Pure Joy: Puma’s Plateless Deviate Pure Brings Natural Speed to Puma’s Lineup
Look, I love a carbon plated running shoe as much as the next person with wild ambitions to smash a PB in every tempo run I attempt (Strava has created a monster). But, I’m also cautious of relying on my classic Puma Deviate Nitro 4 running shoes a little too often. Plus, there’s that nagging feeling of; “Am I really running fast enough to justify running in a carbon plated shoe this often?” Fortunately for those looking to keep things simple (but still fast) Puma has bestowed upon us a new running shoe that is pure joy. Say hello to the all-new Puma Deviate Pure Nitro.
It’s true, running has gotten pretty complicated in recent years. With the industry boom, hype, technology, and chasing PBs, it’s sometimes hard to find a shoe that simply gets the job done without too much fuss, because, while they’re great, not everyone needs a carbon plate. Now, Puma’s Deviate Pure, joins the brand’s beloved Deviate line to give you pure speed without the frills. The shoe strips back a lot of the edgier parts of the Deviate Nitro models for a simpler, more natural ride.
A time and place for a carbon plate
As I said, there’s nothing wrong with having carbon plates in your running shoes, there’s a time and a place for a speed queen like the Deviate Nitro 4. But, some people don’t want that snappy responsiveness, especially when running at the most mid paces I’m clocking in my tempo runs.
I love the Deviate on race day for the snap and responsiveness it gives, but I am excited about the idea of having that Deviate feeling for my training runs without worrying too much about the pros and cons of plated running shoes too much. If you’ve been looking for something that is similar to the Adidas Evo SL and Asics Superblast 3 (two max-cushioned standard bearers for speedy workouts) then this is your go-to in Puma’s lineup.
Test runs in the Puma Deviate Pure
The Deviate Pure opts for a traditional sole with the Puma’s Nitrofoam cushioning that still gives that plush, soft experience. The Deviate Pure definitely feels a little less ‘squishy’ than something like Puma’s Deviate Nitro 4, which provides a bit more of a stable and balanced feel to every plant of the foot.
For me, I’ve found that many carbon-plated shoes can feel like your foot rocks left to right a little bit, but the Deviate Pure feels a lot more neutral, with the focus of every stride making your foot feel as secure as possible with little-to-no side-to-side rocking. The 8mm drop of the Pure features does put you up on your toes a bit, but due to the wide and denser foam, you don’t feel that natural ‘roll’ as much as you do in other highly-stacked running shoes.
You still obviously feel very free in the Deviate Pure, and that’s due to the ultra soft upper made from Puma’s textile and synthetic upper material, which features a really nice knitted tongue (a great touch from Puma) to increase comfort in the shoe.
At 180 grams (women’s 4.5 UK), the Deviate Pure is also a little bit lighter than the other Deviate models, which bodes well for those who like to have that airy feel on foot. It’s not a lot, but it’s noticeable.
Admittedly, the Puma Deviate Pure has shot up to my favourite running shoe of the year. Daily runs and interval runs are a dream in this shoe. I can plod along at those easy paces in my rest periods and then really pick up the pace for those quick bursts where I need to hit a certain pace over and over again. Plods around the neighbourhood have felt great, and that extra bouncy ‘need for speed’ that plated shoes create isn’t there, but in the best of ways. This is a back-to-basics, no-nonsense running shoe that delivers the necessary top-grade tech from Puma without the more gnarly components.
The Deviate Pure is ultra comfortable for shorter tempo runs, interval runs and even long runs with tempo work, making it the perfect workhorse in your shoe rotation. If you’re a minimalist who doesn’t like to have too many shoes in your rotation I’d recommend pairing the Deviate Pure along with a max cushion shoe like Puma’s MagMax for those pure, zone 2 long runs and easy recovery runs.
The Puma Deviate Pure is priced at R3,199 and available from the Puma website and Puma retail stores.
