Puma Magnify Nitro 2 Review: More of Everything
By David Salas
The Magnify line for Puma is relatively new. The original Magnify was the maximum cushioning training shoe for the company and used full NITRO foam throughout. The aim of the shoe is to provide maximum comfort for logging daily miles. The second version continues the legacy of the shoe by adding more NITRO foam and some durable rubber spots.
Puma Magnify Nitro 2Price: $140.00 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 10.1oz, 286g (men's size 9), 7.9oz, 224g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 39mm heel/ 29mm forefoot
Drop: 10mm
Classification: Max Cushion Daily Trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Puma Magnify 2 Nitro is a daily training shoe in the maximum cushion category. The shoe uses the nitrogen infused NITRO midsole throughout the entirety of the shoe. The shoe uses a pretty traditional running shoe construction away from the current rocker profile. The Magnify 2 transitions surprisingly natural and gives a good platform to log daily miles in.
PAST MODEL: Puma Magnify Nitro
FIT
The fit of the Magnify 2 is true to size in my Men's 9.5. This actually is one of the better fitting shoes of the year for me. The length is a tad long, but everything feels very cozy and fitted well. The upper received an update from the first version and now uses a knit material with some PWRTAPE reinforcement throughout the medial side of the shoe. The width is normal through the heel, midfoot, and forefoot. The knit upper has some stretch to it but holds its structure well. I had no issues with foot translation or navigating turns. There is a heel counter present that is lightly padded in the heel cup and has a more padded heel collar. Everything about this shoe just feels cozy in the fit. There is a little bit more material on this shoe than some others out there, but it holds the foot well and feels sock like through the forefoot. It does run on the warmer end, though I don't seem to have any issues on that front in these.
PERFORMANCE
The Puma Magnify Nitro 2 is a daily training shoe for logging easy miles. This is certainly where the shoe shines the most. The shoe has a natural feel to it and is pretty comfortable regardless of terrain you are running on. The shoe uses the PUMAGRIP outsole that has done pretty well in some other models. It is no different in this model, as I felt the traction was quite trustworthy. I have taken this shoe mostly through roads, runnable trail, and softer bridle horse paths and it has done fine in all of those situations. The NITRO cushioning is soft but structured. The shoe does not feel mushy but has a little give to it. The resilience of the foam does give it some bounce, though this shoe is more of a cruiser. The heel is rounded centrally and there is a very small toe spring up front. The transitions in the shoe do feel like they let the runner choose the mechanics. The rounded heel gets you to the midfoot pretty quick and then it is all you. There isn't a hard rolling sensation through the forefoot.
Because of the combination of stack height and outsole the shoe feels decently stiff throughout. This does break in and the forefoot still has some flexibility once loaded through toe off. The 10mm drop felt consistent in this model. The overall transitions were really smooth but I did seem to have some consistent slapping as I transitioned into the forefoot. It isn't a deal breaker but I do think an 8mm drop might have a nicer feel for this one. Great job for an easy mileage shoe.
STABILITY
For having 40mm of NITRO foam, this shoe runs pretty stable. The traction underfoot is trustworthy and the upper security is solid. When running in the softer bridle trails there was some stretch to it, though it did just fine in every other situation. The sole flaring in the forefoot feels nice from a platform standpoint. The shoe also does a bucket design and has some sidewalls that transition out of the heel. Things feel decently guided and stable throughout. The softer foam and general construction still feels very neutral, but with some touches of stability.
Thoughts as a DPT: Traditionally Modern?
By David Salas
Today I wanted to discuss general trends in footwear. It wasn't that long ago when there was a plethora of 10mm+ drop training shoes both in the neutral and stability category. The market took a pretty large shift in the last 5 years towards higher stack heights and rockered designs. Most companies have followed suit with this concept while still having some reserves for the traditional designs.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
The Puma Magnify 2 is a daily training shoe for someone that does not
want a rockered ride, but does like softer max cushion designs. The shoe
runs surprisingly natural for how much foam there is. The shoe shines
at daily paces and has enough security to run a little in runnable
trails as well. The shoe is a workhorse trainer. Sitting at $140, there
is a good amount of value here.
I think one thing to play with in the Magnify is the high drop ratio. Without having much toe spring in the front you are going to want the shoe to run natural. For the most part it does but does feel like you are falling forward a tad off the heel. I think an 8mm drop might make the transition feel a tad smoother.
GRADING
David
Fit: A (If you want cozy this is cozy. Good dimensions throughout with surprisingly good security using a softer knit. Does run a little warmer and may be too much material for some.)
Performance: A- (Comfortable at daily paces with natural transitions. Still a tad slappy with the higher drop but very comfortable on road and runnable trail for eating large mileage)
Stability: B+ (Foam and general construction very neutral but outsole, sole flare, and sidewalls help balance.)
DPT/Footwear Science: B+ (A pretty traditional shoe design with a newer foam, but I'm glad options like this are still out there.)
Personal: A- (The shoe works well for my mechanics. The little bit of slapping is a manageable amount and I enjoy logging easy miles in these.)
Overall: B+/A- (A solid option in the maximum cushioning category, especially for those that don't want rockers)
SHOP | SUPPORT DORPuma Magnify Nitro 2Price: $140.00 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
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FURTHER READING: MAX CUSHION SHOES
Adidas Ultraboost Light - The 23rd ultraboost features Light Boost to help cut 2 oz from the trainer
Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 [Supermax Trainer] - Now a super maximal stacked shoe over 40mm!
Brooks Aurora BL - Brooks experimental project offers a look into the future
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v2 - Shoe reduces stack to make a nimble max ride
Nike InfinityRN 4 - ReactX highlights a big change to the shoe, along with deconstructing past models
Nike Invincible 3 - Updated to improve stability, this max cushion trainer evolves for v3
Salomon Aero Glide - Salomon brings max stack to their lineup with this new offering
Saucony Triumph 21- The excellent Triumph from last year gets a new upper that dials in the fit for an excellent overall ride
Saucony Triumph RFG - Triumph's sustainable sibling sacrifices almost nothing in the process
Skechers GORun Max Road 6 - A totally new redesign for this max cushion shoes
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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