Best Running Shoe Bargains: 8 Deals Worth Checking Right Now

Introduction

As the colder months roll in, retailers start clearing out stock, and that is when some of the best running shoe discounts of the year appear. This roundup brings together eight deals worth a look, covering everything from half-price super shoes to winter-ready daily trainers. Every price and detail below reflects what is currently available, along with sizing quirks worth knowing before you click buy.

Puma Fast Forward Nitro Elite

A full size run of the Puma Fast Forward Nitro Elite is still available at Start Fitness, in a mismatched blue and red colorway. At around £105, it looks like roughly half price, which suggests this shoe never quite found its audience. The outsole grip gets strong marks and the midsole stack is slightly more minimal than typical super shoes, which could make it a superb track shoe. Most runners will probably use it for shorter road distances like the 5K or 10K.

The unusual mismatched colorway and somewhat odd outsole design may have put some people off, but at this price it deserves a second look if you want an affordable short-distance racer.

Puma Fast R Nitro Elite V1

Lots of pairs of the Fast R Nitro Elite V1 are also sitting at Start Fitness, and plenty of runners have already picked these up and loved them. This one always carried a hint of a tempo-leaning character, and the firmer heel adds a bit of stability at the back. The decoupled forefoot and heel midsole design draws mixed comments, but grip is plentiful and the race-ready upper is a strong point.

At about £119 from Start Fitness, that is a solid 46% off the original price. It makes for a durable, plated bargain trainer heading into the winter months, and there are loads of colorways to choose from right now.

Puma Deviate Nitro 2

Still at Start Fitness, the Puma Deviate Nitro 2 is available for around £79 to £89 with lots of colors and lots of sizes. This is a super durable trainer with great grip and a genuine range master character, covering daily runs and longer, easier efforts alike. It is not one of the newest models, but it sits well below the max-cushioned offerings and most lighter-built runners probably will not want much more cushioning than this delivers.

The catch is patchy sizing. You might find a pair here or there, but possibly in a colorway you would not have chosen first. Smaller-footed runners may have more luck.

Puma Velocity Nitro 2 GTX

Over at sportsshoes.com there is a mega deal on the daily destroyer itself: the Puma Velocity Nitro 2 with a Gore-Tex upper, down to £55 from £125. That is less than half price on a proper weather warrior, and it could be ideal for winter running and wet weather sessions. Lightweight-style reflective pieces keep you visible, and Puma’s excellent outsole grip performs on almost all surfaces.

Another plus: it will not look too terrible if you take it out through grit and grime on its first filthy storm run, which is not something you can say about every deal in this list. Loads of sizes are available, and the midsole has easily enough cushion for some shorter adventures into the unknown. There is even a full size run of a grey version if the all-black is not your thing, which is arguably more usable on a daily basis.

Nike Pegasus 41

Over to Sports Direct, where only in-stock deals are counted here, since pre-order listings have proved unreliable in the past. The Nike Pegasus 41 in the Blueprint colorway, mainly white with orange and blue hits, is down to £92 from £130.

The Pegasus has not changed all that much over the years, and that is fine. Some runners want a consistent daily shoe without bells and whistles, just something reliable to get them through their sessions. Expect rock-solid, resilient cushioning from the dual Air units in the heel and forefoot, providing long-term durability, and the Pegasus outsole waffles are among the best in the business. The swoosh may be accused of beating the same drum, but with a formula this reliable it is worth £92. One caveat: the fresh white colorway is probably not ideal for UK winter weather, though almost all sizes are available right now.

On Cloud Eclipse

The On Cloud Eclipse is one of the more interesting daily shoes of the last couple of years, and sportsshoes.com has it for around £118, a solid 30% off retail. It is not what most would call a max-cushioned model, but it shows more of a tempo-leaning feel, smooth and even a little aggressive in use. The midsole features CloudTec Phase cutouts that compress in a specific way through the footstrike, producing a ride quite unlike anything else.

If you are the type of runner who enjoys testing different shoes and different feels, this one could be genuinely exciting to pick up. Lots of larger sizes are available for men, with more sporadic sizing for women right now.

Adidas Adizero SL2

Next, Asos has a top deal on the Adidas Adizero SL2 in a green and white colorway, down to £88 from £110. That is a 22% discount on a shoe that is already excellent value at its regular level, so a few quid off makes it an easy recommendation.

It is very usable across a range of paces, with a surprising level of cushioning for a shoe of this build. There is no Continental rubber here, just the standard outsole compound, but at this price that is a fair trade. Almost all sizes are available up to a UK 11, so larger-footed runners may miss out on this one.

Puma Fast R Nitro Elite 2

The last deal is the rarest find: a single pair of the Puma Fast R Nitro Elite 2 at Runners Need, down to £138. Top-range Puma racing shoes are very hard to locate right now, and at a retail of £230 that is a saving of roughly £92 on a genuine super shoe. The only catch is the limited availability, just a UK 8 spotted at the time of writing, so if you want it, do not wait around.

Buying Advice

If you want one cheap winter workhorse, the Velocity Nitro 2 GTX at £55 is hard to argue with. If you want a plated bargain for training and races alike, the Fast R Nitro Elite V1 at £119 offers the best balance of price, durability, and pedigree in this list. Racing purists should check the Fast R Nitro Elite 2 immediately, since a single UK 8 is all that was spotted. Daily-run focused runners should pick based on feel: the Pegasus 41 for consistency, the Deviate Nitro 2 for grip and durability, the Cloud Eclipse for a distinctive ride, and the Adizero SL2 for straightforward value. And always check your size early, because several of these deals have patchy stock.

Conclusion

Plenty of quality ends up in clearance bins, and this list proves it: half-price racers, weather-proofed daily trainers, and rare super shoes at deep discounts. Match the shoe to how you actually run, mind the sizing notes, and these bargains can carry you through the winter months without straining your budget.