Disclaimer: The Run Testers sometimes use affiliate links. This means that we may receive payment if you buy products on our website or YouTube. Our use of affiliates supports the channel and does not affect how we review shoes, tech or gear.
The Puma MagMax Nitro 2 is a max-cushioned running shoe that sits above the Puma Velocity Nitro 4 and Puma Magnify Nitro 3 in the brand’s range. It’s billed more as a springy super-trainer than a standard cushioned cruiser, with a generous stack of bouncy Nitro foam in its midsole.
In our testing, we found that the MagMax Nitro 2 was a comfortable easy run shoe, but didn’t hit the heights of the best cushioned running shoes available. It’s not as bouncy as top shoes like the Nike Vomero Plus, and other Puma cushioned shoes offer better value.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £170/$180
- Weight: 277g/9.7oz (men’s UK 8.5 / US 9.5)
- Drop: 8mm
- Stack: 46mm heel, 38mm forefoot
- Upper: Engineered mesh
- Midsole: NitroFoam
- Outsole: PumaGrip
Puma MagMax Nitro 2 review
How’s The Fit
Nick, Tom and Kieran tested the Puma MagMax Nitro 2 for our review and found it quite a roomy shoe in terms of length. Tom and Kieran were still able to stick to their normal size, but Nick went half a size down to get a better fit. If you’re in between sizes, we’d get the smaller one.
Check out more of the best running shoes
The Run Test: Likes
The MagMax Nitro 2 is impressively light for such a cushioned shoe, and has dropped a lot of weight compared with the original version of the shoe. This makes it feel more sprightly on the foot, and better for runs at anything faster than your easy pace.
It’s also a very comfortable shoe thanks to the high stack of Nitro cushioning in the midsole. The foam is soft without being too marshmallow-y, so protects the body well without making the shoe feel very sluggish.
As ever with Puma shoes, the outsole is also very reliable with regards to grip in inclement weather. We tested the shoe in the UK winter and it provided good traction on wet and slushy pavements.
Check out more of the best Puma running shoes
The Run Test: Dislikes
We rate Puma’s Nitro foam highly, but the thick midsole in the MagMax Nitro 2 didn’t deliver as bouncy a ride we expected. It’s pretty responsive, but not as springy and fun as some other cushioned shoes, such as the Nike Vomero Plus or R.A.D UFO.
That means the MagMax Nitro 2 only really worked well for us on easy daily training runs. Given that it’s more expensive than Puma’s other cushioned shoes and seems designed to rival highly versatile shoes like the Asics Megablast, it underwhelmed us a little in being more of a standard cushioned option.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Puma MagMax Nitro 2 is a good cushioned shoe, but it’s not a springy super-trainer, and only really shone for us at relaxed paces. That’s fine, but we prefer the ride of some other cushioned shoes, and Puma has an equally-good cheaper option in the Magnify Nitro 3 that we’d get instead.
If you do want a very bouncy cushioned option, then the Nike Vomero Plus is our top pick for enjoyable easy runs, while the R.A.D UFO and Asics Megablast deliver far more versatile rides as max-stack super-trainers.
Two other good options that come in cheaper and offer a little more versatility than most cushioned shoes are the Asics Novablast 5 and Hoka Clifton 10. They’re both reliable, durable daily trainers that will suit most runners well.