Puma MagMax X 2 Review: How It Compares to the On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 and Brooks Glycerin 23

Introduction

The Puma MagMax X 2 is the latest high-stack trainer to land on our test rotation, and after an easy run with some strides and pickups at the end, it immediately brought two familiar names to mind: the On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 and the Brooks Glycerin 23. All three sit in the max-cushion daily trainer space, but they go about it differently, and the differences are worth understanding before you pick one.

This comparison breaks down where each shoe fits, how the midsoles compare, and which type of runner each one makes the most sense for.

A Note on How Runs Feel

One thing worth remembering before any first-run impressions: how a shoe feels on any given day depends heavily on what happened before the run. An off-schedule day with different eating patterns, or a heavy single-leg lift two days earlier, can make an easy run feel much harder and make a shoe feel heavier on the foot than it really is. That is why testing a shoe across many runs matters more than a single day’s verdict.

If an easy run feels harder than expected and your pace is slower than usual, a higher heart rate at a slower pace still provides the stimulus your body needs to adapt. Give yourself some grace, focus on effort rather than pace, and be a little reflective about whether the shoe or your recovery is the real variable.

First Impressions

Out of the box, the MagMax X 2 looks like a classic max-cushion shoe, but the first run did not deliver the super pillowy softness the stacked silhouette suggests. The ride is smoother and firmer than expected, and it rolls forward in a way that feels easy to settle into. On an easy run with pickups at the end, it handled both paces without complaint.

Puma MagMax X 2: High Stack with a Firmer Ride

The MagMax X 2 is a genuinely big shoe: 46 mm in the heel and 38 mm in the forefoot, built on Puma’s nitro foam. Despite the stack, the foam leans firmer rather than plush, and that amount of foam combined with that firmness gives the shoe a bit of longitudinal stiffness. It runs primarily off a rocker platform, which makes the ride feel smooth and rolling even at easy paces.

On the scale, our sample came in at 280 g, or 9.9 oz. The midsole is a single block of nitro foam rather than a dual-density setup, which gives it more of an easy-pace, long-run character. That said, there is enough versatility to pick up the pace slightly, with a little pop from the upper portion of the midsole. If you want a firmer midsole in a high-stack shoe instead of something super soft, this is the direction Puma has gone.

On Cloudmonster Hyper 3: Lighter, With a Similar Profile

The On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 is the closest match in feel. It carries a nearly identical stack, 45 mm in the heel and 39 mm in the forefoot, and the combination of high stack and a touch more rigidity is what made the two shoes feel related on foot.

The key difference is weight. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 comes in at 264 g, or 9.3 oz, noticeably lighter than the MagMax X 2. Its dual-density midsole also behaves differently: smooth, rolling, and tuned toward easy-pace and long-run work, sitting on the firmer end of the spectrum. If you like this ride style but want a bit less shoe on your foot, the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 makes a strong case.

Brooks Glycerin 23: Less Stack, More Weight, Similar Foam

The Brooks Glycerin 23 shares the most with the MagMax X 2 where it matters most underfoot: its DNA Tuned foam feels very similar in character, sitting on the firmer side rather than the pillow-soft end. Where it diverges is geometry and weight. The Glycerin 23 has less stack, at 39 mm in the heel and 31 mm in the forefoot, which gives the forefoot a bit more flexibility than either of the other two.

It is also the heaviest of the trio at 304 g, or 10.7 oz. So in the Glycerin you get the least stack and the most weight, while the MagMax X 2 gives you more stack and a little less weight. Price-wise, the MagMax X 2 costs only $5 more than the Glycerin 23, which makes the comparison a genuinely close call for anyone deciding between the two.

Which One Should You Buy?

If you want maximum stack with a firmer, rockered ride and the most versatility for occasionally picking up the pace, the MagMax X 2 is the shoe to look at first. If you want that same high-stack, slightly rigid character but a lighter build, the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 earns its place. And if you prefer more forefoot flexibility and a similar foam feel in a lower-profile package, the Glycerin 23 remains a dependable choice, especially with its slightly lower price.

Conclusion

The Puma MagMax X 2 makes a confident first impression as a smooth, firmer-leaning high-stack trainer, and it slots neatly between the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 and the Glycerin 23 depending on what you value most: weight, stack, or flexibility. More miles will tell the full story, but as a starting point, all three are worth shortlisting if a max-cushion daily trainer is what you are shopping for.