Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Introduction
Edna Kiplagat secured bronze on the Boston Marathon in April 2024. That is PUMA’s first podium spot at a World Marathon Main in many years. She was sporting the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 throughout that race.
PUMA says that the Deviate Nitro Elite is their lightest and their quickest shoe and that it’s designed for runners with a excessive cadence or a excessive turnover. Their different racer, the Quick-R is designed for runners who’ve an extended, extra highly effective, bounding stride.
I examined the Deviate Nitro Elite 2 two years in the past and I didn’t suppose it was a top-tier racer. It had a midsole which was thinner than most tremendous footwear (36mm/30mm) and it didn’t have a really distinguished forefoot rocker. In my view, it didn’t present as a lot pace help as top-tier racers.
Whereas most manufacturers are altering to PEBA midsoles of their racers and a number of the trainers, PUMA is doing the alternative. Each the PUMA Deviate Nitro 2 and Deviate Nitro Elite 2 had nitrogen-infused PEBA midsoles however they’ve modified to aliphatic (open chain construction) TPU midsoles of their newest variations.
The Deviate Nitro Elite 3 weighs 6.8 oz (194 g). That is 0.6 oz (17 g) lighter than the Deviate NItro Elite 2. It additionally has 4 mm extra stack top within the heel and a pair of mm extra within the forefoot. It prices $230, $30 greater than v2.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 First Impressions
My first run within the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 was a hill sprints exercise. I seen the deeper cushioning proper off the bat. It felt like a beefed up model of the Deviate Nitro Elite 2.
It felt sooner than its predecessor however I nonetheless didn’t really feel a lot of a forefoot rocker. It jogged my memory a little bit of the Nike Vaporfly 3. I didn’t discover an enormous distinction between the brand new midsole foam and the earlier one. The brand new foam felt barely firmer however extra substantial.
I used to be most impressed with the brand new higher. It was so comfy that it felt prefer it was designed particularly for my toes.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Higher
With regards to uppers, the Deviate Elite 3 is without doubt one of the extra comfy in the marketplace but it surely has a comfortable, racing match that’s not very accommodating. It’s constructed from mono-mesh which is tough and looks like plastic, just like the Deviate Elite 2. Breathability is common for a racing shoe and it doesn’t take up a lot liquid.
The flat tongue is gusseted so there’s no motion throughout working. The collar and heel tab are frivolously padded, and heel lockdown is excellent. Sadly, there isn’t a reflectivity on the higher like on model 2.
The match could be very slim, particularly within the midfoot so it’s not appropriate for vast toes. I like to recommend going true to dimension though it’s barely longer than most trainers. In the event you want much less house within the entrance of your toes, you’ll be able to in all probability go down a half dimension however solely you probably have very slim toes.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Sole Unit
By altering from supercritical PEBA to aliphatic TPU, PUMA has managed to extend the stack top whereas additionally lowering the burden; that’s a win-win. With 40 mm within the heel, the Deviate Elite 3 feels extra like a marathon tremendous shoe than its predecessor and I might simply run a marathon in it.
Utilizing a thicker midsole, the carbon plate will also be steeper and extra curved. The plate feels extra distinguished, and extra noticeable than in model 2 which is a change that I like. It nonetheless doesn’t have a excessive toe-spring so there isn’t a lot of a rocker.
PUMA says that the brand new midsole foam has 93% power return in comparison with the earlier model which was 83% however when in comparison with the highest tremendous foams from different manufacturers, PUMA’s Nitro Elite foam doesn’t compress and rebound as a lot. It feels denser which ends up in a much less bouncy, flatter experience.
In addition they state that this new foam compound retains its cushioning over the whole lot of a marathon whereas most foams begin to break down from kilometre 32. I did a 35 km future within the Deviate Elite 3 and by the tip of the run, the froth nonetheless felt contemporary and well-cushioned. That is my favorite function of the Elite 3.
One of many cons is that it has a really slim base and through some runs, I can really feel the perimeters of the midsole the place elements of my toes cling over the sting. It doesn’t trigger me any blisters but it surely’s barely annoying. I’ve very slim toes so this narrowness could possibly be an enormous drawback for some runners with vast toes. It’s additionally not notably steady.
The Deviate Elite 3 works finest as a marathon racer or lengthy tempo run coach: it’s light-weight and it looks like an extension of your toes, it simply disappears. It additionally feels first rate on straightforward or regular paces so it’s comparatively versatile. It doesn’t have sufficient ‘pop’ for the shorter, sooner stuff like intervals or V02 max exercises resulting from its midsole foam and lack of a rocker.
The one factor I’ve been actually upset with is construct high quality. The higher is already beginning to separate from the midsole within the forefoot and there’s a spot forming on the medial aspect. I skilled this identical difficulty with the PUMA Quick-R 2. After I reached out to PUMA, they stated that this drawback had been fastened in manufacturing but it surely clearly hasn’t as a result of the Deviate Elite 3 additionally has this difficulty.
The traction of the Deviate Elite 3 is excellent. I used it throughout a heavy downpour and had no slipping points. The rubber and uncovered midsole can also be very sturdy so it may be used for lots of coaching runs.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Conclusions
Generally it’s good to take the trail much less travelled however in relation to midsole foam selection, I don’t suppose that PUMA ought to have modified from PEBA to TPU. The Deviate Elite 3 doesn’t really feel as bouncy or as energetic as a number of the different top-tier racers.
We’ve seen New Stability change to PEBA of their SC Elite v4 earlier this 12 months, enhancing it by leaps and bounds.
Adidas additionally created the Adios Professional Evo 1 utilizing PEBA which is the brand new pressure that’s wreaking havoc on marathon podiums.
I take pleasure in working within the Deviate Elite 3. It’s a very good racer but it surely isn’t superb. Quite a lot of runners will probably be proud of it as a marathon racer (particularly contemplating its capability to retain cushioning over lengthy distances) however I didn’t fall in love with it. Midsole foam apart, I believe if it had a extra aggressive rocker, I might take pleasure in it much more. The rocker is what makes it really feel much less like a racing flat and extra like a brilliant shoe.
There are loads of PUMA elite runners at present performing nicely within the Deviate Elite 3 on the world stage. The earlier model of the Deviate Elite felt extra like a racing flat due to its skinny midsole however with the added stack top within the new model, it feels much more aggressive. It offers you the right tremendous shoe expertise.
Model 3 is an enchancment over model 2 in virtually each manner: it’s lighter, extra cushioned, extra comfy and it has a extra aggressive plate setup so it feels sooner. It prices much more although so it doesn’t characterize good worth like its predecessor, particularly contemplating its low construct high quality. It nonetheless nevertheless prices $20 lower than the common tremendous shoe.
I want the Deviate Elite 3 to the Quick R-2. It transitions from heel to forefoot sooner because of the steady midsole. It fits heel strikers like me higher and it feels smoother. It feels nimbler and extra agile than the Quick R-2 due to its lighter weight. It’s additionally $30 cheaper than the Quick R-2.