tldr; Underrated carbon racer. NITRO Elite foam + carbon plate, 10mm drop, 195g. Amazing value super shoe.
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Best praise vs top criticism for Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
“I picked up the Deviate Elite 3 when it became available since I really liked the colorway and it impressed during the American Olympic trials for the marathon. Having a wide foot I purchased on running warehouse given their return policy since I was not sure how well it would fit. I always buy the 2E or wide version for about every shoe, but this year I dabbled with the Metaspeed Sky Paris (no wide) which gave me more confidence to try more aggressive shoes. I have previously purchased 2 pairs of the Deviate Nitro 2 in wide that I've used for training the past year and a half. One that I retired after 500 miles and the other getting close to the 500 mile mark. I didn't like the on paper changes made to the Deviate Nitro 3 so I figured I'd try the Elite and return of it didn't fit well. The fit overall is snug throughout the midfoot and forefoot but does not cramp. I get a little more room/length in the toe area which is nice since that is where for the Metaspeed Sky Paris I encountered slight aggravation in the final miles of my spring marathon this past year. I've been able to get a good lockdown and comfortable fit. I use a runners knot for my workout and race shoes and there is plenty of lace length for it here. I've used the shoes for workouts ranging from 9 to 16 miles that includes warm up & cool down (7 to 8:30 min/mile) and interval / threshold work (5:45 to 6:45 min/mile). At easier paces the shoes work fine and are not awkward. Faster efforts are where this shoe shines and what has me reaching for them compared to the NB SC Elite V3/4 and Boston 12s in my rotation. Overall comfort is great with plenty of stack and bounce underfoot. My foot feels protected in later miles and doesn't feel unstable. The bounce is consistent throughout and does not feel like it has materially dropped off since they were fresh. Overall I'm really happy with these given the slightly lower price compared to most racing shoes. I'm tempted to buy a fresh pair for my fall races since so far they are a bit more comfortable than the Metaspeed Sky Paris and a bit more nimble than the SC Elite v4.”
“So much more comfortable (and conforming to my foot) than the Adios Pro 3. I put them on, lace them up and am good to go. With the Adios Pro 3, even after swapping out the laces, I almost always find myself having to fiddle with the tongue or to re-tie them to avoid lace bite. As for the stress on the calves, yep I think it's the geometry. In trying to figure out why I experience more next-day calf tightness, I came across the DNE3 review on runrepeat and they mention "the DNE3 has a much more aggressive curve starting after the heel and more sharply in the forefoot, aiming to boost turnover. This design is more demanding on the muscles—especially calves."”
451 Reddit opinions analyzed • Last updated 2/24/2026