Puma Sky DV8 Nitro 3 Review: A Lively Carbon-Plated Trainer With a Narrow Streak

Introduction

The Puma Sky DV8 Nitro 3 arrives as part of a collaboration between Puma and running apparel brand Sky, and in this dusty pink colorway it certainly looks the part. Underneath the styling, though, this is a carbon-plated training shoe aimed at faster days in your rotation. Retailing at £160 on the Sky website, it undercuts the standard Puma version by £10, which is a curious pricing quirk worth noting before you buy. The question this review sets out to answer: does the DV8 Nitro 3 earn a place alongside the best plated trainers, or is it just a pretty upper on a familiar formula?

Who This Shoe Is For

The DV8 Nitro 3 is built for runners who want one shoe that can handle tempo runs, quicker sessions, and steady mileage in the same week. Its dual-layer Nitro foam and full-length carbon plate put it firmly in the performance trainer category, not the daily easy-miler slot.

Fit is the deciding factor for many. The upper runs narrow, which delivers excellent lockdown for slim feet but could be a struggle if you need width in the toe box.

Main Strengths

The upper is the first thing worth praising. The lightweight engineered mesh is breathable and genuinely comfortable, with a thin gusseted tongue that sits nicely across the top of the foot. Padding around the ankle collar and heel feels plush without sacrificing that secure hold, and two locking loops halfway down the lacing system keep the midfoot firmly in place. In an 8.39-mile first run, there was no rubbing and no hot spots anywhere.

The midsole is where the shoe earns its keep. Puma stacks two layers of nitrogen-infused Nitro foam around a full-length Puma Power Plate, a carbon fiber plate designed to stabilize the midsole while maximizing energy return.

On the road, the foam does not feel especially soft, but it is responsive and lively, and the plate adds a noticeable touch of forward propulsion. Unlike some plated trainers where the plate is hard to detect, here you genuinely feel that extra spring, particularly once the pace picks up.

Ride Quality and the Carbon Plate

This is a shoe that rewards quicker running. At an easy jog the ride is comfortable but unremarkable; push the tempo and the combination of responsive Nitro foam and carbon plate comes alive, giving the shoe a springy, energetic character that suits faster sessions.

The outsole uses a generous helping of Puma Grip rubber on the high-wear areas for multi-surface traction and durability, and a midfoot cutout adds flexibility to an otherwise stiff plated platform. Encouragingly, the cutout survived its first run without trapping a single stone, passing what could have been a nagging design flaw.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Weight is the most obvious compromise. At 290g in a UK 9.5, this is a heavy shoe for the performance trainer category. Comparable plated trainers like the Saucony Endorphin Speed (262g) and Nike Zoom Fly 6 (268g) do a similar job while being considerably lighter. Losing around 20 to 25 grams would sharpen the overall feel considerably.

The 10mm heel offset is also worth a look if you are sensitive to geometry. With a 39mm stack at the heel and 29mm under the forefoot, the shoe sits noticeably higher at the heel than the 4 to 6mm drop many runners prefer, and that extra offset was noticeable on the run. For a performance trainer, it feels like an odd choice.

Finally, the narrow fit. Runners with wider feet, or anyone who simply likes a roomy toe box, should look elsewhere or try before buying.

Buying Advice

If you have narrow to medium feet, run regular tempo sessions, and like a shoe with a bit of snap underfoot, the DV8 Nitro 3 is easy to recommend. It is arguably the best Puma running shoe in recent memory, livelier and more exciting than the Velocity Nitro 3 that preceded it. At £160, it is reasonably positioned against other carbon-plated trainers, and the £10 discount on this Sky version makes it the smarter buy of the two. If width, weight, or heel drop are dealbreakers for you, the usual plated-trainer rivals remain strong alternatives.

Conclusion

The Puma Sky DV8 Nitro 3 is a comfortable, responsive carbon-plated trainer with genuine propulsion and one of the better uppers in the category. Its narrow fit, heavier weight, and 10mm offset will not suit everyone, but for slim-footed runners after a lively tempo shoe, it is a compelling option and a strong showing from the Puma and Sky collaboration.