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THOMAS:Kudos to Puma for listening to the feedback from runners. They ditched the awkward and ineffective heel counter and replaced it with a more traditional padded collar. All that matters is it works well. There’s no more heel lift or irritation. The upper is quite elegant with thinner open mesh over the toes and tighter weave where the shoe needs structure. A strip of PWRTAPE on the medial side near the arch keeps things light but still solid. The lightly padded tongue disappears and wraps the saddle with a thin gusset. As you can guess, I had zero issues with the upper. The Puma Deviate Nitro 2 fits true to size, breathes, and has no hot spots. Even the laces offer nothing to complain about.
The Nitro foams have been well received. I didn’t have an issue with the regular Nitro in the previous model. But Puma made the foams in the Deviate Nitro 2 even better. They added a full-length layer of Nitro Elite, which is softer and returns more energy than the standard Nitro. On its own, the Nitro Elite might feel too soft, but Puma added another layer of Nitro (regular) in the heel. There’s a carbon composite Pwrplate sandwiched between the two, which does two things. First, it helps propel the energy from toe-off forward. Additionally, the plate adds stability to the platform.
As always, the base of the Deviate Nitro 2 is a Pumagrip outsole. Their rubber is one of our favorites in the industry, and they told us that this formula is even better. I don’t know the difference, so I’ll take their word for it. It still seems to kick ass.
BRANDON:I had pretty low expectations going into this review. Puma shoes have always been good, but not great. This one really lands that “great” factor for me. The Deviate’s addition of Nitro Elite foam gives it the cushioning and springy feeling I love in a running shoe. The carbon-infused plate provides enough stability and pop off the toe to enable a smooth but fast ride when I need to pick up the pace.
This daily trainer is light, versatile, smooth enough for long run days, and fast enough for tempo days. I thought the upper was comfortable, with a strong lockdown in the midfoot with a gusseted and thin tongue.
Moving to the bottom of the shoe, Puma Grip is one of the best in the biz. The grip provides enough durability for the shoe to last over 400 miles and still provide tacky traction even on the slickest terrains. I was impressed with how well I could corner in the shoe.
MEAGHAN:The guys covered most of the details, so I’ll keep this short. The step-in feel is great, the shoe is true to size, and it accommodates my wide feet well. The additional padding around the heel and collar is a welcomed update, and I had no issues with heel slippage or hot spots.
The Nitro Elite foam elevates this iteration and, paired with the Pwrplate, provides a fun pop. It took me a couple of runs to really love this shoe, but now I find myself lacing them up on back-to-back days. As if you don’t already know, the Puma Grip outsole remains a favorite. It’s the grippiest stuff out there.
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