Road Daily Trainer

Puma Deviate Pure Nitro

FORDY RUNS calls the Deviate Pure the running shoe surprise of 2026 — a smooth, versatile daily trainer that handles easy miles and uptempo work, and a serious contender for shoe of the year in his view. — FORDY RUNS

Physical blueprint

Where this shoe sits

Weight 213 g

Heel stack 37.0 mm

Drop 8.0 mm

Cushioning High

Best for

Long RunsDaily TrainingTempo & Speed

Suits Forefoot, Heel, Midfoot strikers

Pronation Neutral

Surface Road

Specifications

Weight (M9)

213g (7.5 oz)

Stack (Heel)

37.0 mm

Stack (Forefoot)

29.0 mm

Drop

8.0 mm

Midsole

NITROFOAM (supercritical PEBA)

Outsole

PUMAGRIP rubber

Upper

Engineered mesh

Lacing

Traditional

Fit Profile

Length

True To Size

Forefoot Width

Standard

Midfoot Width

Average

Heel Width

Average

Lockdown

Good

Toe Box

Average

Sizing

True To Size

Ride Characteristics

Cushioning

High

Stability

Neutral

Durability

Outsole

Above Average

Expert reviews · 6 reviewers · grouped per channel

Believe in the Run Youtube ↗

A lightweight plateless take on the Deviate with great PEBA-based Nitro foam, tacky Puma grip and one of the best uppers they've tested this year, though it lacks the toe-off snap for true tempo work.

Best for: Up-tempo daily miles per Puma's intent, though one tester preferred it for easy days

source

+1 earlier review from Believe in the Run

A really good-looking, lightweight, $150 daily trainer with a fantastic upper and great Puma Grip, but the plateless foam lays flat without the propulsive bounce the hype promised, so it falls short as an uptempo or Evo SL killer; overall a green light.

Best for: A lightweight, comfortable, good-value daily trainer rather than an uptempo or race-day shoe

12 miles tested · source

Doctors of Running Youtube ↑

A soft, very bouncy versatile trainer with a simple upper and gradual rocker that can handle faster paces as well as easy runs.

source

+2 earlier reviews from Doctors of Running

Matt rates the Deviate Nitro Pure as one of the best well-rounded shoes in the budget performance trainer category — not the best at any single task but very good at everything, with excellent durability so far.

Best for: Runners wanting one well-rounded, neutral do-it-all performance trainer for easy runs, workouts, long runs, and even races.

70 miles tested · source

A beautifully simple, lightweight daily trainer with nothing fancy but a really good geometry; the kind of straightforward shoe that's sometimes exactly what you want.

Best for: Simple, lightweight daily trainer for easy miles that can also pick up the pace

source

EDDBUD Youtube ↗

EDDBUD finds the Deviate Pure Nitro stuck between performance and daily roles, doing many things okay without mastering any; he likes its price and grip but would pick the Evo SL, Novablast 6, and RAD Synth over it in each head-to-head.

Best for: Easy daily miles for runners who want impact protection and a stable ride at a reasonable price

source

+1 earlier review from EDDBUD

EDDBUD rates it a fun, well-built, great-value plateless daily trainer that he sees as an alternative to rather than a beater of the Adidas Evo SL, with the Adidas still feeling more nimble and up for it. Better laces, a longer tongue, and a better insole away from shoe-of-the-year contention, but excellent durability and Puma Grip outsole make it hard to fault for the money.

Best for: Daily miles with some speedwork mixed in, and as a potential marathon training shoe for runners who want a wider, more stable landing platform than the Evo SL.

source

FORDY RUNS Youtube ↑

Fordy gives the Deviate Pure the head-to-head win over the Evo SL on weight, stability, versatility and upper, saying it has taken the good bits of the Evo SL and improved them — though he stresses both shoes are phenomenal and it is almost a draw.

Best for: Runners who want a stable, versatile, lightweight plateless up-tempo daily trainer with super foam at an affordable price

source

+2 earlier reviews from FORDY RUNS

Best for: Daily training miles with the versatility to pick up the pace

source

FORDY RUNS calls this a contender for running shoe of the year: a plateless, full-PEBA up-tempo daily trainer that is hugely versatile across paces, light, well-priced at £130, and a strong alternative to the Adidas Adizero Evo SL.

Best for: Everyday runners wanting one versatile, affordable, lightweight up-tempo daily trainer that can handle easy runs, faster sessions, parkruns, 5Ks and 10Ks, and slot into many rotations

source

Kofuzi Youtube ↑

An excellent, lightweight, versatile and fun daily trainer that nails performance, recommendability and a $150 price; Kofuzi's running shoe of the year, strongest across the broad band of everyday paces that make up most weekly running.

Best for: A lightweight, versatile, fun daily trainer for a wide array of neutral runners across the easy-to-tempo band of paces

source

The Run Testers Youtube ↑

An immediately likeable, energetic non-plated daily trainer with a brilliant poppy, bouncy yet controlled midsole; on the first run the tester rated it possibly the best Puma shoe he has run in and a potentially very versatile shoe.

Best for: An energetic daily trainer for a range of paces, from easy cruising to faster running, in the vein of the Adidas Evo SL and Saucony Endorphin Azura.

7 miles tested · source

Frequently asked questions

How does the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro fit?

Reviewers note: True to size — comfortable and roomy enough up front, unlike many Puma shoes which run narrow; good midfoot lockdown and security with no lace pinch. Very wide feet might go half a size up at the cost of length.

Per The Run Testers.

How much does the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro weigh and what is its drop?

The Puma Deviate Pure Nitro weighs about 213g (men's 9), has a 37.0mm heel stack and a 8.0mm heel-toe drop.

What shoes is the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro compared to?

Reviewers compare the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro to Puma Velocity Nitro, Puma Deviate Nitro 4, Adidas Adizero Evo SL, New Balance FuelCell Rebel.

Per The Run Testers, Believe in the Run, Doctors of Running, Kofuzi, FORDY RUNS, EDDBUD.

How many experts have reviewed the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro?

Next Pair aggregates 12 expert reviews of the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro, including FORDY RUNS, The Run Testers, Believe in the Run.

Per FORDY RUNS, The Run Testers, Believe in the Run.

Where it sits among similar shoes

Compared to other road daily trainer in the same lane.

Weight · lower = lighter Men's size 9

Puma Deviate Pure Nitro

213g

ASICS GT-2000 13

230g

ASICS Megablast

221g

Puma Velocity Nitro 4

227g

Heel stack · higher = more cushioning mm

Puma Deviate Pure Nitro

37.0mm

ASICS GT-2000 13

36.0mm

ASICS Megablast

45.0mm

Puma Velocity Nitro 4

34.0mm

Drop · higher = more heel-leaning mm

Puma Deviate Pure Nitro

8.0mm

ASICS GT-2000 13

8.0mm

ASICS Megablast

8.0mm

Puma Velocity Nitro 4

10.0mm

Continue reading

Foam guide

How PEBA / Pebax foam works

Read the explainer

Similar shoes

Puma Velocity Nitro 4

227g · 10.0mm drop

New Balance Rebel 4

210g · 6.0mm drop

Methodology. Specs come from manufacturer data and authoritative third-party catalogs. Reviewer verdicts are summarized from named, linked sources — never copied verbatim. We weight clinical and lab-tested sources more heavily than community commentary, but the specific weights stay internal. Never sponsored, never paid placement.

Last updated 2026-06-14