Disclaimer: I received a pair of the PUMA Deviate Nitros to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
Well, I love these shoes! Thanks to BibRave and Puma Running, I received them as a BibRave Pro just as I was coming off of a break from running due to health issues. They made the journey a little easier. From the look to the feeling they give me, running is looking BRIGHTER than ever!
These shoes have a few unique features that set them apart from other running shoes. From the website:
Initial Impressions – Look
Right put of the box, I loved the way they looked! The color is fantastic and I love the design of the shoe. I’m a sucker for bright, colorful shoes. I think they’re sweet looking shoes.
Initial Impressions – Fit
When wearing them for the first time, I noticed the individual heel cushions right away (vs the entire heeling bsing one continuous pad) – they weren’t uncomfortable per say, just felt different than all my other shoes. After wearing them for many, many runs, I got used to the difference and don’t notice it when putting them on anymore.
They fit my feet snuggly but not too tight and the mesh material feels lightweight and breathable. They feel very comfy and my feet did not overheat even on those 100 degree days!
The shoes fit very narrow. I tend to like that because I do have long, skinny feet, but I would recommend sizing up if you lean toward wider shoes especially in the toe box area. Otherwise, I think they fit true to size. Additionally, the height on the heel around the ankle is a little higher than I’m used to and created a few rubbing spots that I fixed by wearing higher socks.
Initial Impressions – Run
My first impressions when run testing were that they were super “cushiony” and it felt like running on clouds!
I wore these shoes for runs, hikes, walking, sprinting, and just around the house to get a good feel for them. They are very responsive (due to the carbon fiber plate) and super comfortable! The cushion feels great for my aging joints and makes running feel easy as I get back into the sport.
Although they do describe the rubber sole as providing all-surface traction, I disagree and don’t recommend them for trails. I feel that they are purely road shoes because the sole is not grippy enough for rocks and dirt. I also didn’t feel quite as stable on very cambered road sides due to the height of the cushion/sole.
Additional Impressions
I usually lean toward wearing stability shoes with arch support and I don’t think these necessarily qualify as “stability shoes” but I didn’t have any issues! I am very happy with that! Usually when I wear non-stability shoes, my arch will start to get weak and tired. I didn’t have any issues with the Deviate Nitros.
Overall
These are a great road running and training shoe! Lightweight, comfy, responsive… and pretty! 😉
I highly recommend them.
Racing & Wandering 