Puma Velocity Nitro 3
The Shakout
MSRP: $135
Mileage at Time of Review: 42
This was the first version of the Velocity that I have gotten to run in. In my unboxed thoughts following a few short runs and walks I thought I had this shoe pegged for what I would want to use it for, and I think I missed the mark on that. I initially thought that this would be a tempo, possibly even a speed work shoe for me, but in fact, this has become an easy run/daily trainer for me instead. I think that of the Puma shoes in my lineup this is my least favorite, but I don’t want that to be taken the wrong way; it’s a really great shoe, but it doesn’t fit my style as much as the Magnify 2 or Deviate 2 do.
The Breakdown
The Outsole
At this point I don’t think anyone will be surprised when I say that since this shoe comes with a sweet layer of Pumagrip, it’s automatically gonna be a favorite outsole in my rotation. This outsole has plenty of grip for movement in wet or dry conditions on nearly any surface. The less aggressive nature of the tread pattern also makes this a little more friendly for gym work than some of the Velocity’s Puma brethren.
The Midsole
The midsole has a nice stack of Nitrofoam in it. It gives a comfortable ride while running, and while I felt initially that this shoe would favor more uptempo running, however, I find myself reaching for this when I’m heading to the gym or doing something more in line with an easy recovery run or a treadmill run. The midsole is very comfortable, but for my speed work I lean toward the Deviate 2 which has a bit more nitrofoam and a plate, and for my long runs I reach for the Magnify, which has a WHOLE lot more nitrofoam to work with.
The Upper
The upper on this shoe was a little confusing to me at first. When you initially try it on, it feels rather narrow, especially near the toe box. The thing that got really confusing to me was that when I laced up, the shoe felt like it had more room. So while at first I was concerned that I got the wrong size, once I had everything tightened and ready to go, it felt quite pleasant. There is plenty of cushioning around the heel collar and while the tongue doesn’t have a lot of cushion, it does have enough that you don’t notice any lace bite.
Running and Walking
I initially thought that due to the lower stack height I would be reaching for this shoe for speed work or tempo sessions. The more I used the shoe the more I found myself reaching for this shoe when I was running on the treadmill or doing shorter recovery runs outside. I think that I’ve gotten so used to having a plate in my shoe for speed work that even though this shoe has a bit more ground feel, it doesn’t have that sense of turnover that I want when I’m heading out the door to do intervals or longer tempo sessions.
I think the bread and butter of this shoe is for 2 types of runner: the runner who is looking to get their 3-4 miles in a day or every other day and is looking for a shoe they can also wear to the gym as well. It’s a solid workhorse that will be incredibly durable, but will also be versatile enough to do a wide variety of exercises in on the streets and in the gym.
The pumagrip on the outsole provides excellent traction in any weather conditions, although this version doesn’t have as aggressive a tread pattern as the Deviate or the Magnify do (add another plus in the all around running and gym column for this). While I think that it would be comfortable to wear for longer runs, I think that most people would prefer reaching for the Magnify for the long run. I also found the Magnify to be a bit more comfortable and (possibly due to the higher stack height) have a bit more turnover on my tempo sessions than the Velocity does. While the price point on the Velocity is lower, it’s only a $5 dollar difference; while every dollar counts, I’d say that when you break the price down by mileage, the Magnify is the better bang for your buck.
Earlier I said that the bread and butter for this shoe was found in two types of runners, and I know I only listed one. The second person I would recommend this shoe to would be a student cross country athlete. This isn’t going to be a racing shoe for them, but I think it will make an incredible training shoe. Cross country runners tend to do a variety of training across multiple surfaces. This is where I think the lower stack height can benefit the runner who is doing a mix of running on concrete for solo training as well as running through city parks across dirt, grass, and anything else coach can find to challenge their athletes.
The Gym
I love this shoe as a solid all around option for the gym. You can do your run outside or on the treadmill and head straight into your workout. If you’re not running on the same day, or not a runner at all, the lower stack height and slightly narrower build of the shoe means you shouldn’t have any issues strapping into a rower or a bike.
The pumagrip outsole will provide solid footing whether you’re doing a hiit workout or box jumps. It could be problematic in a dance class if you’re doing a lot of pivoting, I’d lean toward something with a hybrid EVA outsole for that type of class.
In short if I were looking for the ideal shoe for the hybrid athlete, this would definitely be in the running. It does well on the run and in the gym.
Work
I think this is a solid option, although I tend to lean in this category the way I do in the runner category. When you can get the Magnify for $5 more, why not take the max cushion option. If your foot is on the narrower side, this could be a better choice for the fit rather than the cushion.
The Cooldown
All in all, while this is a well made, comfortable shoe, I’m not sure that it hits a best in class for any one thing. The fact that it’s at the top of my list for a hybrid athlete who needs to be able to do a little of everything is no small thing, and there is an argument that we should all be more hybrid in our approach, but as a pure run shoe or a pure gym shoe or a pure work shoe, it just doesn’t quite ring the bell. It seems to embrace the concept “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
