Puma Deviate Nitro 4 First Run Review: A Do-It-All Plated Trainer

Introduction

The Puma Deviate Nitro 4 is the fourth version of Puma’s plated do-it-all trainer, a shoe built around a carbon composite plate and two layers of Nitro foam. Puma positions it as a shoe designed to make you feel faster while still handling everyday miles, with a lean toward tempo paces. We took it out for early runs in dark, frozen conditions to find out how it stacks up.

What Puma Changed for Version 4

Puma calls the Deviate its first hero franchise, and one of the first brands to put a carbon composite plate into an everyday trainer. The headline changes for version 4 come down to fit and weight. The upper is more forgiving and a little wider, the platform feels more stable, and the shoe drops roughly 20 grams, down from nearly 270 g to about 250 g in the tested size.

The plate itself is an injected carbon composite rather than the fully carbon plate used in Puma’s Elite racing shoes. That makes it a little more forgiving and flexible, more durable for everyday use, and easier going on easy runs than a full race plate.

Midsole and Outsole Construction

Under the foot, the Deviate Nitro 4 uses a dual-layer Nitro midsole: a 100% PEBA top layer that is softer next to the foot so you can sink in and feel the plate and its pop, with a PEBA blend underneath that is a little firmer for stability. The carbon composite plate sits between the layers, and unlike the Elite version that extends toward the toe, this one is shaped for everyday rolling off the ground.

Out on the icy, slushy roads and forest tracks of the test runs, Puma Grip proved to be exactly why the brand counts it among its heroes. The outsole offered reliable traction on wet, snowy and dicey surfaces, and the coverage feels generous enough for winter running in the UK.

Spec Overview

The key numbers for the tested UK men’s 8.5 / US 9.5 sample:

• Stack: 38 mm heel, 30 mm forefoot, 8 mm drop
• Weight: 8.8 oz / 250 g
• Price: £150 in the UK, $170 in the US

On the Run: First Impressions

The first runs were easy to steady efforts of around an hour and 8 miles in subzero, icy London conditions, with pace ticked up in 15-minute chunks. At easy paces the shoe disappeared on the foot: comfortable, nicely cushioned, taking the edge off the road, soft without being overly soft, and well balanced across the platform.

Going through the gears was the pleasant surprise. Picking up the pace came almost effortlessly at the 30 and 45 minute marks, and holding a faster tempo on rolling terrain felt natural, even on slightly treacherous forest paths. Compared to the Deviate Nitro 3, which felt bulkier and leaned too much toward being just a daily trainer, version 4 feels nippier, more streamlined and lighter, closer in character to the well-liked Nitro 2.

Fit and Sizing Advice

There is a fit story worth paying attention to here. The shoe runs long and narrow: there is ample clearance at the front of the toe box, but the shoe narrows noticeably through the midfoot and rear, with a straight, secure hold toward the heel. The tongue comes up slightly higher with extra padding to remove lace pinch, and the heel collar has generous cushioning that locks the foot in without feeling heavy.

On sizing, one tester who sits between a UK 8.5 and UK 9 found the half size down gave the best fit, thanks to Puma’s generally roomy, long front end. Another, running in a regular UK 8.5 / US 9.5, enjoyed the secure hold at the back but was aware of the extra length in the toe box, which can make the shoe feel slightly slappy and less snappy on the move. The practical advice: if you are between two sizes, go for the smaller one; otherwise stick to your normal running shoe size. Also notable: a previous Achilles rubbing issue from the Nitro 3 did not carry over to version 4.

How It Compares

Against plated rivals like the Endorphin Speed 5, the Deviate Nitro 4 feels less compact and a little flatter in the transition: it is not quite as poppy or punchy, and there is less of the rocker-style snap you get from a stiffer plate. The narrower platform does bring a point of difference, though, making it more agile than some wider super trainers. One early impression places it something like a more compact, more agile Nova Blast.

Where it stands against category leaders such as the Hoka Mach X3, Endorphin Speed 5, Nike Zoom Fly 6, and plate-free options like the Megablast will be settled in fuller testing.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The slow miles are perfectly competent: enough cushion to cruise, good protection under the forefoot, softness in the heel, and a reliable base to run off. What remains to be proven is how energetic the ride feels at race-pace efforts, and whether faster paces bring the midsole and plate to life.

If you want a comfortable, agile plated trainer for easy-to-steady running with tempo potential, this is a promising start. If you prioritise maximum snap and punch from your plated trainer, the more compact competitors may still hold the edge.

Buying Advice

At £150 / $170, the Deviate Nitro 4 is positioned as a high-performance everyday trainer with genuine speed capability. Buy it if you want one shoe that can cover easy miles, long runs and quicker sessions, you appreciate strong winter grip, and you are happy with a long, narrow fit. Size down half a size if you sit between two sizes. If you prefer a springier, more propulsive feel, consider trying it alongside a stiffer-plated alternative before deciding.

Conclusion

The Deviate Nitro 4 is a genuinely promising fourth iteration: lighter, more streamlined and more enjoyable than its predecessor, with a well-constructed dual-foam midsole, a forgiving carbon composite plate, excellent Puma Grip traction and a comfortable upper. Early miles suggest a capable super trainer for a wide range of paces, with the verdict on its faster credentials to come once the race-pace miles are logged.