Puma Voyage Nitro 3 Review: A Well-Rounded Trail All-Rounder

Introduction

The Puma Voyage Nitro 3 is a trail running shoe from Puma, part of the brand’s Seasons line of trail-focused shoes and gear, and now in its third generation. It costs £120 in the UK and $140 in the US, weighs 286g (10.1 oz) in UK size 9, and sits at a 10mm drop with a 35mm heel and 25mm forefoot stack.

After around 50km of testing across forest tracks, deep mud, and grassy fell-style climbs in Scotland, it comes across as a nicely rounded shoe that handles a wide mix of terrains and paces without trying to wow you in any single area.

Design and Construction

The midsole uses full Nitro foam, the nitrogen-infused TPE foam found in Puma’s popular road running shoes like the Velocity Nitro and Deviate Nitro. It is fairly resilient rather than squishy, which makes it a sensible choice on trails where a too-soft road foam would feel unstable.

Underfoot there is a Pumagrip ATR outsole with Power Adapt lugs. The lugs are fairly deep but also wide and flat, giving all-terrain grip that rides smoothly on hard surfaces while still offering some bite on softer ground. There are even small cutouts in the rubber beneath the lugs to trim a little weight without affecting performance.

The upper combines an internal bootie with a dense mono mesh layer that acts as a debris shield, plus a toe bumper and an internal heel counter for stability. The lacing system is interesting: large eyelets make it easy to pull the laces tight and hold the foot firmly, so you can get a secure lockdown without needing a heel-lock lacing option. There is also a lace garage and a pull tab for easier entry. A GTX version costs a little more and adds minimal weight, which could be a solid winter option.

Fit and Sizing

Fit was true to size in the tester’s normal UK 9, consistent with Puma’s other road shoes. It is not the largest or widest toe box around, but it worked very well for a fairly narrow foot. The midfoot and heel hold is excellent thanks to that lacing system, and there was no foot movement on downhill running or toe bashing against the front of the shoe.

Ride Feel and Cushioning

The ride is good but not especially soft. Nitro foam is comfortable with a bit of bounce-back, well balanced for a variety of runs: fine over longer distances, not harsh, and with enough edge to pick up the pace a little. It is not great for all-out speed, but it works well for daily trail training, tempo efforts, or longer trail races.

Some runners may want more cushioning under the forefoot, especially on rocky, jagged terrain. There is no rock plate in the midsole, and the fairly high stack of Nitro foam acts a bit like a wedge on uneven ground: the shoe felt less flexible and did not mold to the terrain as well as some rivals, moving the foot around rather than flexing with it. That said, it leans toward softer ground, where it feels most at home.

Grip and All-Terrain Performance

Grip has been genuinely impressive. The outsole handled extended road sections, frosty roads, a bit of ice, deep forest mud, grassy fell descents, and rocky ground in Scotland without complaint. Nothing tested was too technical or extreme.

For deeper mud you would want longer lugs, and for extended fell running in mixed conditions a more specific shoe might serve better. But as a general all-terrain option, good on roads, mild trails, twisty singletrack, a bit of mud, and climbing up and down, it does a really good job.

Where It Fits in Your Rotation

This is a shoe for runners who want one dependable trail shoe that can handle a bit of everything, especially on trips where you will not know the terrain until you are out there. It suits relaxed exploring runs most of all, but it can push the pace when needed.

Compared with the Saucony Exodus Ultra, the Voyage Nitro 3 feels slightly plusher in foam bounce, though the Exodus has a more rockered ride and may suit very long ultra-distance days better. It is more comfortable than the Saucony Peregrine-style alternative mentioned alongside it, and better on smooth stuff and icy pavement than the Brooks Catamount, which is far more at home on hard ground thanks to its rock plate.

Puma also offers good value here. It is not exceptionally cheap, but it pops up in sales, with 25% off much of the range during Black Friday at one point.

Buying Advice

If you want a solid trail shoe for your rotation that handles a bit of everything, takes on trips well, and grips reliably, the Voyage Nitro 3 is an easy recommendation. It will not blow you away out of the box, but it warms on you quickly because it is practical, comfortable, and versatile. The GTX version is a particularly appealing winter pick for mixed road and light trail use, though the standard upper felt a touch breathable when running in freezing conditions.

Conclusion

The Puma Voyage Nitro 3 is another really solid shoe from Puma: good all-terrain grip, good comfort, and a secure, true-to-size fit. It leans slightly toward softer ground and is best avoided on jagged rocky trails, but for everything else it ticks a lot of boxes. Pick it up if you want one shoe that just does a decent job across a nice range of runs.