Gear
Puma MagMax Nitro Review: A Bouncy AF Running Shoe Built for Comfort & Recovery
The comfort you’ve been waiting for.
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Puma’s running division is having a serious moment, delivering hit after hit this year. The latest standout in the Puma running lineup is the Puma MagMax Nitro; a max cushion running shoe that is sure to make taking your first step out the door a whole lot easier.
The new everyday running shoe takes the term ‘max cushion’ to new heights with a shoe that was made for those trickier ‘zone 2’ runs, longer weekend runs, and easy recovery sessions when your body needs a little extra TLC. While Puma is becoming known for its ultrafast running shoes, this new addition to the family takes a slightly different approach with maximum cushioning for an ultra-smooth ride.
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Boasting an eye-watering 46mm of Puma’s Nitrofoam technology, Puma says the MagMax Nitro provides supermax cushioning and propulsion in every stride. With an 8mm heel-to-toe drop, this shoe has all the right ingredients to make your training and recovery miles feel effortless.
The perfect entry point for all types of runners, this ultra-cushion running shoe is a much-needed bouncy addition to your shoe rotation that will deliver on comfort and have you smiling from ear to ear, step after step. The shoe is ideal for neutral pronators, but anyone can benefit from the superior comfort of these running shoes.
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Taking the Puma MagMax Nitro for a spin
As soon as I saw the shoe, I knew it would be one of my favourites from Puma. Not only is it a really fun shoe, but it’s also a shoe my body has been waiting for. Years of netball (and other shenanigans) have left my body a little worse for wear and I’m always on the lookout for ways to give my long-suffering knees and joints some relief from the relentless training I put it through.
I laced up the Puma MagMax Nitro for a few test runs on the road and took them for a spin in the park for some zone 2 training to get a feel for them in different settings. My first outing with the running shoe was a success and it’s only impressed me more since then.
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A midsole with oomph!
The first thing you notice about this running shoe is the chunky foam-stacked midsole. Underfoot you have a tonne of NitroFoam to give you that ultra-bouncy, very responsive, and light-as-air feeling. The MagMax Nitro is not only high in the stack — with 46mm in the heel, 38mm in the forefoot and an 8mm drop — but it’s also super wide underfoot, giving you great stability. Even with its high profile and extra bouncy ride, the shoe feels very stable underfoot.
With its ultra-stacked midsole, the MagMax Nitro is designed to protect your legs and joints, giving you confidence in every stride. You’re in for a stable, smooth, and soft ride with these super-stacked running shoes.
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But even with everything the MagMax Nitro has going on downstairs, it’s still fairly light. The women’s UK 4.5 I tested weighed in at 235g, a fair weight for an everyday trainer with this much cushioning. Usually, a shoe of this weight starts to feel slow and sluggish underfoot but this one doesn’t. The toe spring is pretty good and it feels like it rolls through nicely, thanks to the energy return and bounce off your step from the NitroFoam.
Puma did an excellent job with the geometry and construction of this midsole to give you that really nice roll with each step.
Ultra-comfortable upper:
The shoe’s comfort-first philosophy starts with the upper. An engineered mesh upper reinforced with Puma PwrTape provides premium breathability, whilst a rolled collar reinforced with foam ensures extra comfort and a true fit. The addition of a padded knit tongue is another stroke of genius in the comfort department; it’s gusseted and stretchy, making it easy to pull up and on over the foot.
The upper of the MagMax Nitro may look fairly wide, but it actually fits really comfortably and snugly around your foot. The upper runs true to size, with a pretty standard upper and shoe fit, closer to the Deviate Nitro 3. The comfort of this stretchy, soft upper is truly outstanding and dare I say one of the best I’ve worn in a long time. There are no hot spots, it’s easy to find the right size, and it’s a breeze to pull on and lace up.
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With its out-there silhouette and bright neon colours splashed across the shoe, the MagMax feels a lot bolder and more fun than the other shoes in the Puma lineup. Puma is definitely having a little more fun with the MagMax; even adding a hidden cheeky message on the underside of the Puma branded flap on the back of the upper; labelling the MagMax “BouncyAF”. I tend to agree.
An outsole you can rely on
Rounding off the experience is Puma’s signature PumaGrip outsole. Whatever they put in this stuff it’s enough to make you feel like you can take on the world. Wet slippery surfaces, grass, tarmac, gravel — PumaGrip tackles it all with no issues. If you’re accident-prone, you’ll feel invincible with this stuff on the soles of your feet.
Is the Puma MagMax Nitro for you?
It’s hard to dislike this shoe. It’s barrels of fun, gentle and forgiving; and I would definitely recommend the Puma MagMax Nitro to anyone looking to add a maximum cushion shoe to their line-up.
These shoes feel so great out on a run but while it is a max cushion running shoe, it’s not that squishy, overly soft max cushion shoe most of us are familiar with. The MaxMag leans more towards being a performance-orientated running shoe with a specific purpose in your training programme. After spending a few kilometres in the MaxMag, it’s obvious Puma didn’t just add boatloads of foam to its Deviate Nitro 3 upper for the heck of it — it’s a shoe built with intention.
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The Puma MaxMag Nitro is a great shoe to slip on for a long run, for someone getting into running or for those low-impact recovery runs. Perfectly suited for racking up kilometres, the MagMax is an extraordinary mileage goblet. It’s perfect for easy pace zone 1 and zone 2 runs when you need a shoe that is going to be gentle on you and kind to your body.
And, more than anything, it’s a super fun shoe to run in. It may not be your only shoe if you’re taking your running more seriously and preparing for a race, but for everyday runners, it could work as your only running shoe.
At a price point of R3,699, the Puma MaxMag Nitro certainly isn’t Puma’s cheapest running shoe, but it’s well worth dropping a few pennies on. Of all the Puma shoes I’ve worn, it’s one of my favourites and is right up there with the Deviate Nitro 3 for me. I can’t wait to get more runs under my belt with this shoe in my rotation and see how it contributes to my training over the long term.
The Puma MagMax Nitro running shoes are now available to purchase on Puma.com as well as at Puma Retail stores, Sportsmans Warehouse, Totalsports and Takealot at a recommended price of R3,699.