightly unstable at times.
Puma's PUMAGRIP outsole is fantastic, though, providing great traction on wet surfaces.
| Weight | 276g (UK 8.5) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 39mm (heel), 29mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 10mm |
| Type | Neutral/road |
Pros
- Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network
- Smooth transitions
- Pretty versatile
Cons
- Lighter than Alphafly 3
- You prefer a more minimalist shoe
> Read our full Puma MagMax Nitro review <
The MagMax is a newer addition to Puma's line-up, surpassing the Magnify 2 as the brand's most stacked running shoe to date. It's aim is to 'make running feel effortless and comfortable', which is succeeds in doing through a huge wedge of Nitro foam in the midsole.
Up top, a stretchy, fully gusseted knit tongue sits comfortable against the top of the foot, while an engineered mesh upper holds the foot securely in place, with a PWRTAPE overlay supporting the medial side.
On the run, the MagMax feels bouncy and smooth, with lots of cushioning for tired legs, but enough firmness that you can pick up the pace if needed. In fact, our testers were surprised by just how responsive the shoe felt. And it's not too clunky either, thanks to the shoe's slight rocker geometry.
It is heavy though, and while we found it to be an impressive daily trainer for recovery days, long runs and even tempo efforts, you'll probably want something lighter and more nimble for race day.
| Weight | 303g (UK 8.5) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 46mm (heel)/38mm (forefoot) |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral/max-cushioned |
Watch Next
On Cloudsurfer Next review: A speedy daily trainer
On Cloudboom Strike LightSpray: ‘My honest review’
The best running shoes for 2024, expert-tested
Signs you need a different pair of running shoes
