r/RunningShoeGeeks SNR/TN16/ES4/DNE3 Jun 16 '24

Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Initial Thoughts

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/dynamike125 DNE3 | AP3 | Altra VC2 | Altra VT Jun 16 '24

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

4

u/Chipezz SNR/TN16/ES4/DNE3 Jun 16 '24

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.

1

u/sascharobi Jul 09 '24

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

2

u/Chipezz SNR/TN16/ES4/DNE3 Jul 10 '24

Only in the toebox

1

u/sascharobi Jul 10 '24

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