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In this day and age, having a debate about the fastest marathon supershoes can be about as futile as picking a favorite microbrew, favorite serial streaming series, or a favorite Tom Cruise Mission Impossible movie. However, since Puma released its FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 shoe in the days before this spring’s Boston Marathon, it has received nothing but superlatives from a wide range of elite athletes, age-group runners, and shoe reviewers.
Having run in it many times since then, I can confirm it’s a really, really fast shoe. It’s been so well-received that it sold out immediately, and only recently is back in stock.
After the FAST-R Nitro Elite 2 was panned by runners and reviewers in 2023 for being snappy but a bit too heavy and firm, Puma went back to the drawing board and vastly redesigned the shoe. The biggest change is that it made the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 more than 3.3 ounces lighter—which is a huge drop—but it’s how it got there that’s important.
It’s a shoe that blends radical design with race-day purpose. It’s not just built to look fast—it’s engineered for elite performance, from the decoupled midsole to the sculpted carbon plate. It’s one of the most visually distinctive and mechanically aggressive supershoes on the market.
Of the 90 runners from 13 countries participating in a special launch program at the Boston Marathon, 30 beat their previous personal bests and 15 beat their PRs by more than 3 minutes. Puma pros Rory Linkletter and Annie Frisbee also wore the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 and had similarly stunning results. Linkletter, a Canadian runner, ran a 2:07:02 to place sixth overall, shaving 59 seconds off his previous PB, while Frisbee, who was eighth overall (and the second-fastest American, clocked a 2:23:21, shaving 2:57 off her previous best.
Ryan Ford, a 27-year-old Puma pro, turned in the best race of his young career, finishing 10th overall in 2:08:00 that was more than 3 minutes faster than his breakthrough 11th-place finish at last fall’s New York City Marathon. After just two marathons, he’s now the eighth-fastest marathoner in U.S. history.
Furthermore, independent lab tests at the University of Massachusetts Amherst concluded that FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 provides 3.15 percent improved running economy—or an estimated 4-minute, 30-second time savings for a 3-hour marathoner.
Is the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 the fastest shoe ever made? Well, that still comes down to a debate.
The men’s and women’s world records were both set Nike in Alphafly 3 shoes (Kelvin Kiptum, 2:00:45, in 2023, and Ruth Chepngetich, 2:09:56 in 2024) and Boston Marathon champions John Korir (ASICS MetaSpeed Sky Ray) and Sharon Lokedi (Under Armour’s not-yet-released Velociti Elite 3) also wore extremely light and fast shoes. Plus, both the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 and Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 have proven to be extremely fast, and the soon-to-be-released Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 and New Balance SuperComp Elite v5 are the fastest and most responsive shoes from each of those brands, respectively.
As always, it comes down to what works for you—how the shoe fits your foot, how it works with your gait, and if you’re fit enough to optimize the shoe’s speedy characteristics.
What’s New: The three biggest components of the Puma FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 are a new variation of the brand’s nitrogen-infused thermoplastic Nitrofoam Elite midsole foam, the premium, lightweight Ultraweave upper, and a new version of the curvy PWRPLATE carbon-fiber propulsion plate that extends slightly beyond the forefoot, which Puma says helps to increase the efficiency of the ride. The Puma footwear team created a cutaway chassis with nearly independent heel and forefoot modules linked only by a portion of the midsole foam and the carbon-fiber plate.
Fit/Feel/Ride: The Puma FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 fits true to size with a narrow, low-volume interior. A few wear-testers have suggested the shoe runs a bit long, but I found it just about right for my feet (and my excessively long second toes). The step-in feel is sparse like a minimalist shoe or a track shoe with scant heel collar padding, but it’s still comfortable enough for a race-day shoe. The minimalist engineered mesh upper is thin and translucent, but it’s sturdy and reinforced and really locked down my feet to the midsole chassis.
On the run, the dual-density Nitro Elite foam feels firmer in the heel for stability and softer in the forefoot for bounciness. At medium to fast paces, it gives off a featherweight sensation and a crazy responsive vibe that feels part energetic and bouncy and part supersonic rocket thrust. If you want to run all-out fast—for example, in 200-meter repeats on the track or post-run strides—it can handle everything you can give it.
Price: $300
Approximate Weights: 5.0 oz. (women’s 8); 5.8 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 40mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot)
Why It’s Great: The Puma FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 is fast and propulsive from the very first step. It’s uncanny how quick, snappy and smooth it feels. The steep heel bevel catapulted my feet forward through the stride cycle to the midfoot to the toe-off phase, where a snappy burst of energy helped accelerate my foot off the ground. It’s also a shoe that only wants to go fast and really feels awkward at even medium paces. The first few steps of any run felt slightly cumbersome, but once I got into a faster rhythm and up to speed, these shoes felt like they were self-propelled and doing the work for me.
From there, every single run I have done in the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 has been faster than I have anticipated. Or should I say FAST-R than I have anticipated?!
But don’t just take my word for it, take it from Coach Rebecca Trachsel, a competitive age-group marathoner, who says: “This shoe is so different it almost feels fake. It’s also a technical gem as there is so much going on with the design that it’s a bit mind blowing. The minute I hit the ground it was as if I was floating above it. Even through the busy streets of Boston. It doesn’t do the work but it sure as hell makes it easier.”
Why You’ll Love It: If you want a fast super shoe for your next half marathon or marathon, this is definitely one to consider. This shoe is built for runners who thrive on aggressive propulsion, lightweight responsiveness, and cutting-edge tech. If you’re focused on performance and want a shoe that maximizes every stride, this could easily become your go-to race-day weapon.
Pro: The PumaGrip outsole offers amazing traction, even on wet roads. It feels even tackier than some trail running shoe outsoles, but it doesn’t hinder the efficiency of the gait cycle.
Con: Before we crown the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 as the supreme leader of the running shoe wall at your local running shop, remember, it has to work for your feet and your gait. And truthfully, this shoe might not be for you, even if you are super fit and ready to run a personal best marathon. The aggressive rocker and lack of full heel shape could make this a slightly unstable if your gait pattern is even remotely unstable to the lateral or media side. Don’t rely on rave reviews; try it on and see how it fits the shape of your foot and how you like the snappy sensation.
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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.