Puma Velocity NITRO Review – No Frills Daily Trainer

When we think of Puma Running…

...Well let’s be honest, for about the past decade no one has really thought of the nearly nonexistent Puma Running branch.

As of about mid-to-late 2020 that has all changed very quickly, as Puma has quickly infused plenty of money into shoe research, development, marketing, and has even gone so far as to sign high-profile athletes and sponsors a professional running team in the United States.

With that small Puma Running update aside, it has released its NITRO shoe collection with great success, and the Velocity NITRO has quickly become a force to be reckoned with in the standard daily-training shoe category.

With its signature NITRO Foam, plastic heel plate, and its adequately named Puma outsole grip, there is a lot to get excited about for a “do-it-all” daily trainer that can compete with the like of the Nike Pegasus, Brooks Launch, and Saucony Kinvara or Ride.

Puma Velocity NITRO Review - The "No Frills" Daily Running Shoes

Does it actually meet up the standards of these other famous daily trainers? Let’s dig in and find out.

As per usual with my shoe reviews, My pal Noble does the deep analysis on video!

Puma Velocity Nitro UPPER - Materials and Lockdown

At first glance, the Velocity NITRO seems like quite a simple shoe, with what looks like a pretty standard mesh upper and a proprietary foam with a solid outsole, but there are actually a couple more layers to this shoe, and we will cover all of those layers, starting with the upper.

Puma is implementing a Dual-Layer Mesh to comprise the upper, it almost feels like a bootie construction around the ankle area, which has a lot to do with the fully gusseted tongue wrapping comfortably around the top of the foot.

The lockdown is secure and the lacing system is smooth and easy to use, but I have felt some small issues with breathability, which is a rising concern as we ease into the warmer months of the year.

The width is pretty standard, so most feet should feel comfortable, but extra wide feet might seek out different options.

As far as support, there is definitely a pretty rigid TPU Heel Counter to keep your foot locked in from behind. It has not caused any irritation or rubbing, so it is working out overall.

POSITIVE: Comfortable Lockdown

DRAWBACK: Breathability Problems

MIDSOLE/OUTSOLE - Responsive With Impact Absorption & Grippy

We will get right into it. Usually, it takes a shoe company a couple of tries on the market before getting a good foam out there for the people, but the Puma Velocity NITRO Foam is definitely onto something.

Even in my first run, I was impressed with the responsive nature of the shoe at the toe-off, but it was pleasantly surprising that the foam also provides some great impact absorption (especially in the heel). Overall solid spacing for the toe box. 

Those who like a shoe that is lower to the ground will enjoy the ride of this midsole, it is stripped back, but still manages to reduce the impact when your foot strikes the ground. I love when a shoe can provide the best of both worlds.

So the midsole is pretty good, but what’s up with the bottom of the shoe?

It is rare that a shoe company will name an outsole rubber after their company, but in this case, we get PUMA Grip, and the traction is great. I felt like I could take tight turns easily and never had issues with slipping.

Finally, there are some Flex Groove in the midfoot and heel areas for a better transition in your heel-to-toe off.

I do not think it is the best implementation of flex grooves I’ve seen in a shoe (Brooks Ghost and Adrenaline do an amazing job at flex grooves), but it does not ruin my enjoyment of the overall ride.

POSITIVE: Snappy Toe Off With Versatile NITRO foam

Other Running Shoes Similar to the Puma Velocity NITRO:

• Nike Pegasus 37
• Saucony Kinvara 12
• Brooks Launch 8
• New Balance Beacon v3

Durability Prediction - 400-500 Miles (645-805km)

I have a good feeling about this shoe. Even though it is a stripped-back shoe the Velocity NITRO should probably get you somewhere around 400-500 miles of solid performance.

After this point, I bet it will stop absorbing impact and will probably end up feeling flat.

The durability of a shoe always depends on the surface you run on, the density of the runs you do, and your individual biomechanics, but this seems like a fair estimate that is consistent with other shoes of this caliber on the market these days.

Best Uses - Daily Training, Steady Runs, Long Runs, Workouts

Although it is made as a daily trainer that does not play any favorites in regards to the type of running it’s best for I would say that you’re going to enjoy the Velocity NITRO most at steady or faster paces.

This would include steady runs, long runs, tempo runs, progression runs, and long interval sessions.

Furthermore, I think that the Velocity NITRO will serve you well as a commuter or stability shoe, that is to say, you could easily run to your local track or dirt road as a warm-up and then run the entire workout in the shoe as well.

There seems to be a lot of versatility for this shoe, but I won’t recommend it for ultra-easy runs, or exceptionally fast runs.

Conclusion - Adding a pep to your step!

There are a lot of great things going on with this versatile shoe. It feels like the Velocity NITRO fills in for just about any runner’s wants and needs.

Do you want to ease up on the pace? Pick it up on a training run? Get after it on a tempo run? Puma Velocity NITRO has got your back in all of those cases. It is a responsive daily trainer that gets the job done for nearly every occasion.

Should You Get The Puma Velocity NITRO?

If you are looking for an affordable daily trainer that is going to serve you well through most of a training block or season, or a shoe that can cross over into many different running types and pace ranges then the Velocity NITRO is definitely worth a try.

Also, It is always exciting to see a company investing more into the sport of running. It helps everyone when more companies decide to hop into the ring and provides opportunities to athletes and pushes shoe technology forward. For these reasons, I think the Velocity NITRO is worth a shot.