PUMA Fast-R Nitro Elite 2 Reviews

Bought these for a spring half and used them for tempo runs and track sessions before that. Somewhere around 180 km on them now. The foam is properly bouncy, at 4:10/km pace they feel fun and quick and I ran a PB in them. Outsole grip on wet roads has been fine and it's barely worn. But they're heavy for a racer, you notice it next to other carbon shoes. The upper is tight, I went half a size up and they're still snug across the top of my foot. The heel tab rubbed my Achilles until I wore higher socks. And the extended plate at the toe keeps you pushing off the front of the foot, so by the end of a 25 km marathon pace run my calves were done. For a marathon I'd pick something else.

He felt huge propulsion and a fast rebound: a tough 6 x 2 km session went almost perfectly and faster than planned. The downside was heavy calf fatigue, as if the quick return didn't sync with his stride. At ¥35,000 he thinks cheaper alternatives exist.

One of the best non-PEBA racers he has tried, with real bounce and pop and a forefoot that makes interval paces feel sustainable. Another tester loved the soft step-in feel. The weight makes one tester hesitant to race a marathon in it.

A bouncy, maximal-stack racer whose long forefoot plate rewards runners with the calf strength to pivot off it. The extra ounce leaves it in an awkward spot between short workouts and the marathon, and the Achilles tab chafed. He wouldn't buy it at the price.