Puma Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 Overview & First Run Review
Here's everything you need to know about the Puma Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2, the newest entry into the 5k racing segment. Below we will compare it to Puma's other race shoes, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and the Fast-R 3, and help you decide whether you should add it to your running shoe rotation.
Designed to compete with the Nike Streakfly 2, the Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 is Puma's lightest and most aggressive option. At 125g, it's significantly lighter than the Fast-R 3 but also packs less cushion underfoot. It also boasts a full carbon plate for propulsion and a reasonable $200 price tag.
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Puma Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 Specs
Stack Height/Drop: 31mm of foam in the heel, 8mm drop
Weight: 125 grams
Midsole: ATPU NITROFOAM Elite and a full-length carbon fiber plate
Price: $200
Puma Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2
Puma Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 Compared to the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
Positioning in the Market
The Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 is a lighweight, stripped back race shoe that modernizes the traditional race flat formula. It is engineered for 5k, 10k PR attempts and below. On the contrary, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and the Fast-R 3 are designed to handle the half marathon and marathon distances. The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is Puma’s approachable performance marathon racer designed to provide a stable, reliable and fast ride for a wide variety of runners while the Fast-R 3 is their ultra-aggressive, highly rockered race shoe optimized for runners with a long, powerful stride. The Fast-R 3 is our undisputed race shoe king.
Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
Stack Height and Drop
With only 31mm of foam in the heel, the Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 is much lower in stack height than the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and the Fast-R 3, both of which come in at 40mm of foam in the heel. Like many Puma shoes, all three feature an 8mm drop.
Midsole
The Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 features an ATPU Nitrofoam midsole and a relatively-flat, traditional geometry. The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and the Fast-R 3 also use the Nitrofoam midsole foam, but the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 has a gentle rocker while the Fast-R 3 has a very aggressive rocker. All have a carbon-fiber plate, but the Fast-R 3's plate protrudes out of the front of the midsole, creating a very propulsive and snappy toe-off.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4
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Price
The Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 is marketed for $200, while the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 has an MSRP of $250. The Fast-R 3, as Puma's pinnacle racer, is sold for $300.
Weight
The Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 is extremely lightweight at 125 grams in a Men's US size 9. Both the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and Fast-R 3 are also extremely light for marathon racers.
For Yowana's full first-run video review of the Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2, check out the Supwell channel on YouTube:
Summary
While the Puma Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 is not a race shoe that we would take for the half marathon or marathon distance, that is not what it is designed to do. It was engineered to do one thing very well—provide a lightweight, low-to-the-ground, snappy ride for short distance interval training and racing—and for that purpose it performs perfectly. Much like the Nike Streakfly 2, it can be described as a track spike for the roads. With a ballet slipper-like fit, an ATPU race foam, and a snappy toe-off, it provides a very planted, purposeful, and fast ride that allows you to turn your legs over quickly. Because of its low stack height and more aggressive geometry, it is not a shoe we would use for marathon workouts or for warming up before an interval-style workout. If you run a lot of mile, 5k and 10k workouts or races, it could be a great option. For those who are doing high mileage training for half marathons and full marathons, a more standard marathon racer will work well enough for any faster paced workouts or the occasional 5k or 10k road race.
For more first run reviews, check out our Overview & First Run Review of the Mizuno Wave Rider 30, ASICS Novablast 6, or the Saucony Triumph 24.
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