Puma Velocity Nitro 4: 65-Mile Review

My size 12's came in weighing: Left 9.0 Ounces, Right 9.0 Ounces
Sample size weight: (Men size 9) 8.0 ounces
Heel Stack: 34 MM
Drop: 10 MM
Upper: Engineered mesh is thinner, lighter, and more breathable, with improved fit in the forefoot. PWRTAPE overlays provide just the right amount of supportive structure

Outsole: PUMAGRIP rubber creates a thick layer of broad coverage for long-lasting durability and class-leading multi-surface traction.
Midsole: NITROFOAM supercritical cushioning forms the full midsole, instead of the previous dual-foam setup. This NITROFOAM is lighter, smoother, and more responsive than before.
MSRP: $140 USD

Puma and Puma dealers run deals on their shoes at a fairly common clip, so if you are shopping for this shoe, keep an eye on deals. 

I ran on Dirt, Blacktop, concrete and track surfaces.   I also ran on some wet blacktop and concrete surfaces.  My longest run in the shoes was 10 miles.  I put 65 miles overall in the shoes for my testing mileage. 

Laces: Fairly standard, but good quality laces that never came undone. 
Tongue: The tongue is fully gusseted, nicely padded but on the minimum side of padding with a protective strip for protection against lace bite.  I had no issues with lace bite in this shoe.
Upper material: A nice lightweight engineered mesh upper.  Exactly the type of upper I like for a lightweight trainer.  Has some structure to it, but it is not overdone. 
Heel: Nicely structured, semi-rigid heel system.  I did not experience any heel slippage, rubbing or irritation and did not have to do anything unusual to get a nice lock down
Collar: They have just the right amount of padding for this runner in the shoe set up.  It is not too puffy, but provides nice protection and comfort.
Toe Room:  I did a demo run in version 3 and the toe room was just way to tight for me.  They have opened up version 4 some and I can now run in it, but it is still tighter than I prefer and I had to do some configurations to get it to that point (see fit)
Fit: The overall fit is "true to size....ish".  My left foot is my "little bit larger" foot.  In general, size 12 works for me across brands and models.  When I tried these on in the store, my toe was banging the front of the shoe and the toe box was tight.  The owner of the store suggested I tap down on the shoe to move my foot back into the heel area and then use the lace lock openings to further manipulate the shoe forward in fit.  It did work, mostly. 

Underfoot on the run, the toe box area is still snug regardless of manipulations done for the fit.  If I get a slight bit of swelling from the run or foot movement, my toes are right at the front of the shoe.  I wish Puma would just round out the toe box area as I think it would really open up the shoe quite a bit for more people.  

If you have a leaner foot, you could consider sizing up half a size.  However, the fit through the midfoot area is also snug, but for me in a good way.  It just may cause issues for those who have more meaty feet. 

Puma is well known for their Pumagrip rubber outsole material.  I ran on wet blacktop and concrete and from a traction standpoint, it lived up to it's name.  The outsole will work on offroad surface types with no issue (light trail). 

Pumagrip is a softer material, that is part of how they get the tacky grippy result.  The one downfall in my experience with this type of material is I tend to wear it a bit quicker.  This is showing true on these shoes as well as my high wear area is wearing down at 65 miles.  I would project a fairly standard durability on these shoes (around 300 miles) for me.  If you are lighter on your feet it may not be a problem

The midsole is the absolute star of this shoe.  It is fun as h*ll to run in.   Even with the tight toe box and occasional toe rub, the shoe is just outright fun.  If you are looking for a shoe for track work, this is a shoe you should consider.  I did a progression run with this shoe on the track and it was crackin'.  

If I were to have the ability to manipulate this shoe just a bit, I would open the toe box some and add 2 mm of foam in the heel and 4mm to the forefoot.  Make this an 8mm drop shoe with some additional toe room and I think you make a very good shoe, a top contender overall for a daily trainer. 

With the tightness in the toe box, 10mm drop I would keep this shoe at under 10 mile runs.  The peak distances are probably workout sessions from 3 to 7 miles.  The midsole is brilliant, it just needs a little more underfoot for longer distance runs for me. 

At the price point of this shoe and the absolute fun it is to run in, this is a shoe I would highly recommend for short to mid distance workouts/track work/fun runs for those who have accommodating feet to more narrow midfoot/toe box shoes.  If you have a higher volume foot, I would recommend you try this shoe on before buying to ensure your foot will fit. 

Puma does consistently do sales along with some of their storefronts, so a shoe that is already at a good price point in today's world, you can find at even lower prices if you are patient and monitor sites that do consistent sales. 

If I were to sum up this shoe in one word, that word is FUN!

@puma - Please open the toe box