Puma Deviate Nitro 3 Review – A Lively Daily Trainer

Fit

The fit of the Deviate Nitro 3 is true to size in both length and width, with no variation when compared to other shoes from the brand and also the same size shoes from most major manufacturers. So, go true to size!

The upper accommodates the foot well and the engineered knit of the upper has a slight stretch quality to accommodate variations in foot shape. The yarns used, together with the knitted construction allow for good breathability in the forefoot, but at the same time provide a secure fit in the midfoot area.

The tongue features small, padded areas for comfort without adding too much extra weight or bulk to the upper.

The ankle collar and Achilles area feature padding that sits neatly around the foot to create a snug and secure fit. The lace holes allow a runner’s knot to be used if required for added lock-down.

Technology

NITROFOAM - A nitrogen-injected foam midsole is used throughout the entire length of the shoe. This creates a responsive cushioning that’s lightweight and gives a soft and ‘springy’ feel.

PWRPLATE -A PWRPLATE is embedded within the midsole. This carbon fibre-infused plate is engineered to stabilise the midsole and maximise energy transfer to push-off. The unique ‘forked’ design in the forefoot of this plate helps to create a propulsive feel but is a little more versatile for use in a daily trainer than those used in race-specific shoes.

PUMAGRIP - The PUMAGRIP outsole rubber is used for the full length of the shoe. Pumagrip has now become synonymous with excellent traction in a variety of conditions and once again it excels here.

Mesh Upper - The engineered knit mesh upper creates a classic daily trainer fit and feel and in the Deviate Nitro 3 around 20% of it is created from recycled materials.

First Impressions

My first impressions of the Deviate Nitro 3 were extremely positive. The shoe feels very light straight from the box and at 250g, it’s close to racing shoe weight yet with daily trainer capabilities.

This in itself is what makes the Deviate Nitro 3 a rather unusual shoe. While some brands use their ‘superfoams’ in lightweight shoes marketed as ‘racer/trainers’ (think Saucony Endorphin Speed), the Puma is a lightweight shoe with a superfoam and carbon-infused plate but designed for daily training. It’s also priced in the daily training shoe part of the market.

On the Run

So, on to the run. Straightaway the shoe feels much livelier than most daily training shoes. The combination of the responsive Nitrofoam along with the full-length plate creates a highly engaging ride that adds a good degree of propulsion to your stride.

As is usually the case with my first run in a new pair of shoes, this run was an easy 30 minutes at around a 7-minute 30 to 8-minute mile pace. On runs like this, I am simply logging a few easy miles, keeping my legs turning over after a harder day and before the next day’s harder effort.

The shoe feels very light and almost disappears on the foot making for an easier running experience. There’s no weight or bulk to pick up, so on my easy run I was unaware of the shoes.

The shoe feels very light and almost disappears on the foot making for an easier running experience. There’s no weight or bulk to pick up, so on my easy run I was unaware of the shoes.

Cushioning is great. The soft feel of the nitro-foam is welcoming and with a 39mm stack under the heel, there’s plenty of volume for even heavier heel strikers. The 10mm drop from heel to forefoot is a good drop for a daily trainer. When running a little slower than race pace, most will be heel strikers and certainly from my experience there are very few true forefoot strikers.

The transition from the heel into the midfoot and then to the forefoot is easy and smooth feeling. As I mentioned, the drop works well and the carbon-infused plate has a perfect degree of both flex and stability. Puma has managed to find a sweet spot with this plate. The toe-spring is noticeable, but it doesn’t make the shoe too rigid.

A Few More Miles

After that initial easy run, I couldn’t wait to take the Deviate Nitro 3 out on a faster-paced interval session. My first was a session of 4 times one-mile efforts with 2 minutes recovery.

The weather wasn’t being too kind and there was a rather strong wind, so I decided to make my warm-up a little longer and set off into the headwind for a 4-mile warm-up. This would mean the efforts would have a tailwind.

This might sound like a cheat, but I ask myself, why make the session even harder? With a tailwind, yes it will feel a little easier, but the pace will increase, my leg turnover will be quicker and I’ll simply enjoy the session more.

The Deviate Nitro 3 was great at a steady warm-up pace starting out at 7:30 per mile and gradually increasing to 7 minutes flat for the final mile before the repetitions. On turning around and picking up my speed to around 5:30 mile pace, the shoe came to life!

The nitro foam felt as responsive as a racing shoe and putting a little more power into the shoe made the plate return a little extra ‘pop’.

Comparisons

Comparisons are pretty difficult as I feel the Puma Deviate Nitro 3 is, as mentioned previously, rather unique. It’s a supershoe for training, so thinking about other shoes that combine superfoams with plates, I’ve decided on the following competitors or comparative models.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 4

From Saucony, the Endorphin Speed 4 is a shoe with the brand’s PWRRUN PB foam midsole as well as a nylon plate. This said it is aimed a little more as a ‘performance’ shoe and forms part of the Endorphin line of competition shoes.

The Endorphin Speed 4 is a great shoe, feels very light, responsive and is great fun to run in, but I don’t think it is durable enough or offers enough protection for daily miles.

Saucony Kinvara Pro

Saucony also has the Kinvara Pro, a three-quarter length plated shoe with a combination of PWRRUN PB and PWRRUN foams. The Kinvara Pro has been one of my favourite all-time shoes and I ran many miles in it during the autumn and spring. It is a little heavier and a little bulkier than the Puma and it’s also a little more expensive but sits in a similar place in the brand’s lineup.

New Balance SC Trainer v3

A new model, just launched at the time of writing is the New Balance SC Trainer v3. I enjoyed the previous versions of this shoe and in fact, won a ‘downhill’ marathon in a pair of the launch version of the shoe. The super-deep stack of cushioning and plate make for fantastically soft and yet responsive cushioning which was perfect for the demands of a marathon which featured 19 miles downhill! The new version should be no different.

Mizuno is the Neo Vista

A recently released competitor from Mizuno is the Neo Vista, a high-stack shoe with a full-length glass-fibre plate to add a little propulsion. The Neo Vista is a very entertaining shoe, with a lively ride that’s positively ‘springy’. I find the Neo Vista a nice shoe to run in, but personally a little too soft for daily training. This said, others like the softer nature of the Enerzy cushioning found in the Mizuno.

My Verdict

The Puma Deviate Nitro 3 is a competitively priced daily trainer that offers much more than many others on the market.

The combination of Nitrofoam and carbon plate gives the shoe premium properties at a much more accessible price point.

It’s a lightweight shoe too, so some, particularly heavier runners will be able to make this a race-day shoe thanks to the stable nature of the design.

It’s a versatile shoe that makes easy miles a joy and faster one easier. The nitrofoam is highly responsive and there’s enough of it here to give it functionality daily.

The carbon plate isn’t just for show, it’s clearly had plenty of thought behind it and it serves its purpose well, creating a stable ride with a lively toe-off when required.

Puma are pushing the boundaries a little and taking a few risks with some of the models but perhaps fortunately for runners, they aren’t going crazy with prices. They are offering compelling footwear propositions and great price points which will draw attention to the brand and hopefully put them back at the forefront of runners’ minds when making their next footwear purchase.

The Puma Deviate Nitro 3, check it out!