Initial Thoughts

Statistics

MSRP: $140

Men: 10.9 oz

Women: 8.6 oz

Drop: 10 mm

Mileage at time of review: 52.25

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Red and blue Puma Magnify Nitro 2's on a set of concrete steps with vegetation behind them.

Until about a year ago I never imagined that Puma would have a series of shoes that I would want to run in. A year ago I didn’t expect that Puma would hold such key positions in my shoe rotation, but I now own 3 pair and I am becoming a bigger fan of Puma Running each day.

The Magnify Nitro 2 is Puma’s maximum cushion daily trainer and it does not disappoint. There are no tricks or gimmicks to make this shoe special, but it feels good, fits well and runs wonderfully. One of the things that I admire most about the Puma Running line of shoes is that the midsole/outsole combination make these shoes incredibly versatile. If I’m heading out on a trip and need one shoe to do a little of everything, on or off road, there is a high probability that I will be reaching for a Puma.

The Breakdown

The Outsole

PUMA GRIP! This may be the best rubber on the market and I think it is my favorite outsole on any brand of shoe. It’s grippy yet resilient and I have no problem running roads or manicured trails. It does phenomenally in wet or dry conditions and you know where each step is gonna be.

The Midsole

Nitrogen is the keyword for all Puma midsoles. Puma refers to their nitrogen injected foam as NITROFOAM, and it feels amazing. This shoe has more nitrofoam than any other shoe on the market and you feel it when you put this shoe on. The comfort of this shoe goes head to head with other shoes in its weight class (Brooks Ghost Max and Glycerin, Hoka Clifton, ASICS Nimbus) and holds its own!

There is something really unique about the feel of the nitrogen injected foam. It provides a cushioning and responsiveness blended in a way that traditional EVA simply doesn’t. It feels to me that the nitrogen injected foam is more resilient than traditional EVA as well. I’m currently 50 miles in on this shoe and it still feels brand new, which, given my size, says a lot.

The Upper

I really like the feel of the engineered mesh upper. I’ve always had a preference for upper materials that feel a little stretchy, especially for shoes that I am going to run long in. Everything on this shoe is built for comfort and the upper and tongue are no different. The tongue is incredibly well cushioned so there is no concern about the laces biting into you on a run, and the gusseting on the tongue is always a favorite feature. The heel collar has ample padding to keep you locked in and secure.

I normally wear a men’s 10, however, during a quick try on of a friends before I got a pair for myself I decided to go with a 9.5. I do believe that this shoe runs on the long side a bit, and while the 9.5 has served me well, in hindsight, I recommend purchasing this shoe true to size as I believe that with a 10 I would have been even more comfortable at the end of my long runs. I did experience a little discomfort around the 2 hour mark, but I believe it was because of my choice to go a half size down rather than any shortcoming on the part of the shoe.

Running and Walking

As I said when talking about the outsole, I believe that the Pumagrip on the bottom of the shoe makes it a very versatile option that can be used on streets or even some light/manicured trails and I ran on both in this shoe. The Nitro midsole also feels really good on all surfaces so if you’re looking for one shoe that will go just about anywhere, this is definitely a shoe to look at.

I used this shoe most often for my easy and long runs but also did a few tempo sessions in it and you can definitely pick the pace up in this shoe. I think that this shoe will be very complimentary to use with the Deviate Nitro 2, using the deviate for interval workouts and faster days, and then using the Magnify for easy and long runs. If I had to choose between the two, I’m not sure which one I would definitively choose, because I think they are both phenomenal, but I think that I would likely recommend the magnify to the general public. The plate in the Deviate is forgiving as it isn’t a full carbon plate, but I think that as you can pick up the tempo in this shoe, it makes a slightly safer choice for someone looking for a general use running shoe. The nitro midsole gives a bit of extra response when picking up the tempo and having no plate is safer for those of us (looking in the mirror) who don’t necessarily do their post run stretching.

I have been employing a lot of run-walk training in this cycle as a majority of my running has been heart rate based and the transition from the run to the walk and back again was very smooth in the shoe. I’ve also taken Spirit on a number of walks in the shoe and it does great all around.

The only issue I have with the shoe is determining size. It does run a bit long. I initially felt that it ran long enough that I should get a 9.5 instead of 10, and though I did do that, in hindsight I wish that I had stuck with my usual 10. I still comfortably ran up to 2 hours in the shoe, but did have a little tenderness in the toes, but I think it was because I made a poor sizing choice, I place zero blame on the shoe for this.

The Gym

I think that this shoe is great for general use and I would definitely take this shoe to the gym. The nitro midsole gives the feeling of a shoe with a thicker midsole, but I feel that in this shoe, I know exactly where my feet are going to be. This shoe will be great for hitting a run on the treadmill and then moving into body work, and has the grip to do any plyometric work as well with comfort and security. If you’re doing class work, I think in general you’d be fine, though the grip on the outsole might be a little too sticky to do a dance class.

Work and Daily Wear

Yes and yes. This shoe makes a great daily living shoe. The nitro midsole provides plenty of cushion for a full day or work or fun. The midsole/outsole combo provides a very stable platform to work from whether you’re in the office or on the floor of a warehouse. I can’t speak for how well the Pumagrip would do in the service industry so if you need a slip resistent midsole this may not be the best choice, but outside of oilslick floors, this shoe should do very well in daily life.

Summary

The Mangify Nitro 2 is an incredibly versatile shoe that I would recommend for just about anyone. It is a fantastic choice for the person looking to do a little bit of everything in and it will do so on just about any surface. The price point makes this shoe even more desirable when you combine the price with the durability of the shoe.