Puma Deviate Nitro 2 Review: An Uptempo Trainer With Standout Grip

Introduction

Puma keeps making inroads in the running shoe space, and more competition is good news for everyone: it creates innovation and pushes boundaries. The Deviate Nitro 2 is a good example of that push. It uses Puma’s nitrogen-infused Nitro foam with a power plate in the midsole and a 10 mm drop, positioning itself as a trainer with the potential to pick up the paces.

One note upfront: published stack height figures conflict. Depending on the source, you’ll see 44/34 mm, 39/29 mm, or 40/30 mm. The more conservative 39/29 mm reading feels the most credible, and the shoe definitely rides like a 10 mm drop shoe.

Who This Shoe Is For

This is not a race day weapon and it is not a serious workout shoe. It fits best as a daily trainer that has the potential to pick up the paces, leaning toward simple tempo days and simple fartlek sessions rather than hard intervals.

If you want a dedicated speed shoe, there are better options in that category. But as an uptempo-capable trainer slotting into an existing rotation, the Deviate Nitro 2 makes a reasonable case, especially at its price point.

Main Strengths

The standout area is grip. Puma’s outsole traction is genuinely tacky, and while pavement running might not seem to demand much grip, it makes a real difference at higher speeds, in the rain, or on early morning commutes to the track when there is dew on the ground. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, that grip could treat you very well, and it may be the best part of the shoe.

The midsole combines Nitro foam with a power plate. The plate is carbon based, but in hand it does not feel quite like a rigid carbon fiber plate; it flexes more like a TPU plate. Underfoot during running it produced a good reaction, just without the aggressive snap some plates deliver. The durometer reading came in around 37, so it is soft, but not overly soft, which is a good balance for daily mileage.

The upper uses power tape for added reinforcement and a more secure lockdown, which worked well. Weight is not bad, though not great either.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The fit details have some quirks. The tongue is semi-gusseted and has no extra padding, so if you are particular about feeling laces on the top of your foot, you may notice the tongue not laying perfectly flat. The eyestay lacing is a little loose, though it is fine in practice and will not tear out on you.

Two small warnings: the heel counter has a little spike that you will feel if you lean back during quad stretches, so be aware of it. And breathability through the traditional mesh upper is not the highest.

Buying Advice

At $159, this is actually not a bad price these days, when trainers easily reach $169 or $179. For an uptempo trainer you would not race in and would not use for serious workouts, the value is okay. It is not the best option on the market, but it is reasonable.

The honest verdict: it is a close call between buying and passing. The shoe is not calling our tester’s name yet, and more runs are planned to see whether the power plate reacts differently to ankle flexion and toe-off over time. If you already own shoes that cover the uptempo role, there are other options worth considering first. If you want a rain-ready daily trainer with excellent grip, it deserves a spot on your shortlist.

Conclusion

The Puma Deviate Nitro 2 is a capable uptempo trainer with genuinely excellent grip, a comfortable soft-but-not-too-soft ride, and a fair price. Its limitations are clear too: a plate that feels more TPU than carbon, a thin unpadded tongue, and middling breathability. If grip and versatility in wet conditions matter most to you, it is worth a look; if you want race-level propulsion, look elsewhere in the speed category.