Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 Review
By Andrea Myers and Matthew Klein
Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3Price: $299.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 6 oz, 170 g (men's size 9), 5.2 oz, 147 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 39 mm heel / 31 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Super Racing Shoe
Pros: Highly propulsive ride, comfortable upper for a racing shoe, performs well at a range of paces
Cons: Outsole gets permanently indented when running over rocks/pebbles, excessive medial bias at the midfoot.
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is the pinnacle of Puma racing technology. Coming in as one of the lightest and fastest shoes on the market, the new design features an incredibly light 6.0 oz weight with one of the bounciest midsoles on the market. A full-length, extended carbon plate and Nitro Elite foam make for an incredibly bouncy and aggressive ride that works only at faster speeds and work better the quicker you go. A highly comfortable and light Ultraweave upper provides enough room with mild stretch while still locking the foot onto the platform. The crazy design does create some stability issues in the heel and midfoot, so those with mild guidance needs only in the forefoot or highly stable mechanics will do best in this shoe. A tool for going fast or going fast and long for elite athletes, the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 blasts out of the gates as one of the best racing shoes of 2025 (for the right person).
SIMILAR SHOES: Nike Alphafly 1
PAST MODEL: Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 2
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10 (half thumbs width between the end of my toes and the end of the upper). The upper fits slightly snug, lower volume but does have some mild stretch to it. It is made of an incredibly light, see through material called Ultraweave with PWRTAPE reinforcements for security. The toe box and forefoot are slightly rounded with enough room for my toes and MTP joints. There is room for me to wiggle my toes up and down thanks to a little stretch but the upper still sits close to the foot. The midfoot fits snug and lower volume with the laces sitting low against the foot. The tongue is quite thin and I had to make sure it laid flat on my foot to avoid it folding up. There is no gusset to the tongue but it does stay in place once secured. I did not have to tighten the laces much to get a secure fit and actually had to be careful not to tie the laces too tight to avoid pressure on the top of my midfoot. The heel fits normal-to-slightly snug with good security. There is mild padding around the heel collar of the shoe and a small semi rigid heel counter in the rearmost portion of the shoe. The small counter did not bother my Haglund deformity but those that are sensitive should approach with caution. The inner liner of the upper is quite comfortable I have been able to do up to 6 miles sockless without blister issues. For those experienced with sockless running, this upper will do great although it is comfortable both with and without socks.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Andrea: I requested a 1/2 size up from my usual women's 9.5 for the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 because when I tested the original Puma Deviate Nitro Elite, my usual size fit significantly short. Going up to a women's size 10 was the right choice, because it fit perfectly in length and width, and I found the forefoot rocker to line up well with my MTPs. I have a full thumb's width from the front of the shoe to the end of my big toe and the Ultraweave upper provided sufficient width in the toe box for my MTPs. The midfoot and rearfoot are normal width and I did not have any difficulty achieving secure lockdown with the laces. The very thin tongue is non-gusseted and held in place by two lace loops. I did have to make sure that the tongue did not fold over on itself when donning the shoe, but this was relatively easy to do and it stayed in place once the laces were tied. The rearfoot features a small, rigid heel counter only in the lower 1/2 of the shoe and there is a small amount of internal padding. The Fast-r Nitro Elite 3 is one of the most comfortable super shoes I have tested and I couldn't be happier with how the shoe fits.
Andrea's Typical Size: Women's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit Andrea well: Brooks Hyperion Max 1 and 2, Topo Cyclone 2, Nike Vaporfly 3, ASICS Novablast 4 and 5, PUMA MagMax Nitro
Shoes that have fit snug: Altra Escalante 4 (toe box width and volume), Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 2 and 3 (length), Saucony Endorphin Speed and Pro 1-4 (length)
Shoes that have fit large: Adidas Boston 12 (length), Adidas Adios 8 (length)
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Minimal
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: Maybe
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: Yes
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is an elite level, aggressive super racing shoe. The midsole is aliphatic TPU Nitro Elite Foam that provides an incredibly bouncy feel underfoot. This sensation is more prominent in the rearfoot with a softer ride in the back and soft but still highly responsive ride in the forefoot. There is a full length carbon fiber plate that extends beyond the forefoot that stabilizes the forefoot and provides a snappy ride off the front. The ride is incredibly light at 6 oz for men's US size 9, making it one of the lightest racing shoes and diving into a only recent level of super shoe weight. There is an 8mm drop listed but it feels far lower due to the large heel bevel and extended plate. The transition is incredibly smooth but aggressively forward at the heel thanks to a massive heel bevel. It feels like the heel bounces you forward into an even more aggressive front. This transitions quickly through an almost non-existent midfoot and into the true meat of the shoe. The forefoot features an extended plate and a ton of the Nitro Elite Foam. The large forefoot rocker and toe spring easily rolls you forward with an extra push from the softer, highly responsive foam. Those with toe mobility issues will not do well here due to the large amount of toe spring present. The extended plate adds a large amount of stiffness to this with no flexibility at all, making this shoe feel better the faster you go. This is not a shoe for anyone running slower or even easy paces. It feels incredibly awkward even at uptempo paces and only begins to shine for me at half marathon and below.
Running shorter intervals on the track, split tempo runs and faster efforts had me tearing up the road in faster times than I have hit in a long time. The harder I pushed, the more this shoe responded. For me, I would use this as a 5k to 10k shoe as it is not stable medially enough for me to use for a half marathon. For most people running faster with neutral mechanics, a half marathon will be fine. Only the most elite and fast runners will get enough out of this shoe for a marathon but those with the mechanics to do so will greatly benefit from using it. The ride turns over so easily at faster paces and feels like it pushes you forward similar to/better than the Alphafly series. It does not feel comfortable at easy and uptempo paces, so I would not suggest this as a normal long run shoe. The medial instability and awkward feel at slow to moderate paces suggests it can only be used for longer efforts by elites at faster speeds. Traction wise the Puma-Grip holds onto track and road well even in wet conditions. This is not a shoe that should be used on any form of trail due to the exposed midsole and plate. Unfortunately, the durability of the outsole is average. The midsole foam has not changed at all and I have not managed to tear through the outsole at the rear portion. However, I am already seeing outsole wear at the forefoot at 30 miles. It is mild, but has slightly reduced the traction up front. So while the durability may be average, the ride is certainly not as the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is easily one of the top 3 fastest shoes of 2025.
Andrea: I was very excited to test the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, mainly due to both the hype and pre-print research article on the shoe's running economy improvements over several other super shoes. I haven't tested a Puma super shoe for Doctors of Running to this point and I was really looking forward to getting some miles on this shoe. I have tested the shoe on several tempo workouts and progression runs, at paces ranging from half marathon down to mile pace. I have also used the shoe for warmups and cooldowns, as I typically run from home for these workouts. The most notable observation for me is that I consistently run 5-10"/mile faster at a given effort level in the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 as compared to the other super shoes I am currently testing or own. I attribute this to several factors, including that the forefoot rocker seems to line up correctly with my MTPs, the midsole geometry seems well designed for midfoot landings, the highly responsive Nitro Foam Elite midsole, and the additional forefoot stiffness provided by the extended carbon fiber plate. At initial contact, the Nitro Foam Elite midsole feels mildly compliant, but then the early forefoot rocker and sharp toe spring provide a very aggressive propulsive ride into push off. Interestingly, the shoe feels just as comfortable for me at half marathon pace as it does for mile pace. I have only been racing the 800 and mile this year, but I am planning to race a 5k in August and this will definitely be my race shoe.
While the stated drop of the shoe is 8mm, it feels like a 4-6mm drop shoe to me due to the large heel bevel and decoupled rearfoot/forefoot design. This shoe feels like it is designed for midfoot or forefoot strikers like myself (lateral midfoot). At 5.2oz for a women's size 8, it is extremely light, even for a modern super shoe, and it feels like it disappears on foot. If I didn't have the Nike Streakfly 2, I would have definitely used Fast-R 3 for the two road mile races I did over Memorial Weekend. The shoe feels like it responds proportionally to the force I put into it. At half marathon pace, the shoe kept me rolling along but did not feel too aggressive for that effort level. One of my runs was a progression from half marathon down to 5k pace, and as I picked up the pace, the shoe felt like it responded accordingly to whatever effort I was producing. It does feel more propulsive at faster paces, particularly 5k and faster. The extended carbon plate provides a noticeable increase in forefoot stiffness at push off that is lacking in most other super shoes. I think this feature helps the shoe retain its propulsive qualities at faster paces. I would use the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 for any race 5k-half marathon. My long runs are only 10 miles right now and I am not doing any marathon pace work, so it is hard for me to say if I would use it for a marathon or not. Based on the comfortable fit of the shoe, I would say yes, but I can't say how the shoe would perform for me at marathon pace.
There is a surprisingly high amount of rubber coverage on the shoe and I had no traction issues on wet roads. One unusual thing that has happened to the outsole is that it has become indented any time I have stepped on a rock. It hasn't affected the ride of the shoe, but it isn't something I have noticed in any other racing shoe. Other than the indentations, there is no actual wear on any part of the rubber outsole after 25 miles. I would expect average durability out of the shoe.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is a neutral shoe that will work better for those with stable neutral mechanics or those who land farther forward. The forefoot is the only part of the shoe with guidance features due to significant sole flare, the stiff ride from the plate and a slightly laterally biased forefoot rocker. The midfoot and heel are medially biased. The heel features more lateral flare than medial and although the sole compresses a ton, it tends to push the foot medial upon landing. At the midfoot, there is nothing on the medial side to stop motion driven from the heel and nothing on the lateral side, so anyone with medial stability needs or general midfoot guidance needs will struggle with this shoe. My posterior tibialis tendon got irritated after every run in this shoe although I have still been able to continue training. Those with mild forefoot guidance needs will do fine but the majority of this shoe is for those with stable mechanics.
Andrea: The Puma Fastr-R Nitro Elite 3 is a neutral racing shoe that will work best for those who land further forward. It does have significant guidance features that promote rapid forward motion, including the large heel bevel, early forefoot rocker, and aggressive toe spring. The forefoot features a wide platform and a moderate amount of sole flaring that is more prominent laterally than medially. This feature will work well for runners like myself who tend to land too far at the lateral midfoot or forefoot, but could cause issues for those who need medial guidance. The sharp toe spring makes the Fast-R inappropriate for anyone with reduced 1st MTP extension mobility (such as hallux rigidus). The rearfoot also has a small amount of laterally biased sole flare, but the rearfoot platform remains on the narrow side. Like many racing shoes, this shoe may be significantly less stable for rearfoot strikers as compared to midfoot or forefoot strikers.
Thoughts as a DPT: Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 and Running Economy
By Andrea Myers
If you have read anything about the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, you have probably seen that Puma states it has 3.15% improved running economy as compared to the Fast-R Nitro Elite 2. This data comes from a pre-print article (which means it has not been through the peer review process yet) in which researchers including Dr. Wouter Hoogkamer, previous DOR podcast guest and author of many articles on super shoes and running performance, and Laura Healey, also a previous podcast guest and Senior Manager of Research and Sport Science at Puma.
In the study on the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, Dr. Hoogkamer and his colleagues compared the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 with three other shoes: the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 2, Nike Alphafly 3, and Adidas Adios Pro Evo. The subjects were 15 trained runners who were all accustomed to running in super shoes. They were 11 males, all of whom have run a 5k under 19:00, and 4 females, all of whom have run a 5k in under 21:00. The test protocol involved running on an instrumented treadmill in each of the four shoe models twice, with 5 minutes of running and 5 minutes of rest. The test speeds for the subjects were based on recent 5k results and experience and included 8 male subjects running at 16 km/h (9.94mph), 3 male and 3 female subjects running at 14 km/h (8.69mph), and 1 female at 12.9km/h (8.01mph). These speeds convert to 6:02 min/mi, 6:54 min/mi, and 7:29 min/mi respectively. Running economy was measured as average metabolic rate in W/kg, based on the rates of oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production. The results of the study found that the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 resulted in improved running economy compared to all three shoes, for all subjects. There was a 3.15 +/- 1.24% improvement compared to the Fast-R Nitro Elite 2, 3.62 +/- 1.25% improvement compared to the Alphafly 3, and 3.54 +/- 1.16% improvement compared to the Adidas Adios Pro.
The authors state that the most notable result from this study is that every subject demonstrated their best running economy in the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3. This is different from previous studies that compare subjects' running economy in different super shoes, in that differences in running economy when comparing two super shoes (or shoes with advanced footwear technology/AFT as defined in the article) are normally smaller and not consistent between subjects. The authors state that the reason the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 performs so much better is that it was designed with "data-driven computational design analysis." Puma is not unique in using computational design analysis in the shoe development process, so it will be interesting to learn more about the specific design parameters Puma used and why they may be the reason that the Fast-R 3 performed better than the Alphafly 3 and Adios Pro Evo. The improved performance over the Fast-R 2 includes a significant reduction in shoe weight (249g vs 167g). The authors stated that the difference in weight accounts for 0.8% better running economy between version 2 and 3, and that the remaining 2.3% improvement can be attributed to the improvements in plate geometry and stiffness as well as midsole energy storage and return. Interestingly, the authors stated the in their testing, the Fast-R 3 had the lowest compression stiffness, the lowest bending stiffness, and the highest percent energy return as compared to the three other test shoes. They attribute the improvement in running economy to the interaction of these factors.
When reading a research study involving humans, it is important to understand its limitations. This study had a small sample size that involved runners who are faster than the average runner, but no elite (marathon pace faster than 18km/h) or recreational runners (marathon pace slower than 12km/h). There were only four female runners and all subjects were in their mid 20s to late 30s. The male subjects' weights were 67.5 +/- 4.5kg and the female subjects' weights were 59.1 +/- 2.2kg. If you are of a similar age, weight, and marathon pace to these subjects, then these results may be applicable to you. If your characteristics are significantly different than the subjects, the results may not apply to you as well.
Kusmeski, J., Bertschy, M., Healy, L., Barrons, Z., & Hooghamer, W. (2025). Data driven shoe design improves running economy beyond state-of-the-art Advanced Footwear Technology running shoes. BioRxiv 2025. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.04.13.648601
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I applaud Puma and the team associated with the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3. It is truly an incredible super shoe that will work great for elite runners and those with stable mechanics. Recreational runners and those with medial stability needs will not do well in this shoe as it is not designed for either group. This is the challenge that occurs when trying to get to the 6 oz range and having enough of this incredible foam/plate combination to provide this fast of a ride. I wish this shoe had a bit more stable midfoot, potentially extending the medial heel a bit farther forward while still maintaining a central cut out. That would potentially threaten the integrity of the midsole and add weight, so I understand why that might not work. The upper is incredibly comfortable and holds the foot down well.
So my suggestions are to look at the midfoot stability and reassess the toe spring. The medial aspect of the forefoot could be extended back into the midfoot while widening the central groove to maintain weight and "catch" the foot. It may just be a shoe meant for those efficient or who land farther forward. In regard to the aggressive toe spring, I would see if the forefoot rocker could be maintained while keep the toes in a more neutral position. This creates additional unnecessary stress on the plantar fascia (tightens it up) which may be problematic for some people. If that can be lowered slightly, that may improve the comfort and biomechanical appropriateness of this shoe. However, I understand this shoe is not meant to be biomechanically appropriate and instead is an incredibly fast, elite tool.
Andrea: I have absolutely loved testing the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 and I can't wait to race it in a 5k in August. It is my favorite super shoe that I've tested in 2025 and the only other shoe that I've enjoyed as much as it was the Alphafly v1, and I like the fit of the Fast-R better than the Alphafly. I think Puma has made something special with this shoe, specifically with its low weight and its propulsive ride. If I had to make any recommendation, it would be regarding the indentation of the outsole that has resulted from any rock I've stepped on while running. This does make me question the durability of the outsole, but that remains to be seen with further testing. I hope Puma does not change much in v4, because v3 is now one of my all-time favorites.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is for those with neutral mechanics who want one of the fastest shoes on the market. The fit will work best for those with normal with feet wanting a comfortable upper that provides a mild stretch while being incredibly light and secure. The ride will work best for those with neutral mechanics who transition quickly through their stride or land farther forward. The overall package will work best for faster runners for 5k to half marathon and elite athletes up to the marathon. The price is high, but is still lower than the Cloudboom Strike LS and the Adizero Pro Evo 1/2 while being faster than either one of those shoes. It is a strong competitor to the Alphafly 3 as the top racing shoe for those with stable mechanics while being a full ounce lighter. While it does not work for me, I can still appreciate it being an incredible shoe for the right person and am not surprised records are already falling in it.
Andrea: The Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is a super shoe that will perform well at a large range of paces. I think runners could confidently use it for mile-half marathon and many runners will have no problem using it for a marathon as well. The geometry is better suite to those who land further forward as compared to rearfoot strikers and the sole flaring will be best for those who need lateral guidance. The fit is extremely comfortable, which is surprising for a racing shoe, and at 6.0oz for a men's 9 and 5.2oz for a women's 8, is one of the lightest super shoes on the market. At $300, it is priced competitively with other top tier super shoes and it is a shoe I would purchase myself if I hadn't received it for testing.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: A (Comfortable fit with good security, mild stretch and good against skin feel)
Performance: A (Incredibly fast ride that works better the faster you go. Best for most people for 5k to maybe half marathon. Only elites will be able to handle this for a marathon)
Stability: B- [Neutral, Medial Bias Heel/Midfoot] (Stable forefoot but unstable midfoot and medially biased heel)
Value: A- ($300 is expensive but worth it for an incredible performance tool for the right person)
Personal: B+ (I greatly appreciate this shoe but it is too medially unstable for me to use extensively)
Overall Design: B+
Andrea
Fit: A+ (One of the most comfortable super shoes I've tested. The upper disappears completely and I basically did not notice the shoe while running. I did need to go up 1/2 size for proper length.)
Performance: A+ (It's been a while since I've tested a super shoe that was noticeably faster than other super shoes at given effort levels. It does seem that it improved my running economy. Rocker geometry, decoupled midsole, and lateral sole flare work well with my biomechanics.)
Stability: [neutral] B (a very neutral racing shoe that provides mild lateral guidance thanks to rearfoot and forefoot sole flaring.)
Value: A ($300 is the going price for top tier super shoes in 2025, and this is definitely a top tier super shoe.)
Personal: A+ (One of the best performing and fitting super shoes I've tested. I can't wait to race in it.)
Overall Design: A
SHOP | SUPPORT DORPuma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3Price: $299.95 at Running Warehouse
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