Puma Deviate Nitro 4 vs the Competition: Four Super Trainers Compared

Introduction

Four of the most talked-about super trainers currently sit in the same niche: the Puma Deviate Nitro 4, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, the Nike Zoomfly 6, and the Adidas Adizero Boston 13. All four occupy a similar use case, sitting somewhere between an everyday trainer and a race shoe, and choosing between them comes down to feel, fit, and how fast you actually like to run.

How They Compare on Paper

On numbers alone, there is almost nothing between these shoes. The Endorphin Speed 5 is the lightest of the group and slightly more flexible, partly down to its plastic plate, which is not quite as rigid as the alternatives. Its stack height is also a touch lower, and the foam across all four lands around a similar level of firmness: responsive rather than plush, more trainer-like than their race shoe counterparts.

Width is nearly identical in the forefoot too. The Endorphin Speed 5 runs a little wider in the heel, while the Boston 13 and the Deviate Nitro 4 are the narrowest back there, and that is exactly what you notice on foot. The Speed feels a bit more assured and stable thanks to that extra heel width. There is also a meaningful price spread, roughly the cost of a good meal, between the cheapest shoe here (the Boston 13) and the most expensive (the Endorphin Speed 5).

Saucony Endorphin Speed 5

The Endorphin Speed 5 may be the most versatile shoe of the bunch. It is a little more flexible, less rigid, and has more of a daily trainer feel than anything else here. Its 8mm drop is very noticeable on foot, and if you like a more pronounced drop, the Saucony will suit you well.

It handles varied pace ranges better than the others: comfortable at easy speeds, capable of reps and intervals, and known to carry people through full marathons. In that sense it is something of a Swiss Army knife. The tongue padding is consistent across the top of the foot, the upper is lighter and more breathable than the Puma’s, and the cushioning feels more even across the footbed. If you could take only one pair of running shoes on holiday to do everything, this would be the pick. It is the priciest shoe here at retail, but that versatility means you may reach for it more often.

Puma Deviate Nitro 4

The Deviate Nitro 4 is an aggressive shoe that makes you want to run fast. The quicker you go in it, the better it feels, which makes it ideal as a tempo shoe for half marathon or marathon-paced miles. The midsole pairs a firmer, more controlled heel with softer Nitro foam up front, and the composite plate keeps things reasonably rigid even with some flexibility built in.

Where the Puma truly stands out is grip. The Pumagrip outsole is superb and, in this company, still has an edge over Saucony’s improved rubber, Nike’s waffle lugs, and even Adidas’s Continental rubber. The trade-offs are in the upper: the tongue padding sits oddly across the board, the upper feels a little thicker and warmer (fine for cold climates, less appealing in summer), and the heel cushioning is quite firm. The thicker laces are also an odd choice for the intended use. At retail it undercuts the Endorphin Speed 5 and the Zoomfly 6, and the Boston 13 by about ten pounds, but it is the least versatile of the four since it always pushes you toward pace.

Adidas Adizero Boston 13

The Boston 13 has the closest feel to the Deviate Nitro 4. It uses a firmer Lightstrike 2.0 formula in the heel, very similar to the Puma’s midsole setup, with softer, very compressive Lightstrike Pro foam under the forefoot, the same material found in the Adios Pro 4. The drop is slightly lower than the Puma’s and it is a little heavier, though the weight difference is not really detectable on foot.

The upper is where the Boston wins. It is a simple, traditional design with padding in the right places, no tongue slide, and a more conventional lace-up approach, with fewer overlays and extra materials than the Puma. The heel feels more complete too, without the arch cutout both shoes otherwise share. Add in the higher-end foam, strong durability at around 100K of testing, a lower drop, and a lower price than the Puma, and it becomes the preferred pick between the two for many runners. It remains a touch narrow in the heel, and Pumagrip still edges it on wet-road confidence.

Nike Zoomfly 6

The Zoomfly 6 matches the Puma almost exactly on weight and stack height, but delivers a more consistent upper that is easier to lock down with no tongue slide. It is a shoe that gets better the more you use it: light, nimble, and versatile, without the harsh rigid feel you sometimes get from a carbon plate.

Where the Puma wants a specific pace out of you, the Zoomfly 6 works as a genuine superplated trainer. It feels good on slow long runs and equally at home at half marathon or marathon effort, and it has proven extremely durable, with a foam that takes a pounding even if it is not the most exciting compound. The waffle-style lugs grip well, though Pumagrip still stands out. Price-wise the Puma is about fifteen pounds cheaper at retail, but Zoomfly 6 pairs can often be found well under retail if you are flexible on color. The main wish here is a slightly lighter build, since the added grams put off runners used to modern race shoe weights.

Overall Buying Advice

If you want one shoe to cover every pace and purpose, the Endorphin Speed 5 is the most versatile pick here, with the Zoomfly 6 close behind as a durable, go-anywhere superplated trainer. If your running centers on tempo work and race-pace miles, the Deviate Nitro 4 is aggressive, fast, and backed by the best grip of the group at an attractive price. And if you prefer a firmer, more traditional ride with a premium foam blend and a simpler upper, the Boston 13 is excellent value.

Conclusion

All four shoes are closely matched on specs, so the decision comes down to character. The Deviate Nitro 4 rewards fast running and delivers outstanding grip, the Endorphin Speed 5 is the versatile all-rounder, the Zoomfly 6 is the durable do-everything trainer, and the Boston 13 offers a firmer, well-rounded ride at a friendly price. Pick the one that matches how you actually run, and none of them will disappoint.