TECH » NEW SHOES
NEW-SCHOOL STABILITY
Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2 | RRP R3 399 | puma. com Puma has just released the next edition of its wellreceived ForeverRun Nitro. It’ s a daily trainer with loads of plush cushioning that you won’ t trip over; a stability shoe for everyday runners without the old-school discomfort. There’ s a wider midsole made of improved dual-density Nitro foam, upgraded RUNGUIDE technology in the outsole to cleverly keep your feet aligned and centred through each stride; additional TPU support and a 38mm heel stack with a 10mm drop for a more plush underfoot ride. Puma refers to this design as“ calculated firmness” to keep your heel stable and supported through each foot strike, so you can run with confidence even when you’ re tiring and your form deteriorates.
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Certainly the sleek, lightweight design made our tester excited to try them on, and as soon as she did she could feel the plush cushioning. They felt soft yet supportive, almost as if they were moulding to her feet. She’ s historically run in firmer, less cushioned stability shoes and daily trainers, and for her the first run in these was a gamechanger. They provided such a smooth and bouncy responsive ride that she barely felt the impact of each step, and despite fairly unstable hips and ankles, she felt grounded and secure. The wider base and dual-density midsole make every stride feel secure and well-supported, without any stiffness or restriction. Whether going for a steady jog or pushing the pace, they felt reliable and consistent, helping maintain comfort even on longer runs. The engineered knit upper with gusseted, soft non-invasive tongue adds to the comfort with a snug yet flexible fit, though they did feel a little warm on hotter days. The handy heel tab combined with angular perforated tongue and flat lacing makes slipping in and out of them easy too. The plastic external heel counter is very supportive and the outsoles gripped well on different surfaces. At 307g they’ re heavier than some shoes, but the extra support and energised cushioning make up for it and you didn’ t feel weighed down at all. The fit is true to size and after three weeks of regular running in them there was almost no visible sign of wear and tear. Overall, it’ s become our tester’ s go-to running shoe, delivering the ideal mix of cushioning, support and stability.
34 | RUN FOR YOUR LIFE