Puma entered the super-shoe market later than most brands, but it now makes two of the best carbon plate running shoes available, with the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 joining the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 in its line-up.
The Fast-R 3 is positioned as the supreme racing machine, while the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is billed as a more approachable option that delivers speed while being more stable and better-suited for amateurs than the more elite-focused Fast-R 3.
For me, this actually undersells the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4’s performance. It is more stable and natural than the Fast-R 3, but still incredibly light and fast, and is a top carbon shoe option for runners of all levels.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 review: price and availability
The Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 was revealed in January 2026 and will go on sale globally on 26 February 2026 after a limited drop on 12 February. It costs $250 in the U.S. and £210 in the UK, which is a $20 / £15 price rise on the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3.
It’s still at the cheaper end of the spectrum for carbon plate running shoes, especially in the UK, where it undercuts almost all rivals. It’s also cheaper than the Puma Fast-R 3, which is $300 / £260.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 review: design and fit
The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 will launch in two colors, including the white and yellow design that I tested.
I’m generally in between two sizes with running shoes, and had a good fit going with the smaller of those sizes with the Deviate Nitro Elite 4. I’d say stick to your normal running shoe size in general, but if you’re often in between two sizes, I’d go for the smaller one.
The shoe has a stack height of 40mm at the heel and 32mm at the forefoot for an 8mm drop, and weighs just 6.2oz for my US men’s size 9.5. It’s 12% lighter than the Deviate Nitro Elite 3, which was 7.5oz in a US men’s size 10.
Upper
The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 has a thin mesh upper that focuses on being lightweight and breathable rather than comfort, in that it doesn’t have much padding around the tongue and heel.
I found it held the foot securely during fast runs and had no uncomfortable rubbing or hot spots.
Midsole
The Deviate Nitro Elite 4 uses two layers of NitroFoam in its midsole. Both are made from nitrogen-infused aliphatic TPU, but the top layer is a little softer, and in general, the shoe is designed to have a softer feel underfoot than its predecessor.
Running through the midsole is a full-length carbon plate, which Puma calls its PWRPLATE, which adds more propulsion to the already highly responsive midsole foam.
Outsole
In a bid to make the shoe as light as possible, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 has a very minimal outsole, with a thin layer of PumaGrip rubber covering most of the forefoot and one side of the heel of the shoe.
The lack of rubber on the medial side of the heel is a concern, because leaving this area of the midsole exposed could see it wear down rapidly and reduce durability. I’ll be keeping an eye on this in further testing, but after 40 miles, I haven’t seen any significant wear in this area.
I’ve used the shoe in wet conditions several times, and the grip has been reliable, though I did have to retreat from the track to the treadmill on a particularly icy day.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 review: running performance
Given how it is positioned in the Puma line-up, as the more affordable, ‘safer’ option compared with the Puma Fast-R 3, there is a real danger of the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 being underrated.
I love the Fast-R 3 and ran a 2:26 marathon in it at the London Marathon last year, but for me, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is every bit as impressive in delivering an incredibly fast ride in a more stable shoe that will work for a wider group of runners.
I’ve used the shoe for several hard workouts on the road, track, and treadmill, and it’s almost deceptively quick, in that it’s not highly rockered like the Fast-R 3, or incredibly springy like the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2. It feels almost normal, but the transition from heel to toe is lightning fast, and there’s a high amount of punch off the toes.
The result is that in all my hard runs in the Deviate Nitro Elite 4, it made running fast feel easier, and it’s a speed shoe that will work over any distance — it’s light enough to tear up short reps and races, but also comfortable enough to support you through a marathon.
I also found that the more natural ride of the shoe makes it feel more stable, and it’s a shoe that thrives even when running in less than perfect conditions — it grips well in the wet and is stable around corners.
Unlike some super-shoes, which seem purpose-built to thrive only on the long straights and flat roads of major marathons, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is a shoe that will deliver speed in any kind of event, be it a mixed terrain parkrun, a twisting Turkey Trot, or a city marathon.
Should you buy the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4?
The Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is light, fast, and surprisingly stable, and overall it’s an excellent racing shoe that I’ll be recommending to runners regularly over the next few months, especially in the UK, where it’s great value.
There are some super-shoes that have a more aggressive and explosive ride, like the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, which remains my personal favorite racer, and the Puma Fast-R 3, but the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 will suit a lot of runners better than these wilder, less stable shoes.
That’s especially the case with longer events like marathons, where the Deviate Nitro Elite 4’s more natural and stable feel could pay dividends in the later stages if it’s helped to keep your legs fresher and stronger.
If you have big goals to hit in 2026, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is a shoe that can help you achieve them.
