Can We Please Share the Road Until Springtime?
For a brief time every winter, we runners are forced onto the roads with the rest of the world. Can't we all just get along and share the road?
As much as we’ve all been seduced by carbon-plated racing shoes in the last few years, the biggest trend happening this year is the leveling-up of everyday trainers. Shoe brands are ditching dual-density EVA blends with full-length, extra-responsive midsole compounds that are direct derivatives of some of the best foams in those top-tier racing shoes.
The latest everyday trainer to make a splash is the Puma Velocity Nitro 4, a cushy, lightweight, and nimble shoe that can run at just about any pace and any distance. The third version of this shoe was average, but this one shines because it offers more energy return and more versatility. How’d that happen? Puma upgraded the midsole material, improved the upper, and made a few other tweaks, and now this shoe is lighter, smoother, more agile, and just better overall.
That’s good news for the base-level of the relatively affordable $140 shoe category, if that’s the type of shoe you’re seeking. Be aware that there are numerous shoes in the $150 to $180 range with even more premium materials that can lead to greater energy return. But if you’re looking for a shoe that will do a lot for a relatively good price, the Puma Velocity Nitro 4 is a good one to consider.
What’s New: The newest version of the Velocity Nitro now has a full-length slab of Puma’s soft, bouncy nitrogen-infused Nitrofoam midsole material (an aliphatic TPU foam). That’s made the Velocity Nitro 4 lighter, much more fluid, and a lot more responsive than the Nitro + EVA-based ProFoam Lite midsole of the previous edition of this shoe.
The outsole is made of durable PumaGrip rubber compound for multi-surface traction, while the upper is a premium knit material engineered for breathability and stretch, reinforced with TPU overlays embedded in the Puma logo for durability and lockdown.
Fit/Feel/Ride
Brian: The Puma Velocity Nitro 4 fits true to size (and perhaps a smidge long) with a medium volume interior that is narrow in the heel and saddle, but wider in the forefoot. (There’s room for an after-market footbed, but it is only available in a normal width.) The step-in feel is soft and comfortable with a locked-down fit made possible by a thinly padded and gusseted tongue, copiously padded heel collar, and a firm internal heel counter.
Rebecca: At first glance, I didn’t think these shoes would work for me. The toe box is pointy and I have a bunion on my left foot and, for obvious reasons, those rarely go hand in hand. But, surprisingly, they actually fit pretty well. A little snug but not so tight that my toes are squished or pushed up against the side of the shoe. The shoe’s toe box is actually triangular and angles out at right where I need the extra space. The fabric in the upper is nice and light and has some give which also makes it more comfortable for my wider foot.
Brian: The ride is soft, responsive, agile, and moderately energetic. It’s not quite as bouncy or responsive as the nitrogen-infused Nitrofoam Elite midsole foam in Puma’s FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 marathon racing super shoe, but it’s still very soft and responsive for a training shoe.
Rebecca: My heel fits nice and snug in the back, almost like it’s resting in a spongy cup. And while it feels firm and stable my full step feels light and snappy off the road. The shoe’s upper is so light you don’t even notice it. The weight distribution of the entire shoe is genius. It honestly feels like a racing flat in the toe and a trainer in the heel.
Price: $140
Approximate Weights: 6.8 oz. (women’s size 8), 8.8 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 10mm; 36mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: It’s light and springy and easy to run in for just about any type of run or workout you set out to do. The midsole is a big upgrade from last year and puts it into the same conversation with other mid-range everyday trainers, including the Salomon Aero Blaze 3. It’s a half ounce lighter than last year’s version, which is a good thing. It might have been even lighter had Puma used a thinner layer of outsole rubber and reduced some of the overlays on the upper.
Why You’ll Love It: You’ll love it because it’s another great example of a do-everything training shoe in the base price-point category. (Yes, there are less expensive shoes than $140, but those tend to be devoid of premium materials.) Although it’s near-maximally cushioned in the heel, it serves up very good feel for the ground in the forefoot. It’s light, fast, and agile enough for tempo runs and longer intervals, but it also feels right at home running slow to moderate paces for as long as you want to go.
Brian: I’ve run up to 11 miles in this shoe and have done two fartlek runs with tempo intervals embedded in the middle, and, although it’s not as poppy and lively as several other shoes in my rotation, it offers long-haul comfort. Its sweet spots are training zones 3 and 4, but it feels just fine as a shoe for recovery runs, too. If you’re a new runner or a novice runner, you’ll love this shoe because it can be the only running shoe in your arsenal.
Rebecca: As an every day trainer, this shoe is ideal. Feels like an advanced plated trainer and yet is just cushiony lightweight game day favorite. I’m a big fan.
Why You Might Not Like It: Like a lot of Puma shoes, it feels snug in the back half but very roomy in the forefoot. Combined with the old-school 10mm heel-toe offset and a lack of rocker, it feels a bit flat. It’s not sloppy, but those design aspects limited the shoe’s agility for me. While it’s one thing to allow your transverse arch to flex and your toes to splay, it might just feel too spacious in the toe box for you.
Pro: The upper of the shoes is made with at least 30 percent recycled materials.
Con: If you’re a runner who tends to dramatically pronate as your feet roll from heel to toe, this probably isn’t the shoe for you. While it won’t feel unstable for runners with strong, neutral gaits, it will definitely feel a bit wobbly for overpronators.
Boston-area contributing writer Rebecca Trachsel is a mom, a competitive age-group marathoner, a high school cross country and track coach, and music lover with a coffee problem. She’s still chasing big goals and having a blast along the way.
Senior editor Brian Metzler has wear-tested more than 2,500 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2019). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado.
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