PUMA
Deviate Nitro Elite Trail
PUMA's carbon-plated trail racer with NITROFOAM Elite and PUMAGRIP ATR rubber. Reviewers found it fast and surprisingly stable for its stack on smooth trails and fire roads, but the shallow lugs struggle in mud and on steep, loose ground.
About the Deviate Nitro Elite Trail
PUMA calls the Deviate Nitro Elite Trail a pinnacle super shoe for trail racing, suited to anything from speed work on local trails to race day, with the brand listing 5K to marathon as its range. It is the off-road, plated counterpart to the road-going Deviate Nitro Elite 4, and a race-focused alternative to the cushioned Voyage Nitro 4.
Two layers of NITROFOAM Elite, an aliphatic TPU superfoam, sandwich a PWRPLATE carbon plate that PUMA says stabilises the midsole while maximising energy transfer; Running Warehouse describes it as carbon-composite with torsional flexibility. The PUMAGRIP ATR outsole is designed for traction on ice, mud and unstable surfaces, with 3 mm lugs, and the single-layer ULTRAWEAVE upper uses PWRTAPE for structure. It is PUMA's entry among trail racing shoes.
Specs and features from runningwarehouse.com, us.puma.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.
Video reviews
Watch PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite Trail reviewsOpens YouTubeWhat the critics say
95/100 review score
- Road Trail Run 9.8/10
The reviews in briefThe PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite Trail won over Road Trail Run's Jeff Valliere, Doctors of Running's Matthew Klein and Believe in the Run's Taylor Bodin, who found it fast and surprisingly stable on smooth trails and fire roads. All flagged shallow lugs in mud and on steep ground, and some found the heel collar rubbed.
- Positive: Lively, responsive ride at tempo pace and faster
- Positive: Stable for such a tall, plated shoe
- Positive: Versatile across roads, smooth trails and fire roads
- Mixed: Grip on wet rock: Road Trail Run testers rated it well, others found it limited on technical ground
- Mixed: Forefoot feels stiff at slower paces
- Negative: Shallow lugs struggle in mud, loose dirt and steep climbs
- Negative: Stiff heel collar and counter rubbed several testers
Paraphrased from published reviews. Read them in full:
The numbers
- Trail
- Type
- 272 g
- Weight
- 35 mm
- Heel stack
- 6 mm
- Drop
- Carbon plate
- Plate
- Inherently stable
- Support
Weight for a men's US 9 / UK 8.5.
What it feels like
Fit
True to size
Most testers found it true to size with a snug, low-volume racing fit; a couple found it slightly long, and the stiff heel collar rubbed some.
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On TikTok
Deviate Nitro Elite Trail on TikTokShort reviews and wear tests from runnersWhere to buy the Deviate Nitro Elite Trail
RRP around £200. Tap through for today's price.
PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite Trail
In short
Choose this if you want a fast, plated shoe for racing or tempo runs on smooth trails, gravel and even some road. Look elsewhere for muddy or steep, loose terrain, where reviewers found its shallow lugs struggle.
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