SIMPLE PERFORMANCE Puma Velocity Nitro 4 267g for size 10.5 | RRP R3 099

Noticeable upgrades from the Nitro 3 are the fulllength nitrofoam midsole, a re-engineered upper and a more generous dose of PumaGrip on the outsole. It also comes in 14g lighter than its predecessor.

First impressions out of the box were its sleek design, toned-down colourway and eye-catching design details. There’ s nothing too out-there that

wouldn’ t appeal to the broader running community.

On the run, the standout feature is the comfort. The upper provides a locked-in feel on the foot with minimal to no movement, and the full-length Nitrofoam midsole with its 10mm drop( 36mm-26mm) gives you a responsive ride, well suited for both easy training sessions as well as faster speed workouts and races. And it’ s light enough to allow for easy up-tempo leg turnover.

We really enjoyed the‘ easiness’ of running in these shoes. There are no major bells and whistles; the great value of this shoe is that it’ s simple – yet delivers performance in spades.

The shoe fits well, has a gusseted tongue and enough cushioning / support in the upper and around the heel cup so you feel

confidence in every step. We found it difficult to pinpoint any obvious dissatisfying features on the shoe besides the fact that it could maybe have been faster( plated), lighter( more minimal upper), more comfortable( higher midsole stack) – but then it would not be a daily trainer. Perhaps we have spent too much time being wowed by

the sometimes overstated / attractive designs of racer, tempo and max-cushioned shoes that we have forgotten about the all-rounder workhorse in the running shoe collection? If anything, the shoe is on the slightly narrow side, something we have become accustomed to with a few of Puma’ s shoes, so if you are the owner of broader or wider feet, you may experience some discomfort with this new edition. VERDICT: The Velocity Nitro 4 is a welcome bit of fresh air in a somewhat crazy and loud time in the global running shoe space. It made us want to simply run, without thought to what’ s happening underneath. It strips out all the complications of the modern day running shoe and delivers with a quiet confidence. It definitely finds a place in our running shoe rotation and there’ s a strong argument that it could be the one-shoe-that-fits-all for road runners. As far as daily trainers go, it really does walk the walk, and is great value given its versatility. What it lacks in carbon plates, max cushioning and super lightweight fabrics, it more than makes up for in a well-balanced all-round performance shoe.

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