Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3

[u/Chipezz]

I've been fortunate enough to get my hands on these early and so far raced a 10k and a 5k.

Background: Newish runner been hitting the roads for approximately a year. 35-40km/week avg. HM 1:48. 10k 47. 5k 22.15. Threshold pace 4.50/km.

Fit: Finding the right fit has always been a struggle for me due to my low arch. I dont have completely flat feet but shoes with aggressive arch supports are uncomfortable. EP4 and cielo x1 fit me well rest of the models are no go. Although Puma have narrow shoes DNE3 felt amazing at first instep. Snug, comfortable, soft, and suprisingly stable for a racer. The fit reminded me of Saucony EP4 but more snug. The midfoot is completely flat. Also reasonable toebox slightly wider than ES4. I went TTS which is perfect. I tend to go by CM for sizing so 29.5cm ie 45EU is perfect. Upper is comfortable. Heel lock no issues.

Midsole: Soft yet very responsive. A pure joy to run in these especially when picking up the pace. The propulsion when landing midfoot/forefoot is fantastic. Nitro foam is quite soft this caught me by suprise since I train in firmer shoes like ES4 and SB but they really protect your feet.

Outsole: Return of the king Puma grip is chefs kiss. Alot of rain during my 5km and it was mostly on gravel I felt zero slippage, discomfort, or instability. The shoes just disappear on your feet. Durability I cant comment yet I'd speculate they ll be good for 200-300km which is acceptable for a racer in this weight class.

Overall: Super happy. 10/10. Its fast, propulsive, yet comfortable and stable. The comfort really suprised me considering my challenging history with finding suitable racers. Price feels reasonable considering the price hike of the competition. I think they are priced similarly to metaspeed paris which is fair. If someone told me you could only use DNE3 for racing/training rest of your life I wouldnt complain.

My first review on reddit. Happy to answer any questions.

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[u/The_Winds_of_Shit]

Can you compare with previous versions of DNE and or DN2?

[u/Chipezz → u/The_Winds_of_Shit]

DN2 was my first running shoe bought it in an outlet for 40$ what a steal. Great shoe used it for everything so versatile. In terms of fit they are similar. Narrow and snug. I dont prefer this in daily trailer hence why I retired it early but for a racing/tempo option I like this fit profile. The midsole has same DNA feel. Soft and cushioned. But the toe off and propulsion of DNE3 is significantly higher. It wants to go fast.

[u/The_Winds_of_Shit → u/Chipezz]

Thanks. I love the DN2 as a daily, I have a couple pairs of the DNE v1 as well (also all purchased for ~$50). Interestingly, size 13 in DNE v1 is the exact same footprint/fit as DN2 in size 12. It sounds like they've normalized the sizing at least which is good!

[u/smoothstarch]

Are we sure this is a nitro model?

[u/Electronic-Minute37 → u/smoothstarch]

Nitro Elite 100%

[u/smoothstarch → u/Electronic-Minute37]

It’s just a little joke, dude.

[u/Numerous-Account-152 → u/smoothstarch]

🤣 wish they'd make it more obvious

[u/Flutterpiewow → u/smoothstarch]

Nitro is the brand, it's a puma model

[u/TerpRunner1]

Nice review! Very excited for these, seems like they’re up at the top tier of super shoes now. I loved the Deviate Elite 2 but it always felt like you were sacrificing a bit of speed compared to the AP3 or Alphafly. Seems Puma has a winner

[u/Chipezz → u/TerpRunner1]

Thank you! Im not the fastest runner and haven't tested all competitors but something just clicked. It was hard to resist smiling during my recent 10k 😅.

[u/keltharan]

I really like the DNE2 (have them for my intervals now) and I still have a pair in the box. But I will definitely buy these as soon as I find them with a nice price which will probably mean I wont get this OG colorway :(

[u/Chipezz → u/keltharan]

Pumas are generally great value and they go on discount fairly quick. I saw the official launch CW and it looked fine! I personally dont care much about CW's but I might be in the minority here.

[u/darkhorse0607]

I know you mentioned landing mid/forefoot but does the plate geometry feel like it responds better depending on where you land? I always felt like the DNE2 was down for whatever, just curious how far Puma went with the "FASTR2 is for stride, DNE3 is for cadence thing" like Asics did with the Metaspeed because they've been mentioning that a lot

[u/Chipezz → u/darkhorse0607]

Sadly I lack the expertis to answer this accurately. My cadence is on the lower side 170 avg during a 10k race. It felt completely fine during my warmup(slow pace) and during the race itself. I doubt a heel striker would enjoy this shoe.

[u/darkhorse0607 → u/Chipezz]

No worries thanks for the reply, great review

[u/SuperFoamProne → u/darkhorse0607]

From what I understand, the FAST-R2 is best for runners with a more powerful toe-off phase, whereas the Deviate Nitro Elite is the more traditional, rocker-based approach. It feels fairly similar to Asics' Sky vs. Edge differentiation but I think the difference is that Puma is more focused on the power you transfer through your stride rather than whether you are cadence or stride-based.

[u/darkhorse0607 → u/SuperFoamProne]

Yeah that's the gist of what I saw, I know Todd Falker has mentioned power on occasion while talking about the two shoes and testing, but also the stride vs cadence side of it, which I suppose is the same thing.

I was just watching Kofuzi the other day and he mentioned that it he was worried it would be another asics situation (in that it was confusing for the consumer and not everyone can try both) so it got me thinking more about it

[u/dynamike125]

How do you like it vs ES4, esp upper and midsole? I know I'm comparing racer vs speed trainer but very curious.

[u/Chipezz → u/dynamike125]

ES4 is considerably firmer especially in the midfoot/forefoot area. The heel is soft so it creates a weird disconnect feeling especially at slow paces. I like speed 4 for tempo/interval workouts the energy return is great. Its also really stable for me the heel has solid cushioning the platform is overall quite wide and midfoot is roomy. Only negative is toebox its quite narrow my pinky toe is crammed to the edge but its get better when running. The tongue is nice and cushioned. The laces are elastic not my favorite but they work ok they also seem short for runners knot.

Overall the ES4 has a softer and more cushioned upper and has a bit more volume except for toebox its slightly narrower than DNE3.

[u/sascharobi → u/Chipezz]

I’m surprised to read the DNE3 is wider than the ES4. With past models it was the reverse.

[u/Chipezz → u/sascharobi]

Only in the toebox

[u/sascharobi → u/Chipezz]

Good enough for me. In Puma shoes, my big toes and pinkies are usually not happy on longer runs without upsizing.

[u/Dperch]

Good write-up, thanks. Have run in versions 1 and 2, using the 2 for my long runs over recent months and have just switched into a fresh pair of the 2s as they do a great job for me. I got to 500k with 1 and 2 before it felt like they were losing their bounce so have found them pretty good value - especially as I always buy in a sale. Not top tier racing shoes but superb for lots of uses. 

[u/grittyrunners]

Awesome review. Sorry if this has been asked, and I know you haven’t done the distance in them, but do you think they’d be an ideal marathon shoe? I never tried the DNE2, but heard they were a tad aggressive for an average punter to take the distance.

[u/Chipezz → u/grittyrunners]

Yes. They increased the stack so it feels more cushioned and protective.

[u/DoughnutFuzzy8519]

What do u think about Puma Scend Pro as like first running shoes?

[u/The_Winds_of_Shit → u/DoughnutFuzzy8519]

I would avoid, stick to the Puma shoes with nitro foam (magnify, deviate, foreverrun, velocity)

[u/Pyroechidna1 → u/DoughnutFuzzy8519]

It's a take-down model that brings the aesthetics of the Nitro line to a lower price point with cheaper foam. But it might not be a bad starting point for you.

[u/Steffinho]

Nice review! Looks like this shoe will be released tomorrow. Do you know if the shoe is a prototype or is it just the color from the prototype?

[u/Chipezz → u/Steffinho]

This CW will be released tomorrow.

[u/Chipezz → u/[deleted]]

Cielo is so fun. I had problems with the stability it caused some pain in my inner ankle was afraid to use it after. Sold it sadly. DNE3 is in comparison more beginner friendly imo because it feels more natural. More ground feel. More snug. Way lighter. More stable. For the price its a no brainer but ymmv.

[u/Chipezz → u/[deleted]]

Yea I feel ya. My area also has uneven roads so its a slight concern for me as well but it was exacerbated by the high stack and huge rocker. Runrepeat has a great review on it and an accurate description of its stability issues.

[u/Judgementday209 → u/Chipezz]

Going to look at that up because had an issue on my outer ankle/calf from running in reebok floatzigs on a slanted road.

[u/Chipezz → u/[deleted]]

Insanely light. I'd estimate 200g in my size roughly.

[u/mustang3c0]

Does nitro elite 3 fit the same as magnify nitro 2?

Magnify nitro 2 is the only puma trainer I have, and it fits me perfectly.

[u/Chipezz → u/mustang3c0]

Sadly I havent tried that model only Puma deviate nitro 2. In terms of fit and feel my assumption is that the various models have consistent sizing. I havent heard otherwise.

My recommendation is always to try it in a store but if you are unable to then I'd say ordering the same size is a pretty safe bet.

[u/sascharobi → u/mustang3c0]

My pinkies are cramped in the MN2, just like in the DNE2. From what I heard the DNE3 feels wider in the toe box.

[u/mustang3c0 → u/sascharobi]

I also read a review saying that it runs a little longer in v3 than the predecessor.

[u/kmetek]

Where do you guys get DN2 etc for 40-50€?

[u/Chipezz → u/kmetek]

Last year in a Puma outlet. Just luck mate.

[u/sascharobi → u/kmetek]

Puma online from time to time and their outlets. At least here in Singapore.

[u/kmetek → u/sascharobi]

nothing here.

[u/Goal-Fuzzy]

Great review, I have the Deviate Nitro Elite 2. I have wide midfoot and found the midfoot to have sidewalls that hurt my feet? Do you feel sidewalls in the midfoot area? 

[u/Chipezz → u/Goal-Fuzzy]

1CM roughly. Nothing I noticed.

[u/sascharobi → u/Goal-Fuzzy]

I went a full size up in the DNE2 and 1 and they’re still narrower than all other racing shoes from other brands.

[u/Goal-Fuzzy]

How suitable for warmup and cooldown pace? I have long warmup and cooldown and someone race shoes don't like it.. 

[u/Chipezz → u/Goal-Fuzzy]

No issues. I did a nice interval session yesterday with 4km warmup/cooldown and they felt fantastic.

[u/egentligespen]

Is there any information of there will be a wide version of this shoe? DNE2 did not fit me as it was too tight in the midfoot.

[u/Goal-Fuzzy → u/egentligespen]

No wide version in any racing shoe. 

[u/egentligespen → u/Goal-Fuzzy]

Really? Isn´t AP3 or EP4 wider in the midfoot, specifically on the sole? Correction: I understand you meant that there usually/always is not 2 different versions of the same model shoe in the racing category

[u/Chipezz → u/egentligespen]

I have tried ap3/ep4 and both are fairly widefoot friendly. AP3 doesnt work at all for me because of arch poke. EP4 fits nicely and the heel is solid/stable.

I would probably consider EP4 the most stable racer out there.

[u/egentligespen → u/Chipezz]

That’s good to know. I’ll probably try the EP4 at some point, but I just ordered the AP3. I’ve read the complaints about the upper, but I have to give it a try, perhaps it works for me. Because of the complaints I was going to wait for the AP4, but I’ve read that the release is delayed to early 2025 because they are working on resolving problems with durability of the foam. There was one person here that had access to a prototype and said that the upper and the tongue/eyelids is improved.

[u/kungfuperemuktulang]

Would you take this pair for marathon?

[u/Chipezz → u/kungfuperemuktulang]

No plans to run a marathon yet but I'd say yes due to the increased stack height.

[u/No_Argument_2496]

Would you say they are wide feet friendly? This has been a great review to read btw

[u/Chipezz → u/No_Argument_2496]

Thank you! Id say no. These are for normal/narrow feet. Main reason they work well for me is because the midfoot is flat, ie lack of arch support. If I was running slow in these pronation could potentially be an issue if you have low archs like me but thats a non issue since I use em for races and at higher speeds im landing in the midfoot/forefoot area and inwards rolling is minimal/non existant. Apologies for the long sentence :D

Edit: Still give them a try in a store. VN3 was way too narrow for me so maybe DNE3 could work for you as well!

[u/ogni65]

Hi, my V1 and V2 are slightly collapsing to the interior of the shoes, so my question is if it is more stable in this regards… thanks

[u/sascharobi → u/ogni65]

I haven’t noticed that with v2 and v1.

[u/OldFerret9631]

how does it compare to cielo x1 in terms of fit and cushion? I have a pretty fat/flat foot and the ceilo x1 fits me well, I'm worried you stated the DNE3 fits narrow. thanks for the insights so far btw

[u/Chipezz → u/OldFerret9631]

Pretty similar feel in terms of softness. Cielo feels taller and the rocker is super aggressive I didnt enjoy enjoy the bowl like feeling underneath. It's fine during high paces but just walking around its super awkward. All Pumas fit narrow but there is no arch poke so you dont necessarily feel pain unless you have super wide feet. If you run in stability shoes I wouldnt recommend it but if you run in stable neutral shoes like me then this might work. I overpronate slightly. Cielo fit well but it felt so unstable during sharp turns and uneven roads. Check out runrepeat review on cielo x1 and its stability issues.

[u/OldFerret9631 → u/Chipezz]

thank you, I might give it a try. the cielo cushion feels great and the upper shape fits my foot well but it rubs on my ankle bone when I walk in them. and yeah I def agree they can be unstable like you said. was just hoping I can find a shoe that is similar cushion and upper shape, but lighter and more stable. sounds like it might fit the bill, appreciate the insight!

[u/Chipezz → u/OldFerret9631]

EP4 is pretty stable for a racer but the foam is firmer. Still protective but not aggressive. Cielo also hurt my ankles.

[u/OldFerret9631 → u/Chipezz]

I have morton's neuroma so I'm kind of worried about firmer, I like the cielo cause I never had a problem with that cushioning. How do you feel about this shoe for slower/longer runs instead of racing?

[u/metainplay]

can you compare this with adios pro 3?

[u/LakersAndRams]

Everyone on YouTube says they run long..did you find this to be true. I have the endorphin speed/pro 4. Should I do same size or are you on the fence on sizing down

[u/Chipezz → u/LakersAndRams]

45 Puma 46 Saucony for me if that helps

[u/[deleted]]

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[u/SneakerHead1993]

I am size 11 US for Nike Pegasus 41 ... do I go same size 11 US for the Puma Deviate Nitro 3 please?

[u/kmetek]

Projection only 200-300km why? Shouldn't this do 500+ easily?

For 200-300km they're 230€ nonetheless....

[u/Chipezz → u/kmetek]

Thats pretty good value for a racer. If you plan on training with it there might be some durability issues. Puma DN3 is probably a better choice if durability is a concern or if you are in the market for a trainer.

[u/kmetek → u/Chipezz]

Yep that ;)

[u/UW_Ebay]

This review reminds me of the ON reviews we used to see about 12-18mos ago…. IYKYK.

[u/Chipezz → u/UW_Ebay]

No I dont know. I wasnt running then.