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 a long time. 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 assume 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 outstanding forefoot rocker. For my part, it didn’t present as a lot velocity help as top-tier racers.
Whereas most manufacturers are altering to PEBA midsoles of their racers and a few 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 peak within the heel and a couple 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 observed 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 a giant 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
In terms of uppers, the Deviate Elite 3 is likely one of the extra comfy available on the market nevertheless it has a cosy, racing match that’s not very accommodating. It’s produced from mono-mesh which is difficult and seems like plastic, just like the Deviate Elite 2. Breathability is common for a racing shoe and it doesn’t soak up a lot liquid.
The flat tongue is gusseted so there’s no motion throughout operating. The collar and heel tab are calmly padded, and heel lockdown is superb. Sadly, there isn’t any reflectivity on the higher like on model 2.
The match could be very slender, particularly within the midfoot so it’s not appropriate for extensive toes. I like to recommend going true to dimension though it’s barely longer than most trainers. In the event you choose much less house within the entrance of your toes, you’ll be able to most likely go down a half dimension however solely you probably have very slender toes.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Sole Unit
By altering from supercritical PEBA to aliphatic TPU, PUMA has managed to extend the stack peak whereas additionally lowering the load; 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 may simply run a marathon in it.
Utilizing a thicker midsole, the carbon plate may also be steeper and extra curved. The plate feels extra outstanding, 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 journey.
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 long term within the Deviate Elite 3 and by the top of the run, the froth nonetheless felt recent and well-cushioned. That is my favorite function of the Elite 3.
One of many cons is that it has a really slender base and through some runs, I can really feel the perimeters of the midsole the place components of my toes grasp over the sting. It doesn’t trigger me any blisters nevertheless it’s barely annoying. I’ve very slender toes so this narrowness may very well be a giant drawback for some runners with extensive toes. It’s additionally not notably steady.
The Deviate Elite 3 works greatest as a marathon racer or lengthy tempo run coach: it’s light-weight and it seems like an extension of your toes, it simply disappears. It additionally feels respectable 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 attributable to its midsole foam and lack of a rocker.
The one factor I’ve been actually disillusioned with is construct high quality. The higher is already beginning to separate from the midsole within the forefoot and there’s a niche forming on the medial facet. I skilled this similar difficulty with the PUMA Quick-R 2. Once I reached out to PUMA, they mentioned that this drawback had been mounted in manufacturing nevertheless it clearly hasn’t as a result of the Deviate Elite 3 additionally has this difficulty.
The traction of the Deviate Elite 3 is great. I used it throughout a heavy downpour and had no slipping points. The rubber and uncovered midsole can 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 terms of midsole foam alternative, I don’t assume that PUMA ought to have modified from PEBA to TPU. The Deviate Elite 3 doesn’t really feel as bouncy or as vigorous as a few of the different top-tier racers.
We’ve seen New Stability change to PEBA of their SC Elite v4 earlier this yr, enhancing it by leaps and bounds.
Adidas additionally created the Adios Professional Evo 1 utilizing PEBA which is the brand new power that’s wreaking havoc on marathon podiums.
I get pleasure from operating within the Deviate Elite 3. It’s a great racer nevertheless it isn’t superb. A whole lot of runners shall be proud of it as a marathon racer (particularly contemplating its potential 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 get pleasure from 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 presently performing effectively 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 peak within the new model, it feels much more aggressive. It offers you the correct tremendous shoe expertise.
Model 3 is an enchancment over model 2 in nearly 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 signify good worth like its predecessor, particularly contemplating its low construct high quality. It nonetheless nonetheless prices $20 lower than the typical tremendous shoe.
I choose 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.
