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Puma Deviate Pure Nitro Review - 82 miles

Name: Men's Puma Puma Deviate Pure Nitro
Brand: Puma
Rating: 4.3 (1 reviews)

Scott Hilton

Posted Jun 23, 2026

I had been hearing rumors of this shoe for some time. I am a fan of the Velocity 4 and the midsole compound in that shoe, but had troubles with the upper fit. So when this was released, I was excited to see what Puma released.

Total

Form

Performance

Value

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Puma Deviate Pure Nitro

4.3/5

(1)

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Pros

Lightweight
Improved upper fit
Grip performance as expected for PumaGrip
Smooth underfoot feel
Reasonable pricing

Cons

Poor marketing choices
Foam not as dynamic as I was expecting
Upper is not very breathable and doesn't shed moisture well

Review Goal:

The marketing and shoetube machine pushed this shoe pretty hard to be a "killer" of a pretty popular shoe by Adidas, the EVO SL. The EVO SL has been one of my favorite shoes since it came out. Puma's Velocity 4 has a midsole I very much enjoy, so when I heard rumors of a shoe by Puma coming that was going to be in the same category of the EVO SL, it caught my attention. The problem with the marketing machine on this shoe, is I think it actually mistargeted expectations of the shoe. After trying it on at the store, it felt like a nice lightweight shoe, but not like the EVO SL. So, my goal for the review is to see what this shoe offers, on it's own merit and then do some comparisons to other shoes that you may want to consider if you are looking for a shoe like the Pure.

Deets and usage

Weight: My size 12's came in weighing: Left 8.8 Ounces, Right 8.7 Ounces
Sample size 9: 7.5 OUnces
Heel Stack: 38mm
Drop: 8mm drop
Upper: Engineered mesh offers a lightweight, breathable package paired with a comfortable collar and tongue padding.
Outsole: PUMAGRIP rubber provides excellent grip come rain or shine, maintaining a lightweight feel without reducing traction or coverage

Midsole: NITROFOAM offers nitrogen-infused supercritical cushioning, upgraded to be lighter and offer more energy return.

MSRP: $150.00

Use cases:
I have 82 miles in the shoe. I have ran on wet and dry concrete and tarmac. I have ran easy, steady and up tempo paces. I ran 2 long runs of 13.1 and 14.25 miles. Most of my runs were between 6 and 8 miles.

I also did some walking in the shoe above and beyond the 82 miles of running.

Upper

Laces: The laces are a high quality strong lace that do their function. Nothing funky, just matching strong laces
Tongue: The tongue is lightly padded with a full gusset. The tongue also has perforations in it for breathability. I had no issues with tongue movement after lacing up the shoes on the run
Upper material: The upper is an engineered mesh. It is a plush feel and very comfortable at step in. The problem I had is in my environment at this time of year (Summer swamp in Houston), the upper felt a bit like a hot box and did not breath very well. The upper also did not seem to shed moisture very well and took a bit to dry out. The material is nice and flexible.
Heel: The heel counter is a medium rigid heel counter that holds you in place. The lock down in these shoes was superb over 82 plus miles. I didn't have to do any adjustments, had no heel slippage and no hot spots. The collar area padding is on the plush side, which also seems to absorb and hold moisture. I would have liked to see a bit less padding.
Toe Room: More room than I am used to in Puma's. Still had a little snuggness by my outer toes, but the material is flexible and has broken in over time quite well. No hot spots.
Fit: The shoe fit perfectly true to size in my size 12's.

Upper Positives: Improved fit, Quality material, nice design
Upper Negatives: Runs hot, does not shed moisture quickly

I had to leave these shoes home on a business trip due to them not drying out and having a bit of an aroma to them from holding sweat. Just something to be aware of if you are in hot humid climates, you may want to rotate shoes

Outsole

The outsole is PumaGrip, which holds to it's reputation on this model of being a very grippy outsole. It also stays true to showing wear a bit early for my mechanics due to softer rubber material, which is softer to improve grip. The outer rear side of my rubber outsole is showing solid wear at 82 miles, but it is about average for this type of outsole material. I expect average durability overall.

With the open spots of foam, I would maybe not wear these on light trail conditions that could increase damage to the open areas of foam. Grass is fine, but rocks may rip it up a bit.

Overall, very good outsole.

Midsole

I ran 13.1 miles in this shoe right out of the box. The midsole did not feel very dynamic out of the box. It has a smooth geometry, but nothing that will put you on your toes and guide you through your gate cycle. The response is snappy, but not dynamic.....bordering on firm out of the box. I was also noticing a lack of feedback under my forefoot that I like on shoes I am hoping to put into long run rotations.

Through 50 miles, the above is fairly accurate on my reflections of the shoe. The shoe is light, nimble and disappears on foot. It doesn't do the work for you, but will not get in your way. The midsole is not dynamic, but is quite "nice".

After 50ish miles, the midsole did start to break in a bit and provide a little more response underfoot. From miles say 57 to 82, the midsole became a bit more responsive underfoot. I would still not call it dynamic and I am still wanting more underfoot for long runs of say over 15 miles, but the shoe is good for most general training distances. It is just not a shoe I would use for a marathon.

This also brings a slight concern about longevity of the midsole. I am not sure if this is the same type of PEBA set up as say the New Balance Rebel, which has a reputation for the foam bottoming out early, or a different compound mixture, but with it evolving at around 50 miles, I hope that maintains and doesn't lose that underfoot feel it morphed into.

Ideally this is a shoe I would use for my daily grind type of miles, including longer sessions. However, I would probably not use it for my specific long run day shoe. I would consider the shoe for 5k to 10k fun Races, but would look elsewhere for half and full marathon activities.

It is a very nice underfoot feel, that I think marketing put in a bad position.

Final thoughts and comparisons

The main shoe the Shoetubers and marketing seem to be targeting is the Adidas EVO SL. They do share some characteristics: Same price range, full slab of upper tier foam, lightweight. However, I believe the EVO SL is more of an uptempo long run shoe that can do some daily training, but people who struggle with stability may not get along with. While the Puma is a versatile daily trainer that is stable underfoot and probably more democratic, but less dynamic and won't put you on your toes.

I really like the shoe and glad Puma has it out. I do wish the midsole had the dynamic feel of the ATPU foam in the Velocity 4, but it is still a nice underfoot feel at a very good price point in the US market.

Some other shoes you may want to look at in this range:

Li-Ning Red Hare Pro 9An ounce heavier, but I get more punch out of the midsole. Outsole is just as good on grip and may have better durability. Upper is more snug, but also sheds moisture better. Both are kind of hot uppers in the toe area, but the Li-Ning dries much faster. The Red Hare comes in 50 dollars less.
https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/4419/li-ning-red-hare-pro-9

Skechers Aero RazorA little lighter than the Puma. Upper is much more breathable, but is a little snugger. Outsole has just as good of grip, but the Puma will probably have more durability. The midsole has more punch and a rocker, so is better at speed work. I would do a half marathon race in this shoe. The Razor comes in at 10 dollars less at MSRP.
https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/4299/aero-razor

XTEP 2000KM 5 ProAbout a half ounce heavier than the Puma, but also has 4ish MM more foam under the forefoot. The outsole on the XTEP is just as good at performance and is better on durability. The upper is minimal and breathable, dries quicker than the Puma. The midsole is more geared towards Up Tempo Long runs, but is nice and punchy with a nice geometry to it. I also found it for about 70 dollars less on AliExpress than the Puma. Underrated shoe overall.
https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/4434/xtep-2000km-50-pro

Brooks Glycerin Flex (A little out of left field)2 ounces heavier than the Puma, but has a 38MM and 6mm drop. I point this out because it provides more under the forefoot for longer efforts (I did a full marathon in them). The upper is more breathable, is a nice ride without a strong rocker geometry. It has similarities to the Puma from a midsole structure (more traditional geometry), flexible designs but the Flex also 20 dollars more. I point this out because I again think Brooks could have slotted this shoe into this price range. (Yes, I know the Ghost Amp is coming)
https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/4301/brooks-glycerin-flex

Adidas EVO SLI noted this earlier, but will summarize here as well. This shoe really works well for me. I don't have issues with stability which seems to be one of the main issues with the shoe when someone doesn't like it. Adidas has enough versions of this shoe out now that if you have an issue with the OG upper, you can find a different option. The outsoles are equal in my opinion. The Uppers are going to be preference, but I didn't have heat entrapment in my EVO SLs while the Puma tongue design is superior in my opinion. The EVO also seems to have a bit more room, if that works for you. The midsole is where I think these 2 shoes are just completely different. The Lightstrike is just more dynamic and alive, which fits for how I use the shoe. The Puma is more stable for sure and is a mellowed version of PEBA. The EVO has more beef in the forefoot with much more of a rocker. I would probably actually pair these 2 shoes if I am being honest as I think they compliment each other
https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/3888/adidas-adizero-evo-sl

Other shoes you may want to consider that I don't have reviews on:
Asics Novablast 6
Saucony Azura
Brooks Ghost Amp (not yet released)

Good Times Running

I bought my pair at Good Times Running in Katy Texas (Outside of Houston). I do not have any affiliation with the store, but they are a store that does a great job of supporting the local running community. So if you are ever in West Houston and get the itch to shop for running shoes, stop by and check them out. They also sell on line. Links below.

https://www.goodtimesrunningco.com/

https://shop.goodtimesrunningco.com/