The Fast RB Nitro Elite is the brand’s most creative shoe to date. It features three PWRPLATEs, one carbon and TPU, that work alongside a thick 58mm stack of NITROFOAM Elite midsole layers. The head-turning construction is designed to produce a spring-like effect that promotes a high level of bounce and propulsion.
Featuring a decoupled midsole design, the shoe is 18mm higher than the regulation stack height for professional athletes and aims to offer all runners a fun experience for a variety of runs.
Tom, Mike and Nick have been testing the shoe to see if the creative design delivers the goods.
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JUMP STRAIGHT IN
00:00 – Intro
00:16 – Stats
00:30 – Design
01:18 – How’s the Fit?
04:24 – The Run Test
15:30 – Verdict
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Hey Tommy from testers in this video we Are going to be doing an early look at The pummer fast RB running shoe let's See what this thing's [Music] Like the pum fast RB Nitro Elite costs Around $400 we don't have the finalized Prices yet it weighs 347 G or 12 O for Men in a size eight and the drop is Technically 12 mm [Music] The vast RB Nitro Elite is the Brand's Most creative shoe to date it features Three power plates one carbon and two TPU that work alongside a thick 58 mm Stack of nitro foam Elite midsole layers The head turning construction is Designed to produce a spring– like Effect that promotes a high level of Bounce and propulsion featuring a Decoupled midsole design the shoe is 18 Mm higher than the regulation stack Height for professional athletes and Aims to offer all Runners a fun Experience for a variety of runs the Upper is a laceless mesh material that's Reinforced with Puma power tape to Ensure a lock down fits while the out Soole uses Puma grip for a high level of Grip and durability only 1,000 pairs of The Puma fast RB Nitro Elite will be Available to buy worldwide when it goes On Sale comes to the fit of the Puma fast
RB I've got a uk9 here which is a us10 That's the normal size I have across a Puma range and it usually fits me very Well this shoe does fit me very well I Think it's a slightly more daral in fit Than the Puma DV8 Nitro Elite 3 which I Did find that I would have been better Off going a half a size down but this Has been okay in my normal size this one Piece uper actually fits me quite Securely and I haven't really had any Concerns about it in terms of my foot Moving around in there so always a bit Of a risk with a one piece up I like This especially with such a huge stack Of wobbly stuff under foot but all Around the fit was pretty good for me I Was happy in my normal size so I'd say The fit of the Puma fast RB has been Good in general I think there's a couple Of areas I think if I was going deeper Into that testing I'd be a little bit Kind of wey and concerned about but Ultimately in general it's been okay um I've had mine in a UK size 8 that's my Typical running shoe size that's Typically um the shoe size that works Best for me in Puma shoes you know it's The same size I had for the pum dev8 Nitro Elite 3 um which maybe ran a Little bit long for me but ultimately Didn't cause any issues for me now I Think the um RB I think the toebox is Very good I think you know it's a good
Amount of room here not overly generous And you know didn't feel long for me so I think from that point of view does Feel like it fits pretty true to size For me and you get into this kind of All-in-one upper which you know is Really doing the work of keeping your Feet locked in you know these things Here these are not going to lock you in Any more dull things in these are about Helping you slip this shoe on ultimately I think the middle of the shoe centrally Works pretty well I think on the top of My feet where you know youd expect to Find some lacing I would probably prefer Some lacing there but ultimately this is About trying to keep it very streamlined And then you get this kind of very thin Hill collor where there is some kind of Padding inside uh there's not a huge Amount there and I think it's mainly on The sides of your foot there's not a Huge amount at the back where I found There has been a little bit of rub a Little bit of irritation in my achilles So you know some areas which I think you Know as I said going deeper into testing I'd be a little bit concerned about but In general I think going through the Size here has worked for me has been a Relatively good one uh to kind of slip On um and yeah get out running in it so Yeah I would say go true size based on My testing so the fit for me in the shoe
I'm a size eight in the UK this is a Size eight uh I was I wasn't sure this Shoe was going to fit cuz I don't it Doesn't have any lacing system on it it Doesn't have any way to tighten the shoe Or anything like that it's just got this Uh very aerodynamic sock likee upper um Actually find it to be very comfortable In my UK size 8 it fits me comfortably There's a lot of space in the forefoot Um so it's not too narrow um it's not The most uh structured upper um it I Didn't feel like it was I was fully Locked in but I've done interval Sessions in the shoe absolutely fine had No point did I think it felt loose or Anything like that um I mean if it did Have any sort of strapping in it I Probably would strap it down a little Bit more um but it was very comfortable I'd stay to my size in this shoe um and Surprisingly good considering uh the way That you can't actually make any impact On the upper design so um yeah stay to My size in this Year so what is it like to run in the Rule breaker well I would say has been An interesting time so far I remember Seeing a picture of this shoe I think P Showed me a picture back when I was Doing the Manchester half and I think my Reaction was if I ever get that shoe in How on Earth am I going to be able to Run in it I now have that shoe in and I
Have to say it was actually pleasantly Surprised in terms of getting on with This shoe I think first and foremost It's a pretty easy shoe to slip on you Know obviously no lacing you kind of use These kind of little tags here to kind Of pull you in and you know you're in Can get get going now I am a hill Striker this is not really a shoe that You would say is designed for Hill Strikers um so ultimately I was a little Bit concerned about that but actually Getting going in the shoe wasn't too bad And it didn't take me long to kind of Adjust running in this shoe now I have Run in other pumac carbon Racing shoes I Really like the DV8 Nitro Elite which is A totally different Prospect to issue um I think you know I think it's similar to Things like the pummer fast R series Which I haven't person run in but I Think in terms of being a shoe design That kind of pushes the boundaries of What a carbon racing shoe should be it's More kind of fitting in that category it Does remind me of another shoe that pum Launched the fast Droid which I think Was more of a kind of Lifestyle shoe Similar silhouette had a bit more of a Fashion focused launch and you know Really feels like it's bringing that Design in and kind of putting it into a Kind of running shoe um kind of design And seeing how it kind of ultimately
Whether that kind of works here on the Puma fast RB and as I said actually Getting out on the shoe wasn't as Awkward I you know once I forgot I kind Of got past the fact that the this hill Is kind of so you know so far raised From the floor actually it rolled Through pretty nicely I think when you Get into that onto that 4 foot you get That bounce you get that kind of Slightly compressed feel you get that Snap and response there what you want From a kind of faster faster shoe Ultimately my first run was a kind of 5K Um run I kind of went out tried to do Near Round my kind of 5K Pace felt Pretty good to do that in I didn't feel Like it was I was kind of restricted or You know I was being held back in terms Of running those Paces but ultimately I Think you know the thing for me is when I've kind of run a little bit longer in This shoe it's not the lightest shoe not The lightest kind of carbon race shoe Particularly against something like the Puma DV8 Nitro Elite 3 which has really Kind of pushed Puma closer to those top Tier and RAC shoes in terms of overall Weight this isn't a light shoe and Ultimately I think you know coupled with The kind of little kind of question Marks I have about the upper Particularly around the Achilles and Around the heel collar um I found it I
Had to stop a couple of times and kind Of readjust kind of get going again but In terms of the actual ride it didn't Feel like there was a kind of very kind Of long learning curve to get going in The shoe when you do it does feel Relatively kind of you know enjoyable to Do it just feels that you know as I said For someone that kind of really relies On having that extra kind of foam at the Back of this shoe you know I felt like I Did ultimately miss that in my Experience and then when you look at That kind of outsole there is more Rubber here on the back of the shoe Ultimately where you are going to drop Down probably a little bit more less so On the foref foot you know it's not your Typical kind of pumer grip um outs thing Across the an entirety of the outso I Did find you know I was running main on Pavements and roads I did kind of come Across some kind of uh Roots where there Were a little bit there some kind of Stones and Pebbles and I did find I Slipped a little bit on the front of This shoes I would say the outsole Probably isn't quite you know that kind Of pumer quality that we are kind of you Know used to and associate with it's Kind of um you know his most recent Shoes so yeah there's definitely some Qualities that I can see that I did like About the um RB I think ultimately I
Think uh it wasn't as awkward to run in As I thought it would be given my kind Of style of running I also found it Pretty you know stable for a shoe that Looks this awkward as well too not the Most stable racing shoe but I do think That you know compared to um some other Shoes I think generally the stability of It for an awkward shoe like this has Been pretty good for me I think yeah It's been an interesting time that would Be the best way to describe it would I Want to dig deeper into my running and Go longer in this shoe I'll discuss that In my initial verdict so Puma fast RB a Very interesting shoe to land at our Door last week I wasn't really sure Exactly what the shoe is for because Obviously has all these plates in it's Got this stuff about Breaking the Rules And Breaking records on the side and yet You know I picked up the shoe box and Could just feel how heavy the shoe was Put it on the scale 370 G in a uk9 for a Shoe is you know almost twice the weight Of top racing shoe so leaves you a bit Of a conundra what exactly am I going to Use this shoe for like all those plates And stuff suggest Speedy running shoe But all that weight and cushioning maybe It's more one to cruise around in and Yeah so I took it out for 60 Minutes Easy with some pickups for my first run And I suppose the first thing to say is
It was very fun to run in the shoe like It is very bouncy it's got a lot of Explosive bounce on the foot kind of at Any Pace as you'd expect like the heel Doesn't do a whole lot it either Stabilizes you or just tips you onto This for foot section and then all this Stuff comes into play and just Springs You along and even at any even at my Relaxed Paces it felt very bouncy and Definitely I was running at a faster Pace than my effort or heart rate would Suggest in the shoe which is kind of the Classic carbon plate shoe where you're Putting less effort in to get loads more Pace and bounce out but then if I did Actually try and pick up the pace more Deliberately and run at slightly faster Speeds it certainly feels quite labored Because this is such a heavy shoe Especially someone for myself like it's A high Cadence quite Shuffle Runner not Necessarily a big loping Bounder and This shoe is just so heavy on the foot That it's not really one that i' would Feel like a very racy shoe as a result I Went on very flat straight route for my Uh for my run to shoe cuz I was a bit Worried about how sketchy it's going to Be with all this stuff going on the big Cutouts the kind of dis decoupled midell And all that and it doesn't actually Feel as crazy underf foot as you might Expect on that front like certainly not
A stable shoe but I didn't really have Any worries about it once I got used to Running in it and started to understand The feel of it and all the bounce under The forefoot and all that so yeah it's Not one that you necessarily have to be Very very careful careful in but Certainly you have to be more careful in The shoe than other shoes it's certainly Not stable or anything like that and Like I say that Hill section really just Tips you forward onto this front section And you get that balance like it does Run a lot lighter than it is obviously Like it doesn't feel like a real slouch When you're running at speed it just Feels a lot bigger and heavier than Top Class Racing shoes like we tested the Puma DV8 Nitro Elite 3 recently and that Feels a lot more explosive and fast just Because the pickup is so much lighter And even though you can hit this front Section hard and get a load of Bounce Out of it maybe and maybe bigger Runners Will unlock even more bounce from the Shoe and maybe find it really fast but I Think more that actually overall I think This isn't really a shoe with a very Defined purpose like I know it's got This stuff about breaking records but It's almost just F had a bit of fun here See what they can create a really BAL of Shoe if you want to buy it and use it Use it for whatever you want to
Basically what would it fit for you Maybe for some people it could be a Racing shoe but I think for most it's More just an interesting and fun shoe to Run around at easy Paces before we all Get into the price and everything like That also talk about that in the verdict Yeah it was a pretty fun easy outing in This shoe it's not one that I think Really fits very well for my running Style or really what I'm looking for in A running shoe but yeah it was certainly An interesting so this is clearly a shoe That is very interesting I actually went Out to um Boston to see the guys up P When they were developing this shoe and I saw an early version and it was very Similar to to this um when I saw it I Was thinking this is this is a concept Shoe which is never going to be bought By anybody in it in this iteration I Thought it would be modified and Developed to become more of a Traditional uh carbon plate racer or Something like that this is pretty much What I saw when the guys were looking in And developing it and they were very Excited and enjoying the developing of This so I think it's a real Testament to The fact that um pummer are trying stuff And not just trying stuff but trying Stuff that people can actually use and Buy and test out um it's a shoe that It's it's a bit of a funny one because
It is a very heavy shoe so um and you Can really tell that when you're out Running in it there's a lot of stuff Going on with this shoe um and some Really interesting stuff I mean you've Got three plates in here you've got Different densities of foam in here as Well um and It does feel very fun to run in so I've Done uh a couple of easy runs in this And a couple of interval sessions in This shoe the easy runs it does feel Very fun to run in it feels very bouncy Um it definitely feels like a shoe that Uh is doing something that is enjoyable When you're out on the Run um and it you Definitely feel that massive stack Height in it you it really feels like You got a lot of shoe on your foot and It's really soft and bouncy um but when I did the interv sessions in it you Really noticed that it's a shoe so I Would I've done a couple of interval Sessions in this so far uh and they were Quite tough interval sessions so um I Think one was like seven times uh 2 Minutes at 10K Pace with some half Marathon uh 4 minute reps in there as Well and um running at a faster Pace in The shoe the bounce doesn't outweigh the Weight so you definitely feel like it's A heavy shoe and I did struggle to Maintain a faster Pace um in this shoe So it's definitely not a shoe designed
For Speed when it comes to speed I want A lighter shoe I don't necessarily want Loads of Bounce if I'm doing a short rep I want something that's light and Nimble And just means I can pick up the pace Really quickly this doesn't allow me to Do that so I think if this is a shoe That is designed for per performance It's designed for longer distance Performance so it might be that it's Better over Marathon distance for a Consistent Pace but I still think over Marathon distance that weight is going To really affect you um because you're Going to notice it a lot as your leg get Tied in the later stages so it's Definitely issue that I think what we're going to see is a Development of the shoe in time it's Definitely got some technology in it Which might work really well I think it Needs to be tweaked I think it needs to Be played with more um I think the foam In there is probably not quite right it Needs to be a bit lighter needs to be a Bit bouncier um so there are nice Elements of the shoe and it's nice that Pum is trying these things out uh it's Definitely going to make headlines um as An interesting shoe I actually R this Show a part one uh a couple of weeks ago And quite a lot of people were staring At me thinking what am I wearing Um but yeah overall on those runs I
Found that it was com comfortable bouncy It's surprisingly stable for this when I First looked at this shoe I was thinking Uh I'm training for a marathon now I've Recently come off injury do I really Want to try this shoe it's it it looks Like it's going to feel very strange on The foot when you're running in it it Doesn't really it just feels like a high Stack shoe um it feels relatively stable For something that's got these decoupled Midsole design um and no issues in Running it on easy runs definitely uh And even on the faster runs it it felt Like a Max cushion shoe really um so Yeah definitely no issues with it there Um so overall I have very much enjoyed Testing this shoe I just it's I don't Think it's a shoe that's really designed For Mass Appeal I think it's a shoe Designed for fun for people that are Collectors and all those sorts of things So uh yeah um interesting shoe but um I Think we'll see it develop quite a bit Before it really becomes mainstream Hey verdict on the Puma fast it's a Tricky one to give a verdict on cuz Obviously it's ridiculously expensive There's a very few made it's not really A shoe that's intended to go out there And start really filling the rotations Of Runners across the land it's more Just an interesting idea a fun shoe a Collector's item if anything and one
That you can pick up if you're really Into this area of running shoes and Something that's you know quite novel And bringing new ideas to the table Hum's been doing this for a while with Their carbon shoes they tend to you go Out on a limb and produce things that Are really interesting and have new Ideas and they're trying to innovate in An area where Innovation is slowing down A bit I think in the carbon Market Because of the restrictions placed by World Athletics and more what I'd be Interested in this shoe about is what Kind of technology and ideas from this Shoe will trickle down into legal Racing Shoes so Puma has got two very good ones Now in the DV8 Nitro Elite 3 and the Puma fast R2 those are the racing shoes Really they're faster than this shoe for Sure this is more of a concept a nice Interesting idea you're not going to go And spend hundreds on this to fill out Our rotation you're spending the money On this because it's an interesting shoe Quite a fun one and maybe you like Collecting shoes like if you're looking For a serious racer go look at pummer Legal racers or other shoes like the ax Metas speed that kind of thing if you're Looking for Do-it all shoes that Actually are you know more fit for the Daily Grind of miles there are plate of Shoes out there that do a lot more than
This and a bit more normal and much Cheaper like the hok Mac X2 P continues To do fun things this is a fun shoe just Not necessarily a very practical one the One that really has a defined purpose It's more one that you kind of you do What you want with I'd say if you are Going to buy it if you're watching this Video as someone who's looking to build A you know practical and strong shoe Rotation for an event or for just your General running this is not the shoe to Put in it so my verdict on the pum fast RB as I said in the uh early section of The video I think this is a shoe that's Really designed to test somehow it's a Shoe that Puma has had fun making it is A concept that is definitely um fun to Look at it's fun to run in uh and it's We'll probably see developments of this Over time it's a it's a very heavy shoe It's not a shoe that you're going to use For most Performance training I'm Relatively light so I might not be Getting the Full Bounce of effect of This shoe um so you know if you're a Heavy Runner it might do a bit more it Might be a really good Marathon shoe for You I don't know but I definitely Wouldn't use this for any races um I Might do me and might might do it for a Bit of fun at some point um but when I've been doing those intervals I Struggled to to run faster in this shoe
And that was reps at my 10K pace so if I Was doing a 10K in this shoe I think I'm Really going to struggle because it does Feel very very heavy easy runs it feels Great but you're not going to spend as Much money on an easy run shoe because It's it's a lot of money the chances are You're going to going to buy the shoe as A collector or something where this is There aren't that many of these made not Many people will have them so it's Probably an interesting shoe to own as We see future developments of the shoe Maybe will look a little bit more like What you'd expect from a a modern-day Carbon plate racer um but this would be And one of those rare occasions where It's almost like you get to be you get To own the Prototype of of the shoe that Is developed over time um and it is a Really nice looking shoe and a fun Looking shoe to have so I think it's a Shoe that's designed to try some things Out it's a shoe that's designed to make Some headlines and it's a shoe that's Designed to be fun um and it does all of Those I assume it's going to do all Those things very very well uh and it'd Be really interesting to see how this Develops over time but um not many People are going to be able to try it Because there's not many versions out Anyway so um hopefully we'll get to see A more uh accessible version come out at
A cheaper price and possibly lighter as Well so after three runs in the pummer Fast RB is this a shoe I think that you Should be buying for your next race I Think well first and foremost it's Really expensive it's going to be Unlimited release I think it's going to Be very difficult to get a hold of I Think ultimately if you miss out on Getting this shoe I don't think that's Going to be a big thing cuz I think Ultimately this is very much I think a Concept shoe for me and really Showcasing the things that pummer are Working on the things that pummer are Already putting into its shoes and Really trying to I think ultimately show Or have a little bit of a play in terms Of that kind of design because Ultimately do have a very good carbon Racing shoe they have a couple of good Ones there now and I think ultimately This is really really trying to see you Know what else I could possibly do with The shoe but I think you know there are Some qualities I like I do think that It's all in one uper I think there is Something in that we've kind of seen That from other brands looking at a way To kind of reduce that weight and you Know still get that really good fit from A racing shoe or you know a faster shoe I think there's elements here I think That's definitely something Puma will I
Feel will probably look at and try and Evolve into another shoe I think when You look what you are getting in the for Foot of this shoe I think there is Something in there in terms of that Combination in terms of that makeup There and you know what that kind of Delivers in terms of that experience I Think there's some elements there that's So we're already seeing imp pumic shoes That are really showing that it is Getting where it needs to be I think and Catching up with the other kind of Brands that are delivering really Standout Racing shoes obviously is a Heavy shoe as well too compared to other Kind of um carbon Racing shoes compared To other Puma shoes as well too so yeah I think ultimately for me I come away From this shoe thinking you know this Isn't a shoe that I'm thinking ah it's a Concept shoe but you know probably going To use it for a lot of my runs I think You know I'd be a bit hesitant to run a Little bit longer in this shoe just Because I think it has been a little bit Uncomfortable for me in places but I can Appreciate there are some qualities I Have liked here but I think yeah Ultimately I think this is really about Saying you know we are trying to do Things differently with our Racing shoes We're willing to go out and do something A little bit different and you know
We're not going to wrest LS and go do Whatever everyone else is doing and we Will if we can try and do something Different we will and I think that's That's a good thing here and that's Really what the Puma FAS RB is about but In terms based on those first few runs Is it a shoe that I think yeah this is Absolutely the pummer shoe that I'd be Racing in I would probably still be Going for the DV8 Nitro Elite 3 which I Think is a fantastic shoe a light shoe Just a more comfortable shoe in general To slip on and go out and run and racing And I think It ultimately shows that Pummer is on the right tracks but it's Also with a shoe like this it's showing That look you know we want to try and Experiment and do some different things This might not be the shoe that or may Be how that shoe looks but ultimately There's going to be some elements here That I think they're definitely going to Take and will evolve into other shoes That's from us on this look at the pum Fast RB thanks a lot for watching don't To like subscribe click the little bell And if you're going to to catch and Below you can enter our podcast which Comes out a couple of times each month Thanks for watching catch you next time [Music]
