Puma MagMax Nitro 2 Review: Ultra Plush Cushion With a Weight Advantage

Introduction

The Puma MagMax Nitro 2 is a big-stack daily trainer that has shed weight compared with its predecessor, aiming to be lighter, faster, and more responsive while keeping a comfortable, protective ride. After around 50 to 55 km of mixed training, our impression is that it delivers on plushness and protection, but the energy return is less convincing, and that shapes who should buy it.

What Changed in the MagMax Nitro 2

The headline specs are a price of £170 or $180, a weight of 270 g (9.5 oz) for men in a size 8, and an 8 mm drop. The chunky stack of nitrogen-infused Nitro foam has been tweaked to offer an increase in bounce and cushioning, and the whole shoe is designed to be lighter than the original.

Underfoot there is a PumaGrip outsole, a durable, high-traction rubber, and it comes in as a notably thick layer that extends out from the midsole foam for both protection and grip. The upper is an engineered mesh designed for plenty of airflow and a nice lockdown fit. For runners who loved the first MagMax, this feels like more of the same with meaningful tweaks rather than a dramatic change to the ride.

Fit and Comfort

The fit is one of the strongest parts of this shoe. Testers in a UK 8.5 (US 9.5), which is regular Puma sizing, found the forefoot roomy, particularly across the top of the toes, with decent wiggle room. The engineered mesh upper has a good amount of flex, hugging around the toe knuckles for a held but not restrictive feeling.

Midfoot lockdown laced in securely, and the ample padded heel collar delivers the plushness you would expect from a big, max-cushioned trainer. The overall feel has been described as a plush saloon car fit: very comfortable overall. General sizing advice is to go true to size, and if you sit right on the border between two sizes, take the smaller one.

One caution: some runners found more space than usual ahead of the big toe in a UK 8, so if you dislike extra room in the forefoot, a half size down is worth considering. As for the heel irritation the original MagMax Nitro caused one Achilles-sensitive tester, that problem simply did not recur in this version, though it is hard to say how much of that is a design change.

Ride Feel and Performance

This is a super soft, plush cushioning ride with oodles of protection. It has that big-stack, marshmallowy softness that can feel quite sinky underfoot, a bit slower to come back after you land, and a response that is not particularly energetic. Across easy runs, warm-ups to and from the track, and progression runs moving from relaxed to a low tempo pace, it performed well as a comfortable daily trainer.

Where it shines is longer, consistent-pace work: the big nitrogen-infused foam stack gives a bit of energy back, dampens impact, and offers a nice heel-to-toe transition and a fairly stable ride for a shoe this high. For marathon-style long runs at a steady pace, it ticks those boxes well.

The trade-off is pace. When the speed goes up, it is a battle to get this shoe out of first gear. There is a lot of softness in the midsole for faster running, and some runners found the soft heel could cause a touch of wobble on rear-foot landings. Even at recovery pace, digging out of the softest foot strikes felt like a struggle, especially on heavy-leg days. The verdict: this is primarily an easy-day, high-mileage protection shoe with a bit more versatility than most in that category, but the bounce some other reviewers report never fully materialized in testing.

Grip, Durability and Value

The PumaGrip outsole is a real strength. In wet and slippery conditions, the grip held up well, and the thick rubber layer protruding from the midsole protects the foam. After the test mileage, there were no worrying signs of wear or degradation, and if the soft Nitro foam firms up slightly as miles accumulate, that may even be a welcome change in feel. Durability looks good.

On value, the price tag suggests something special, and what you actually get is a good, lightweight daily trainer rather than a cushioned super trainer. Compared with the Brooks Glycerin Max 2, this veers more toward running faster at a consistent pace, with a bit more energy in the foam. Against rivals like the Asics SuperBlast or MegaBlast, the Nike Vomero Plus, or the Adidas Adizero, the MagMax Nitro 2 sits a notch lower on performance. Within the Puma range, it does not feel dramatically different from the Magnify Nitro 3, which is cheaper.

Buying Advice

Buy the MagMax Nitro 2 if you want a super soft, cocooning, big-stack cushioning ride for easy and long miles, with reliable grip, good durability, and a lighter feel than the first generation. It is an accomplished, comfortable daily trainer.

Skip it if you want snap and bounce underfoot, a genuinely fast tempo shoe, or maximum versatility at this price. Alternatives worth considering include the New Balance 1080 v15, the Kiprun Ride Max, the Brooks Glycerin Max, the Nike Vomero Plus, the Puma Magnify Nitro 3 for a cheaper option, and the Adizero Adios or MegaBlast for more performance.

Conclusion

The Puma MagMax Nitro 2 is a decent, comfortable, fairly lightweight big-stack trainer that does its easy-day job very well but never fully stands out. It delivers the ultra plush ride Puma promises; the energized step is more debatable. Fans of pillowy cushioning will be happy, while runners who prefer cushion with snap may find better-balanced options elsewhere.