The Puma Velocity Nitro 2 was a firm favourite of ours as a versatile and great value daily trainer, and we’re pleased to say the Puma Velocity Nitro 3 ticks all the same boxes. Tom, Mike and Nick have been logging a lot of miles in the shoe over the past few weeks, here’s their full verdict on what might well be the best value daily trainer available.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Design & Key Stats
01:37 – How’s The Fit?
04:00 – The Run Test
13:39 – Verdict
Subscribe to The Run Testers for more running gear reviews:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRunTesters?sub_confirmation=1
Puma Velocity Nitro 2 Multi-Tester Review:
Adidas Supernova Rise Review:
Best Super Trainers 2023:
Adidas Boston 12 Review:
Hello and welcome to run testers my name Is Nick and this is our full review of The pummer Velocity Nitro [Music] 3 so the velocity Nitro is a long-term Favorite of ours here at the Run testers It is a midlevel pretty good value mid Cushion shoe designed to do a bit a Little bit of everything and it's been One that I in particular have liked a Lot over the past few years with Velocity Nitro 1 and two new version of The shoe is slightly more expensive than Previous models it's £110 or $130 it Weighs in at 283 G or 10 oz which is a Slight uping weight on the velocity Nitro 2 which is down to the fact the Stack height is slightly increased with The new shoe it now stands 36 mm tall at The heel and 26 at the 4ot with a 10 mm Drop you still got a dual density midy Setup with the top layer being Puma's Nitro foam which is nitrogen infused TP And then the bottom layer is an EVA foam With profoam light which is a little bit Firmer denser than the stuff on the top Which is a bouncy super critical foam Got a mesh upper on the velocity Nitro 3 And pummer has added some of its power Tape into the third version of the shoe Which just adds a little bit more Structure and support to the shoe got Loads of padding around the heel and Tongue of the shoe the heel has been
Redesigned slightly to I think cradle Vehicle a bit more from the sides as Opposed to padding it right behind the Foot there there's some reflective Elements on there as well to have a bit More visibility in nighttime running and You got a pumer grip out soole again as With the first two versions of the shoe But the pattern has been redesigned a Little bit to create good grip I mean It's a fantastic outside pummer grip We've talked about it on pretty much all Of pummer shoes and it's still very good With a velocity Nitro [Music] 3 so fit for me and the velocity Nitro 3 Has been generally good overall I've had Mine in the UK size 8 that's exactly the Same size I've got the velocity Nitro to In and that was the size I had the Original velocity Nitro in as well too As I mentioned in the first video it is A shoe that does feel like it runs a Little bit long and I would say the Space up front the to is pretty Li So there may be an argument to go half a Size down in the shoe ultimately on the Run it hasn't been an issue for me in Terms of feeling too long and feel like You got too much space up front there so For me I would still probably go for my Usual size and velocity Nitro and in pum Issues in general elsewhere I mean no Real complaints here obviously you're
Losing that more relaxed kind of upper Fit that you're getting on the velocity Nitro 2 for something more structured And kind of hold your foot in a little Bit more the laces have changed a little Maybe on the long side but ultimately I Think these laces do offer a better kind Of lock down in terms of what we got on The velocity Nitro 2 so if you look at The padding around the heel collar I Think the design has changed but Ultimately the level of padding hasn't So if you are familiar with using Velocity Nitro 2 and what it's like in Terms of the feel around the hill then You're getting I think something similar On the velocity Nitro 3 so yeah for me Fitwise absolutely fine as I said does Feel like it runs a little bit long but It hasn't been an issue ultimately when I've been out running and my UK size Eight the fit for me in the pummer Velocity Nitro 3 I'm a size eight in the UK this is a size eight very comfortable Shoe uh I definitely stay to my size It's very plush um is's a lot of room in The shoe as well um I yeah i' definitely Stay to my size in the shoe I think it's Very comfortable and it would suit a lot Of people so the fit for me in the L Nitro 3 has been good for me in my Normal running shoe size the same size I've had with the past two models of the Shoe and across Puma's range in general
It's a good amount of room in the toe Box nice secure and very close hold at The heel I think I prefer the way the Heel is designed on the third version of The shoe the way it almost pads from the Side of your Achilles rather than being Directly on it which was a little bit The case with the velocity Nitro 2 but Yeah a little minor Improvement there There's still lots of padding at the Back of the shoe which does Soak Up Sweat a little bit and in general it's Not the most breathable upper out there This is something that's never bothered Me but I know with the velocity Nitro 2 Some people did find the upper quite Warm I think that's probably still going To be the case with velocity Nitro three Like I say it hasn't really been a Problem for me and all around I think The fit is very good in my normal Running shoe size The Puma velocity Nitro range is a range That we talk about a lot on the channel Uh Nick is obviously a big fan but we're All big fans of that line um and the new Pum veloc Nitro 3 is much of the same It's still a very solid reliable daily Shoe that really does the job when you Need it um when you compare it with a Lot of other shoes out there a lot of The daily shoes out there um it really Stacks up against them and that's great Because it's still cheaper than most of
Alternatives that you can get of this Caliber when we've done reviews of the Older shoes in the past we've always Said that they always compete pretty Much with shoes that are 50 60 more Expensive than it and it's still the Case it's still it's a little bit more Expensive than the previous version but Not a lot and it's still just a great Shoe I probably done about 80 90k in This so far so I basically been Exclusively using this for all of my Easy runs over the past uh 3 or four Weeks and I'm just it's fantastic it Just does the job um it's very Comfortable I do think it's a very tiny Bit softer than the previous version and As a result I think it loses a little Bit of responsiveness uh over the run It's not massive and for the sort of Runs that I've been doing in it which Should vary between 5 minute 30 minute Kilom to about 4 minute 30 minute Kilometers it's absolutely fine I've Done a couple of quite tasty uh Tempo Sessions in this shoe and I've done Intervals in this shoe as well um and it Can hold up pretty well it's not a fast Shoe it's not um going to compete with Something like the S dorphin Speed 3 but It's still a great allrounder it it can Do a lot of stuff and if you were just Going to pick up one pair of shoes you Didn't want to spend too much on it uh
And you wanted to do your easy runs your Daily runs and maybe even go a bit Faster in it still a great option it's It's a lot going for this shoe and I'm Glad that pum haven't made any massive Differences to this shoe there are some Minor changes across it but ultimately It's delivering the same things you Expect from the uh velocity Nitro one And two um some of the nice things about It the upper nicely reinforced very Comfortable there's a lot padding on you Really notice that when you're running It it feels like a shoe that despite Being a bit of a leaner daily shoe it Does feel very comfortable there's a lot Of plushness to it outsole fantastic Still the pumer grip is still one of the Best you can find on any shoes uh Definitely a shoe that you could Probably use on lighter trails and stuff As well if you wanted to but all in all It's still a fantastic shoe and well Worth buying if you want a good value All rounder or just a shoe that you put In your bag for all of those runs where You're not sure what you really want to Do with it I've done around 50k of Running in the P of velocity Nitro 3 Using it for a nice mix of training runs I've done a long run in the shoe I've Gone down to some very easy Paces for Short runs or warm-ups and cool Downs Before and after workouts and done some
Faster stuff too generally just Progression runs moving through to Around my steady Pace kind of top end of Race Paces during General training and I Really like it like I really like the P Velocity Nitro 2 as anyone who's watched The channel for a while will know and I Really like the pum veloc Nitro 3 don't Think there's a massive change here from What pumer has done before with the line So something will come on to on the Verdict maybe you can look at getting The velocity Nitro 2 in a deal now but Velocity Nitro 3 is certainly a delight To run in so I have praised the velocity Nitro 2 a lot over the past year and I Do think that sometimes that leads to People expecting something really wow When they put the shoe on and go running In it but that's not really why I like The shoe and it's not why I like the L Nitro three it's it's not a really soft Or springy ride or incredibly dynamic or Exciting underf foot it's just really Well balanced and just very pleasant to Run in at almost any Pace just feels Really nice to tick over and running This shoe and it's great for racking up Miles as a result you know it is soft And cushion but it's not a massive High Stack shoe or something that feels Wobbly underfoot to me and it is pretty Quick if you want to up the pace you've Got the good Foams there the nice
Balance of Foams that create that smooth And fast ride and all around it just Feels like a classic trainer of this Type which you can just pull on for a Bit of anything really and and it's Always going to deliver a pretty good Performance so obviously everything's Quite individual it's the drop and the Mid cell phones to me that just really Make it work for me like it feels very Natural on the 30 you pull it on and I Just forget about it and then go and Tick along at whatever Pace I'm planning To do that day like even with a 10 mm Drop it doesn't feel like a very Snappy Or harsh ride as well I think the foam's Really well set up to smoothly push you Onto the forefoot and get a nice bit of Response from the Nitro foam which is Obviously here in slightly higher Amounts compared to previous models of The shoe just cuz you got a slightly Higher stack heite but I don't think It's ing like I say a big explosive ride Or anything like that it's just a really Well balanced setup all around and what Pleased that Puma kept the EVA foam Underneath because you know I don't know Exactly what it is that makes the shoe Feel so good on the foot but maybe You've expected them to put a full Nitro Mids cell foam in like you have on Somethingone like the P magnify Nitro 2 Which I do like and if you've got a foam
That you generally consider better than The other foam you think well if I just Make the whole mids soole out of that It'll feel better but actually a dual Density setup like this I do think works Quite well for lots of shoes because you Do get that bounci of top player then That you sink into a little bit and then You get a little bit of extra response By hitting the firmer bottom layer and Then all in all it worked really well It's the same with a shoe like the Mac 5 Which has a dual density setup as well And yeah it just feels like I say really Nice for running in at almost any Pace Like I wouldn't go down necessarily and Do allout track work in the shoe I think It can handle intervals pretty well but As someone with running shoe rotation I'd always have a faster shoe lined up To do that kind of thinging but you know Broadly speaking any run up to that Point feels really good in this shoe and It's got the Comfort there for those Very relaxed long runs as well despite The fact it's not completely maxed out Like a lot of Max cush shes on the Market the stack right here is still Pretty high and I certainly found it Really comfortable on the long run I Didn't it and on top of all the stuff About how much I enjoy the ride you've Got that really good pummer grip outsole Which we've talked a lot about with lots
Of pummer shoes but it's worth Reiterating again that this is a very Good outsole up there with my favorites Uh along with like Adidas's Continental Rubber out SS that just means you can Pull the shoe on and head out fully Confident that you're not going to slip On a pavement around here like during The winter when it gets very wet or Greasy or there's a little bit of ice on The pavement at times that kind of thing Just a very good outso for that r able On cambered Pavements makes it a very Practical shoe uh which is not the case With sometimes you know they're really Exciting daily trainers or super Trainers that coming out they're great If you hit a nice flat stretch of asphal And you have no concerns about turning Or grip but with a real world use Outside like this really is Handy it Does mean also I can just go into my Local Forest pretty confident that I'm Going to have quite good grip on light Trails as well without having to worry About that so all around just a really Accomplished uh daily trainer so I've Now clocked up 45k in the Puma velocity Nitro 3 now in our first round video I Used it for my a long run and what I Wanted to see post that video was how it Would handle some more Up Tempo running Ultimately because I could see it had Enough in its kind of you know Locker to
Handle longer runs and I feel like maybe It does work a bit better for longer Runs I think particularly in terms of What the changes in the upper giving you A bit more structure a bit more support On those longer runs as well too but What ultimately what I wanted to see if It still had that versatility that I Think we really valued in the original Velocity Nitro and velocity Nitro to so The runs I did kind of post that we're More close to my kind of more uptempo Pace more my kind of quicker Pace Dropping down to kind of 7even minute 7 Minute 20 7 minute 30 minute mile pace Which is kind of my more Tempo pace and I'm happy to say that the shoe does Still run really well at those slightly Quicker Paces now I think in terms of Using it for kind of speed sessions Track sessions it probably isn't the Shoe that I would grab for for those but I think if I wanted a shoe where I do Want to do kind of tempo star runs if I Want see some kind of progression stuff Then I do think this is a shoe that can Handle that it has jumped up a little Bit in weight but I don't think it's the Kind of weight that makes a massive Difference in terms of the experience of What you get from the velocity Nitro 3 Compared to its predecessor also the Original velocity Nitro I think you know When you what you get from that mids
Salt is something that is responsive and Nice responsive it isn't super soft but There is enough of that softness to make Sure that you're getting some comfort There as well too I do just feel like You can go out you can run it feels good It feels consistent it feels smooth and It just doesn't feel like a jarring Experience to run in the velocity Nitro 3 overall what I also like is the out Salt is really solid as well too it's Something that we've kind of highlighted On previous velocity Nitro shoes pumis Shoes in general you've got a lot of Rubber here Tim from a gripping point of View I haven't had to run in kind of wet Conditions But ultimately it's not Changed massively in terms of what we See in the velocity nro 2 and the Original I think you're getting a good Level of grip here and I think if you Wanted to run a lighter Trails I think This is a shoe that's absolutely capable Of doing it so for me as I said on that First run which was kind of a longer run What I wanted to see is whether it had Kind of better capabilities in terms of Support in terms of the protection that You're getting which I think maybe you Do get on the original velocity Nitro 2 But I think here the changes make it a Bit better suited those longer runs what I wanted to see is whether it retained As I said those that capability to run
More Up Tempo in this as I said I don't Think it's for Speed sessions or kind of Track sessions but I think if you wanted To run a little bit quicker and have a Shoe that you can ease off in as well Too this is a shoe that does it it gives You a good versatile ride I think you're Getting a really strong outsole as well Here too and while I actually didn't Mind the upper on the velocity Nitro too I can appreciate what pumo has done here And terms of offering something that's a Bit more supportive a bit more Structured and as I said gives it a bit More scope to be better suited for Longer runs as well too so all real Positives for me on the velocity Nitro 3 You know I was a little bit disint has Gone up a little bit in weight but Ultimately The Experience overall hasn't Changed the types of RS it's designed For it still feels Well Suited so yeah All very positive me on the velocity Nitro [Music] 3 so mytic is that the velocity Nitro 3 Is another really excellent shoe within The velocity Nitro lineup it's not had Big changes from the previous models of The shoe and for me that is a plus it's The embodiment really of this mid-level Mid cushion trainer that's not got a Maxed out stack it isn't the really Expensive neutral trainer in a Brand's
Lineup it's essentially the the Nike Pegasus of old which was just a do- it All shoe that suited loads of different Runners really well and just did Everything well it was a practical shoe You could pull on and go out and do your Running it really quite reliably and you Happily recommend it to friends knowing That they probably get on with the shoe Quite well and that's what the velocity Nitro is for me and it does it all at a Good price that's slightly lower than Most of the shoes in this bracket so Even with the price going up this year It's still really good value it's also Always a shoe that seems to crop up in Sales and that's something to look out For in the future as I mentioned in the Run test I don't think there's a huge Change here to the velocity Nitro 2 even With a little bit of extra stack heite I'd say if you can find the older shoe At a really good deal I'd probably be Tempted to pick that up and make a bit More of a save and get even more value Out of it but maybe over time that extra Stack I might come into play a little Bit in retaining the feel of the midsole Over longer miles though I never had a Problem with that with a losty Nitro 2 Either so other competition in this area Couple that stand out from Adidas and Nike is obviously the Nike Pegasus and Then the Adidas Supernova rise both of
These are pretty good shoes as well Fairly versatile reasonably good value I Just prefer the feel of the Velocity Nitro myself it's also a bit cheaper you Got a better outsole I find it just more Comfortable than the a supernova rise And I think it's a lot more versatile Than the Pegasus which is stred more Into full cushion shoe territory in Recent years for me sakon ride 17 is Another very well cushion shoe I think The previous models of the ride were Probably a bit more lightweight and Similarly versatile to the velocity Nitro 3 but the new version is a bit More like a Triumph I find it just a bit Heavy and big to go and do faster runs In I'd much prefer to do those in the Veloy Nitro but the R 17 is a good Cushion daily trainer that probably has A little bit more Comfort maybe but I Prefer the F of V Nitro 3 myself and Find it more than comfortable enough the Hoker Clifton 9 is another solid Alternative for those who would like a Lower drop I think that is a really good Shoe that does do a little bit of Everything quite well midell foam is not The most impressive I find with hoker in General too that I think relies a lot More on the rocker geometry to create a Nice smooth ride I think the Puma has Better Foams in the midsole again a Better out soole again slightly cheaper
But hoker is a really good shoe like I Did enjoy using that for a nice range of Runs but I'd probably prefer the feeling Of the Puma myself with the higher drop You have here and then the aex no blast 4 is a really strong competitor so she I've really enjoyed using of late and i' Use it for all the same kind of runs as I would use the Puma velocity Nitro for Got a higher stack on the ax probably Slightly more balanced to the way it set Up as well and it's not that much more Expensive so I think that is quite a Tight one again you get a better outso Here on the Puma it is cheaper uh in the UK in particular but in terms of the Actual ride field I think they are quite Close in how much I like them they're Both really good versatile daily Training shoes probably as addict to the Pumer just again because that outside is So good but yeah that's a good option as Well the aex over blast if you want Slightly more stack and a slightly more Bouncy feeling under foot on your Everyday runs so my on the pum veloc Nitro 3 is a pretty easy one it's still A great shoe it's not massively changed From the earlier versions um it's maybe For me just a tiny bit softer than the Earlier versions but not massively it's Not going to change the the ride Enormously you're probably not going to Notice that that much so it's still a
Great option if you just want a great Value shoe that is punches far far above Its weight you're not going to be Massively surprised by this shoe if You've used the velocity one and two You're not going to get this and find It's an amazing update to those versions It's just a slightly tweaked version of Those and is slightly better in some Respects um so well worth of look if you Want a good solid daily shoe that can do Easy runs and can do slightly fatter Sessions as well but yeah definitely Still one of the the best value options Out there um if you're looking for a Good solid daily shoe so my VCT on the P Velocity Nitro 3 is that this is once Again a very versatile cushioned daily Trainer shoe at a very good price while There are some changes here I think Ultimately the essence of the shoe Remains the Same as the first two shoes And I think that's really important here And I think you know if you want a shoe That can handle some slower longer runs But also allows you to run a little bit More Tempo in it and you're getting Something that works well from that Point of view then this is one of the Best out there and as I said it is at a Very good price and I wouldn't be Surprised if it gets lower than it's Going to retail price and it will make It even better value I think the terms
Of the changes from velocity Nitro 2 I Think it maybe is a little bit better Suited to those longer runs because of Those upper changes I think you're Getting maybe a little bit more in the Hill in terms of protection but ultim I Don't think there's a massive amount in It now if it was me I would still be Going for the P velocity Nitro 2 Particularly if you can pick it up for a Lot less than velocity Nitro 3 which is Also already still pretty cheap when you Think about what you're getting in terms Of experience but I don't mind the kind Of more relaxed upper that you're Getting here it is a little bit lighter And you're getting a good outsole on That shoe as well too and generally as I Said the same types of runs it's going To excel at as well too the only other Shoe that I think sits in this profile At a similar price as I mentioned in the First video is a saky axon 3 that's a Shoe that I think really works in a Similar fashion to the P velocity Nitro 3 that is a little bit harder to get Hold of at the moment so I think I would Still probably be veing towards a p Velocity Nitro 3 I think the mid so just Feels a little bit nicer it looks a Little bit better although I don't Absolutely love this colorways I'm Hoping there'll be some best colorways That uh Puma launches the Vos Nitro 3 in
But ultimately I think the experience For me just works a little bit better For me and I think if you've got kind Of1 £10 to pay or to play with then this Is a shoe that I think about getting Don't judge this shoe on the price just Because it's less than some other Cushion daily trainer shoes this is a Standout shoe irrespective of the price And I think if you as I said if you're Looking for a versatile daily trainer Cushion shoe v n 3 is one of the best You can get if you don't mind having Something that has that more structured Supportive upper I would go for the Velocity Nitro too that's still a great Shoe that offers a similar ride and Experience overall but yeah veloc Nitro 3 another solid iteration of veloy nitro Line and I think will remain a really Popular shoe for a lot of people and Still a popular shoe and a well- loved Shoe for us here Too Okie doie that is our review of the Pum velocity Nitro 3 let us know what You think in the comments below please Do like and subscribe ring the little Bell and we'll see you next Time
