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We’ve been testing and reviewing the best running shoes for well over a decade and it’s only during the last few years that Puma has re-emerged as a major player on the road running scene. Ever since the Nitro line was launched in 2021, Puma has not only been pushing boundaries with the design of its racing shoes, but also producing some of the best value options on the market.
Right now the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 has a good case for being the best carbon racer going from any brand, while the Puma Velocity Nitro 4 and Puma Magnify Nitro 3 are both among the best cushioned running shoes available.
Below you’ll find all of our reviews of the best Puma running shoes available right now, including options for both racing and training. If you head to our YouTube channel you’ll get more in-depth reviews on each shoe along with comparisons with other Puma shoes and the equivalent options from other brands.
Who Are The Run Testers?
We are group of experienced journalists who have been covering running shoes and other kit for decades across a wide range of publications. There’s more info on the team here, and if you’ve spent any time perusing the running content on websites and in magazines in recent years there’s a good chance our bylines will ring a bell.
When it comes to Puma running shoes we’ve tested almost every shoe the brand has launched since the launch of the Nitro line, and because we’ve also been testing shoes from every other brand in that time, we’re confident that we know where each Puma options stands and whether it’s a good option to consider compared to the market at large.
The Best Puma Running Shoes 2025
Puma Velocity Nitro 4
Price: £110/$140 | Weight: 247g/8.7oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
We’ve been trumpeting the qualities of the Velocity Nitro ever since the original launched, because every version of the shoe has offered great value as a versatile daily trainer with a simple but effective design and a lower-then-average price.
Puma raised the stakes with the Velocity Nitro 4 by giving it a full aliphatic TPU midsole, making it the lightest and most responsive Velocity yet. It’s also comfortable, and retains the excellent PumaGrip outsole that makes most of the brand’s shoes top options for wet conditions.
The weak points to the Velocity Nitro are that its a narrow shoe, and not as stable or cushioned as most equivalents from other brands, but it has a livelier and faster ride than its rivals while still being comfortable for daily training.
Read our full Puma Velocity Nitro 4 review
Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
Price: £260/$250 | Weight: 187g/6.6oz (UK 9) | Drop: 8mm
The first two models of the Fast-R were interesting but slightly heavy racing shoes that didn’t match the best carbon plate running shoes available from other brands, but the Fast-R 3 is a different beast. It retains the extended carbon plate and efficient rocker of its predecessors, but in a much lighter design that delivers as fast a ride as any super-shoe.
We’ve run marathons and PB’d over shorter distances in the Fast-R 3 and it’s up there in our top-tier of carbon shoes, perhaps only matched by the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo. Even when you tire in races the Fast-R 3’s rocker helps you to keep rolling at a fast pace, and while it’s quite a demanding and aggressive racing shoe, if you’re looking to PB, it’s the Puma shoe you want on your feet.
If you prefer a more stable and natural ride, or are put off by the Fast-R 3’s high cost and limited durability, then the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 is an excellent super-shoe alternative, which you’ll find further down this list.
Read our full Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 review
Puma Magnify Nitro 3
Price: £130/$160 | Weight: 280g/9.9oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
The Magnify Nitro 3 sits above the Velocity Nitro 4 in Puma’s range as a more cushioned option for daily training. It’s also a little more expensive, but if you’re not convinced the the Velocity will be comfortable enough for you, it’s worth the upgrade to the Magnify.
Like the Velocity Nitro 4, the Magnify Nitro 3 uses a premium midsole foam at an affordable price, with the PEBA version of Nitro foam in its midsole offering a springy and comfortable ride. It’s more versatile and better for faster efforts than many cushioned shoes from other brands as a result, while still being focussed on providing comfort and protection for easy runs.
Read our full Puma Magnify Nitro 3 review
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4
Price: £210/$250 Weight: 177g/6.2oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 8mm
The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is positioned as the more approachable and affordable racer in the Puma line-up, when compared with the Fast-R 3, but those labels do the shoe a disservice, because it’s incredibly quick in its own right.
It’s a big upgrade on the Deviate Nitro Elite 3, with lighter, softer and faster design. The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 has a more natural ride than most carbon shoes, not being highly rockered or very soft and springy, but it has a very fast turnover and the aliphatic TPU midsole is very responsive.
If you need a racer than can handle a lot of training and that provides a little more support than most for the latter stages of a long event, when your form starts to break down, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is well worth looking at.
Read out full Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 review
Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2
Price: £140/$150 | Weight: 314g/11oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
The ForeverRun Nitro 2 is a stable daily trainer that offers more support and width than the likes of the Magnify Nitro 3 and Velocity Nitro 4. It uses two foams in its midsole, with a springy core surrounded by a firmer frame to provide support to both sides of the foot while you run.
It’s heavier than Puma’s other daily trainers, but a comfortable and stable pick that’s great for new runners or overpronators in particular. The ForeverRun Nitro 2 is not the best option for faster runs, but does have a bit of bounce to it to help you get going, and given that most of Puma’s shoes tend to be narrow it’s definitely worth considering if you do need some extra stability.
Read our full Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2 review
Puma MagMax Nitro 2
Price: £170/$180 | Weight: 277g/9.7oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 8mm
The MagMax Nitro 2 is the top cushioned neutral shoe in the Puma range, sitting above the Magnify and Velocity shoes both in terms of price and the amount of foam it has in its midsole. It’s a max-stack shoe that’s primarily built for comfort, but is also meant to be more versatile than most cushioned shoes thanks to the bouncy Nitro midsole.
In our testing, we found the MagMax Nitro 2 was comfortable, but lack the bounce we expected when it came to anything other than easy runs. It’s a decent cushioned daily trainer, but the Magnify Nitro 3 performs similarly well in that role, and is better value in our book.
Read our full Puma MagMax Nitro 2 review
Puma Deviate Nitro 4
Price: £150/$170 | Weight: 245g/8.6oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 8mm
The Deviate Nitro 4 is a plated training shoe that offers an impressively versatile ride. It’s comfortable enough for cruising through easy runs, and has a responsive, poppy feel that works well at faster paces as well.
It’s a lighter, nimbler and much improved shoe compared with the Deviate Nitro 3, and the best Puma shoe to go for if you want one shoe to handle every kind of run, though not as comfortable as pure cushioned shoes like the Velocity or Magnify.
There’s strong competition in its category from the likes of the Hoka Mach X3 and Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, but the Deviate Nitro 4 competes well with those rival super-trainers, and offers pretty good value for a plated trainer.
Read our full Puma Deviate Nitro 4 review