PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 vs Deviate Pure NITRO

Which Running Shoe Is Better?

Products

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO

Tested using Methodology v0.16

Updated Aug 17, 2026 07:55 PM

SEE PRICE
PUMA

Tested using Methodology v0.13

Updated Jul 28, 2026 07:46 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Picture

Track

PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Picture

Track

  1. Recommended in 1 article:
  2. PUMA
  1. Recommended in 1 article:
  2. PUMA

Our Verdict

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2

PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO

The PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO and PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 are both lightweight performance shoes, but they're built for very different uses. The Deviate Pure is an uptempo training shoe with no full-length plate, apart from a small plastic shank for structure. It's the more practical option if you want a cushioned, energetic, and slightly responsive shoe that still feels friendly and stable enough for regular training. You can race in it, but it isn't optimized for all-out efforts. The Fast-FWD is a much more specialized racing shoe. It's significantly lighter, bouncier, and more responsive, with a carbon plate and a stripped-back build made for 5K and 10K racing at very fast paces. It isn't meant to be a daily training shoe, though it makes sense for short, race-specific workouts like VO2 max intervals.

0 

Variants

  • Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 (Light Lavender/Ultra Red - (Men - US 9))
  • Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 (Light Lavender/Ultra Red - (Women - US 7))
  • Deviate Pure NITRO (Alpine Snow/Warm White - (Men - US 9))
  • Deviate Pure NITRO (Alpine Snow/Warm White - (Women - US 7))
Read more

Main Differences for
Half/Full Marathon Racing

Threshold 

0.10

Half/Full Marathon Racing 
 

6.5
7.5

Heel Stack Height 
 

29.1 mm
38.2 mm

Forefoot Stack Height 
 

20.6 mm
28.2 mm

Weight  

9.7
8.1

Forefoot Long Run Cushioning 
 

4.7
6.4

Outsole Arch Width 
 

51 mm (2.0")
81 mm (3.2")

Forefoot Bending Energy Return 
 

8.3
6.7

Forefoot Bending Stiffness 
 

7.2
5.3

Full Comparison

Design

Weight  

9.7
8.1

Right Shoe Weight Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Right Shoe Weight Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Right Shoe Weight Photo

Left Shoe Weight Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Left Shoe Weight Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Left Shoe Weight Photo

Weight 
 

127.1 g (4.48 oz)
202.6 g (7.14 oz)

Stack Heights 
 

Stack Height Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Stack Height Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Stack Height Photo

Heel Stack Height 
 

29.1 mm
38.2 mm

Forefoot Stack Height 
 

20.6 mm
28.2 mm

Heel-To-Toe Drop 
 

8.5 mm
10.1 mm

Advertised Heel-To-Toe Drop 
 

8.0 mm
8.0 mm

External Shape 
 

3D Model Full Shoe  

Preview 3D
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 3D Model Full Shoe
Preview 3D
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO 3D Model Full Shoe

Outsole Heel Width 
 

73 mm (2.9")
94 mm (3.7")

Outsole Arch Width 
 

51 mm (2.0")
81 mm (3.2")

Outsole Forefoot Width 
 

99 mm (3.9")
111 mm (4.4")

Heel Width-To-Stack Ratio 
 

2.51
2.46

Forefoot Width-To-Stack Ratio 
 

3.81
3.94

Internal Shape 
 

3D Model Internal  

Preview 3D
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 3D Model Internal
Preview 3D
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO 3D Model Internal

Internal Length 
 

265 mm (10.4")
280 mm (11.0")

Internal Heel Width 
 

59 mm (2.3")
63 mm (2.5")

Internal Forefoot Width 
 

85 mm (3.3")
93 mm (3.7")

Wide Sizing Available 
 

No
No

Forefoot Fit: Width 
 

9.3
8.8

Forefoot Width Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Width Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Width Photo

Ball-Of-Foot TTS Deviation 
 

-1.7 mm (-0.065")
2.9 mm (0.115")

Toe TTS Deviation 
 

-1.5 mm (-0.059")
7.9 mm (0.312")

Forefoot Fit: Height 
 

5.2
6.5

Forefoot Height Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Height Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Height Photo

Toe TTS Deviation 
 

-5.7 mm (-0.222")
-4.2 mm (-0.165")

Arch Fit: Width 
 

10
4.8

Arch Fit Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Arch Fit Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Arch Fit Photo

Arch Width TTS Deviation 
 

0.2 mm (0.007")
-7.2 mm (-0.283")

Length Fit 
 

7.0
10

Toe Clearance Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Toe Clearance Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Toe Clearance Photo

Heel Rocker Geometry 
 

7.3
7.3

Heel Rocker Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Heel Rocker Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Heel Rocker Photo

Heel Spring 
 

19 mm (0.7")
21 mm (0.8")

Heel Apex Position 
 

16.8%
22.0%

Heel Rocker Angle 
 

22.4°
18.4°

Forefoot Rocker Geometry 
 

6.2
7.6

Forefoot Rocker Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Rocker Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Rocker Photo

Toe Spring 
 

42 mm (1.7")
53 mm (2.1")

Toe Apex Position 
 

59.9%
61.7%

Forefoot Rocker Angle 
 

20.9°
25.7°

Foam 
 

Primary Foam Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Primary Foam Picture
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Primary Foam Picture

Secondary Foam Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Secondary Foam Picture
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Secondary Foam Picture

Primary Foam Name 
 

Nitrofoam Elite
Nitrofoam

Primary Foam Type 
 

A-TPU
PEBA

Secondary Foam Name 
 

N/A
N/A

Secondary Foam Type 
 

Unknown
N/A

Laces 
 

Laces Picture  

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Laces Picture

Lace Type 
 

Sawtooth

Width 
 

4.0 mm (0.2")

Thickness 
 

1.1 mm (0.0")

Stretch 
 

10.0%

Breathability 
 

9.0

Breathability Video  

Upper Breathability  

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Upper Breathability

Upper Microscope Photo  

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Upper Microscope Photo

Time-To-Dry 
 

8.5

Time-To-Dry Timelapse  

Time-To-Dry Graph  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Time-To-Dry Graph

Time To 30% Dry 
 

3.4 hrs

Time To 70% Dry 
 

10.7 hrs

Time To Dry 
 

22.2 hrs

Water Absorption 
 

8.6

Dry Weight Photo  

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Dry Weight Photo

Wet Weight Photo  

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Wet Weight Photo

Water Absorbed 
 

34.4%

Other Features  

Other Features Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Other Features Photo
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Other Features Photo

Tongue Gusset Type 
 

Non-gusseted
Semi-gusseted

Plate 
 

Carbon Fiber
Plastic Shank
Performance

Heel Compression Energy Return 
 

8.3
7.7

Heel Compression Video  

Heel Energy Return  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Heel Energy Return
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Heel Energy Return

Heel Energy Return 
 

82.8%
79.1%

Forefoot Compression Energy Return 
 

8.5
7.9

Forefoot Compression Video  

Forefoot Energy Return  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Energy Return
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Energy Return

Forefoot Energy Return 
 

83.7%
80.3%

Heel Cushioning 
 

5.9
7.9

Heel Cushioning Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Heel Cushioning Picture
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Heel Cushioning Picture

Heel Cushioning  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Heel Cushioning
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Heel Cushioning

Energy Absorbed At 550N 
 

3.35 J
3.87 J

Energy Absorbed At 1100N 
 

7.59 J
9.61 J

Energy Absorbed At 1900N 
 

11.55 J
15.68 J

Forefoot Cushioning 
 

5.5
7.3

Forefoot Cushioning Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Cushioning Picture
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Cushioning Picture

Forefoot Cushioning  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Cushioning
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Cushioning

Energy Absorbed At 800N 
 

3.72 J
4.83 J

Energy Absorbed At 1300N 
 

5.84 J
7.88 J

Energy Absorbed At 2050N 
 

8.15 J
11.12 J

Heel Firmness 
 

8.3
7.1

Heel Firmness Graph  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Heel Firmness Graph
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Heel Firmness Graph

Firmness At 550N 
 

41.8 N/mm
37.9 N/mm

Firmness At 1100N 
 

59.1 N/mm
50.4 N/mm

Firmness At 1900N 
 

88.9 N/mm
73.0 N/mm

Forefoot Firmness 
 

9.2
7.9

Forefoot Firmness Graph  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Firmness Graph
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Firmness Graph

Firmness At 800N 
 

66.1 N/mm
53.8 N/mm

Firmness At 1300N 
 

91.6 N/mm
72.7 N/mm

Firmness At 2050N 
 

131 N/mm
103 N/mm

Forefoot Long Run Cushioning 
 

4.7
6.4

Forefoot Long Run Cushioning  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Long Run Cushioning
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Long Run Cushioning

Energy Absorbed At 10km 
 

5.24 J
7.15 J

Energy Absorbed At 20km 
 

5.09 J
6.93 J

Energy Absorbed At 30km 
 

4.99 J
6.76 J

Energy Absorbed At 40km 
 

4.92 J
6.63 J

Rocker Stiffness 
 

5.1
5.7

Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Video  

Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Graph  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Graph
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Graph

Force To Flatten The Rocker 
 

45 N
56 N

Forefoot Bending Energy Return 
 

8.3
6.7

Forefoot Bending Video  

Forefoot Bending Energy Return  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Bending Energy Return
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Bending Energy Return

Forefoot Bending Energy Return 
 

74.4%
63.5%

Forefoot Bending Stiffness 
 

7.2
5.3

Forefoot Bending Resistance Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Bending Resistance Picture
Compare High-Res
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Bending Resistance Picture

Forefoot Bending Resistance  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Bending Resistance
 Preview Graph
PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO Forefoot Bending Resistance

Forefoot Bending Stiffness 
 

16.0 N/mm
8.3 N/mm

Forefoot Bending Force 
 

242 N
192 N

Heel Compression Depth 
 

5.6

Heel Compression Graph  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Heel Compression Graph

Heel Compression At 550N 
 

13.2 mm

Heel Compression At 1100N 
 

18.6 mm

Heel Compression At 1900N 
 

21.4 mm

Forefoot Compression Depth 
 

4.9

Forefoot Compression Graph  

 Preview Graph
PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 Forefoot Compression Graph

Forefoot Compression At 800N 
 

12.1 mm

Forefoot Compression At 1300N 
 

14.2 mm

Forefoot Compression At 2050N 
 

15.6 mm

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2

PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO

Comments

  1. Comparison

PUMA Fast-FWD NITRO Elite 2 vs PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO: Main Discussion

What do you think of these products? Let us know below.


Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Members have direct access to buying advice on our member forum.

PreviewBack to editorFormat guide
No comments yet, refresh to see new ones