The Puma Magnify Nitro is all cushion and comfort. It’s a winning combo and exactly what most people need out of an everyday running shoe. Is it perfect? No. But it’s so well-rounded and durable that we consider it a great buy. The Puma Magnify Nitro made our list of the best running shoes available, our best road running shoes list, our best Puma running shoes list, our list of the best running shoes for men, as well as our best neutral running shoes list.
Cushion
The thinking behind the Magnify Nitro is lots of cushion for lots of miles. The stack height of 29mm in the forefoot and 38mm in the heel packs two layers of cushion. A top layer of the most Nitro cushion Puma has ever used in one shoe with a bottom layer of Profoam Lite. The combo works extremely well.
I sang the praises of the Puma’s Nitro in the Puma Deviate Nitro and Puma Deviate Nitro Elite reviews. The stuff is bouncy and feels great on the legs and knees. ProFoam Lite was featured in the Puma UltraRide. It’s an EVA-based foam that’s less bouncy, more durable, and more stable while still being fairly lightweight.
The stability, plushness, and bounce are a direct result of combining the two foams. It feels great on foot and takes a beating while staying pretty fresh for the next run. I have no complaints on the cushion decision here and think it will serve the majority of runners well for everyday running.
Traction
Just like I mentioned in previous Puma running reviews, Puma Grip is the truth. It’s currently my favorite rubber compound for running. It’s basically no slip in all conditions and super durable. You’ll get 300-500 miles out of this outsole with zero slippage.
Fit
The Puma last fits me extremely well. The Magnify Nitro fits similar to the previous Nitro running shoes. The length is true to size. The width opens up nicely in the toebox and narrows through the midfoot for sculpted fit. And the heel’s got a ton of padding that lets you sink in like you’re sitting on a nice couch. It’s a plush fit. That may cause faster runners to balk a bit but the majority of us will appreciate the added comfort. It’s worth the trade off of a few ounces.
Support
The voluminous heel packs a sizeable heel counter that prevents you from twisting and turning. In addition, the foot sits inside the midsole up to the midfoot. The wide base at the forefoot also kicks in some stability. For its stack height, the Magnify Nitro is extremely stable. You don’t have to worry about stability around even the tightest of turns.
Materials
The Puma Magnify Nitro has a dual layer engineered mesh upper. Some colorways, including the Spectra version I tested, also have vinyl overlays that are more for aesthetics. Puma uses typical performance running shoe materials throughout but inputs a bit more padding than usual to amp up the comfort level. Objective achieved because this is one of the most comfortable running shoes of the year.
How to Buy the Puma Magnify Nitro
The Puma Magnify Nitro is currently available at Puma for $140.
Thanks to Puma for sending a pair to test. Puma was not given any editorial control of the review. This review is based on our weartesters’ experiences using the shoes for speed workouts, trail runs, treadmill training, long runs, casual wear, and more.
Overall
The Puma Magnify Nitro is one of my favorite daily trainers of 2021. It’s so plush and comfortable. It grips any stretch of road and includes ample cushion. It’s the type of shoe I can recommend to everyone, no matter their running pedigree and it’s one of the best neutral running shoes out there. More experienced runners may want something a little lighter and more svelt for daily work but that’s a small percentage of the population. The majority of runners will really enjoy the Magnify Nitro experience.
