Article by Matt Kolat, Matt Crehan, and Kieran Scarfe
Puma MagMax Nitro ($180 / €190)
Pros:
Very stable; Matt K,Matt C
Huge cushioning, not taxing on joints; Matt K, Matt C
Good value; Matt K, Matt C
Best outsole on the market; Matt K
Orthotics friendly; Matt K
Cons:
Honestly, none: Matt K
- I noticed a little achilles pain - should be no reason from the drop - but something I had after every run in the shoe and very much could be personal to me: Matt C
Introduction
Matt K: For many years runners used to overlook Puma as a serious running brand and there was a good reason for it, the brand used to focus on introductory models for runners who are only dabbling in running, weekend warriors as such. No longer so now!
Those times are now long gone and Puma has become one of the most serious running brands out there. Now famous for its Nitro supercritical foam now in all performance running shoes, and for its PumaGrip outsole, which hands down, is the best outsole on the market, the brand in my opinion focuses mostly on Daily Trainers and Competition shoes. Today we will have a closer look at a model representing the first category - MagMax, their most highly stacked and cushioned shoe to date
Matt C: I’d agree with Matt mostly with his regard to Puma often being overlooked by runners, though I’d caveat that by saying ‘distance runners’, as sprinters and then the wider athletic scope of field eventers have always taken Puma rather seriously, Usain Bolt anyone, and Puma still sponsors Bolt two Olympic cycles post his retirement.
Of the more recent crops of mega stars of track and field to wear Puma, Karston Warholm and Mondo Duplantis are house hold names. But for the distance running world, Puma for a long time now has very much as Matt K says been an afterthought, possibly for the more fashion-conscious runner.
With its current generation of shoes, which arrived in a timid and quiet fashion due to the Covid pandemic and a delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Puma has turned heads, gained medals and become huge sellers in independent specialist running stores and the like.
I first got to the initial iteration of this lineup of shoes back in the Summer of 2020 when no one was talking Puma for distance running, but with a strong and historic brand name, pricing that beat out the rising prices from competitor brands and some big names heading towards them for the delayed Olympics, I could see a shift on its way.
And Molly Seidel for me is the runner who got the attention of the distance and specifically marathon running world, when she took the bronze medal in Tokyo wearing Puma’s first generation of super shoes, at a time when there weren’t many shoes getting on podiums outside of Nike. Obviously, everyone has a shoe now competing, and I’d say the ‘super shoe wars’ are over and the focus is back on who can build the best daily training shoe, and we’re seeing that max stack height, non-plated battle beginning to take place, and for Puma the MagMax is that shoe!
Keiran: These past few years it’s really felt like PUMA as a brand is going through its running renaissance. Coming from what felt like nowhere the Big-Cat went from a brand that I’d never consider for running shoes into a brand that has released some of my favorite shoes in recent memory. The Deviate 2 was/is still one of the most versatile and durable plated trainers going around and the Magnify 2 is one of my favorite daily trainers ever made.
With all of this in mind you can imagine my excitement when I heard that PUMA were making the move into the maximalist space with a new shoe they were calling the “MagMax”. Sporting the thicket slab of NITRO foam on a PUMA shoe ever, the MagMax is a truly massive shoe not only in its physical size but also as an undertaking from the brand as well. Has the Big-Cat managed to land the plane with the release of their biggest cat ever? Read on and find out.
See Tester Profiles at the end of the review
Stats
Spec Weight: men's 8 UK / 9 US 10.2oz / 290g
Sample Weight: men’s 11 UK/12 US/46 EU 12.2oz / 348g
Stack Height: men’s 46mm heel / 38mm forefoot ( 8mm drop)
Platform Width: 102mm heel / 83mm midfoot / 129mm forefoot
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Matt K:When I picked the shoe out of the box I thought it looked huge, loke uuuuge. Propper long distance trainer, it also felt light in hand considering the size. The upper is very plush, the fit is true to size perhaps even a little long. But not long enough to suggest sizing half a size down, just keep this in mind if you often find yourself between sizes.
The shoe is significantly narrower in the midfoot than forefoot but not to the extent that I felt any foot overhang or not that I had any hotspots.
Puma treats us to two pull tabs - one on the heel and one one the tongue, which makes putting the shoes one completely effortless. The back pull tab also hides a little motivational wording - but I will let you discover that in person.
The tongue is fully gusseted and made from a knit material whereas the rest of the upper is made out of soft mesh.
On the medial side of the shoe Puma inserted a line of tape and on the lateral side placed the usual large Puma logo. Both of those ensure that your foot stays put in the gait cycle.
The heel counter does not have any firm elements in its interior or exterior but performs very competently.
The cushioning around the ankle is very plush and keeps you comfortable . There is no heel lift or pressure on the achilles - at least in my case, but then again I hardly ever have issues in that area.
There are five reflective elements on the upper and with winter and those dark runs around the corner, those are more than welcome.
Matt C: Straight out of the box the Puma MagMax is noticeably high in stack and yet, perhaps because we are just used to 40mm stack heights now, it doesn't look crazy in any way. It's overall shape and design is something we’ve very much become used to, a rockered shape, and wide forefoot and heel platforms which are designed to aid in stabilizingall that foam. Design-wise the ‘Lapis Lazuli-Nitro Blue’ colourway looks sharp and fits into most men’s running design textbooks.
On foot, the gusseted tongue wraps the foot and the Puma PWRTAPE is something I thought of as a bit of a gimmick, when I first saw it employed on the Puma ForeverRun, but I quickly realized its subtle use alongside the lacing, provides added stability and support to the medial side of the foot and it continues to do that job here.
Unlike some of the other models in the Puma lineup, Magnify and Velocity, which I find to fit slightly long, the MagMax fits true to size.
The heel collar, as Matt mentions, has no firm elements to it, yet provides a strong and solid hold of the heel and ankle, something I always prefer in a shoe due to several rolled ankles over the years, and something that with the stack height of the MagMax definitely required me to really contemplatein testing.
Kieran: The first thing that’s apparent when unboxing the MagMax for the first time is that this is a truly immense shoe. With a stack of 46mm in the heel and 38mm in the forefoot this is a truly maximalist shoe. Not only that but the last of the midsole itself is incredibly broad as well making for an imposing silhouette.
On the foot the MagMax feels like the complete opposite. While it looks incredibly simple, the soft mesh upper fits incredibly true to size. I was on the fence about maybe having to go a half size up but now having gotten around 50km in the shoes the upper mesh has given a little bit and now fits me pretty much perfectly. There’s a good amount of lockdown from the traditional lacing set up and the PUMA PWRTAPE running up the medial side of the upper helps to create some structure as well. The tongue of the MagMax is made of a lightweight stretchy knit and disappears over the foot during the run as well.
As for the forefoot of the MagMax, it does taper in a bit much like the rest of the PUMA range. This works fine for me with my slightly narrower feet but I can see it being a potential issue for those of us who like a roomier fit. There’s no wide version of the shoe yet so I’d recommend going a half size up from your normal size if you are someone that requires or prefers a little more breathing room around your toes.
Overall the MagMax has an upper that feels like it’s focused on utility more than anything. The mesh is breathable but durable, there’s luxurious materials used where it makes sense and finally the fit is designed to be dialed in because there’s such a huge slab of foam under your feet the shoe could very easily feel sloppy if the upper wasn’t executed right. PUMA has threaded the needle well here and while there may be some wishing this had a more generous upper I think it does a very good job of taming the incredibly thick chunk of foam under it.
Midsole & Platform
Matt K: Let’s start with the platform - it’s very wide at 102mm heel / 83mm midfoot / 129mm forefoot among the widest especially at the forefoot we have ever seen.
That's always good in my book no matter what shoe I’m reviewing but especially in the max cushion category as this greatly increases the stability especially in the later stages of your training runs when we’re fatigued, our form is dipping and our joints are tired.
The midsole is made out of Nitrofoam which Puma describes as: Advanced nitrogen-injected foam designed to provide superior responsiveness and cushioning in a lightweight package.
I would agree with the above description but also you could call the foam conservatively bouncy. What I mean by that is the shoe is very responsive but in a controlled way, there is no excessive softness or instability. As with most shoes the foam feels softer in the heel. This is due to the blend of the midsole itself but also because of the amount of rubber being greater in the front of the shoe.
Matt C: Let's talk about Puma’s NITROFOAM™. Some brands have super soft and quite unstable at times foams, ZoomX, PWRRUN PB to name a few, but I’ve always found Puma NITROFOAM to be on the slightly firmer side of the new ‘super foams’ ensuring it provides a stable and responsive ride.
Obviously when you put 46mm of it under the heel and 38mm under the forefoot then, of course, you also get a well-cushioned and protective midsole even if it has a firmer feel than other foams out there. And I 100% believe the MagMax needs a firmer foam otherwise it would affect the stability and ride of the shoe and especially at faster paces.
Added to the slightly firmer foam, is as Matt K says, one of the widest forefoot and heel platforms on the market which again only adds to the perfect stability of such a high stack height shoe.
Something that some of the ‘Super Shoes’ and max stack height training shoes often lose by trying to narrow the shoe platform to give them a more streamlined racier feel or to simply reduce weight. This may improve performance come race day but for a daily training shoe can significantly affect the stability of the ride and risk of ankle rolls and other injuries due to high stack.
But here the Puma MagMax offers a very wide base of 102mm heel / 83mm midfoot / 129mm forefoot) which leads tos a stable max stack platform making it great for daily usage.
Kieran: With a stack height of 46mm at the heel and 38mm at the forefoot the MagMax is right up there when it comes to thick shoes, only being outshone by a select few shoes such as the Adidas Prime X or the coveted ASICS SuperBlast.
As for the composition of the midsole itself there’s a bit of conjecture. The whole midsole is PUMA NITRO foam but there may be a few versions of it at play here. There’s definitely a large slab of PUMA’s traditional TPEE foam which they’ve used in other models such as the Magnify but there may also be some of the old Nitro Elite foam which is PEBAX based in there as well. It’s hard to tell because PUMA is using this older elite foam in their shoes without calling it out as they now reserve the “Elite” name for their new Aliphatic TPU which can be found on the Deviate Elite 3 and Fast R2.
With that said, the version(s) of NITRO in the MagMax is definitely denser than the NITRO in other Puma shoes but it works incredibly well. The resulting ride is something that I can only describe as “medium”. It’s not soft and mushy, neither is it overly firm or harsh. There’s a very mild bit of give in the midsole backed up with a slight amount of rebound but it’s not nearly as dynamic as other shoes out there. While this may sound like a drawback for the MagMax it's actually the shoes trump card.
At the moment throughout the running shoe industry we’re watching brands continuing to chase softer and softer shoes with more dynamic midsoles which are creating a generation of shoes that are inherently unstable while locking them into feeling good within narrow pace ranges. The relative density of the MagMax’s midsole instead creates a shoe that’s remarkably consistent under foot while never feeling overly soft or harsh. Instead it just rolls and chews up miles with no issues at all at a variety of paces.
The geometry of the midsole is also a winner as well. Combining its wide footprint with the firmer foam creates a shoe that’s inherently stable which helps to keep the shoe feeling solid underfoot. The 46mm/38mm drop is also pleasant as well, especially as someone who has a grumbly achilles. Throw a stiff rocker in the mix and you end up with a midsole that’s stable, smooth, endlessly cushioned and rolls you through every step.
Outsole
Matt K: Without sounding like a broken record, whenever I review a pair of Pumas, I want to say that the PumaGrip outsole is awesome.
It grips excellently without slowing you down no matter what the surface. The rubber covers about 80% of the midsole with midsole in parts of the heel and medial midfoot being uncovered.
That does not seem to impact wear and tear at all. I predict great durability and longevity for the shoe but one has to remember all the factors at play (body weight, running power, temperature, surface etc).
Matt C: Since receiving my pair of the Puma MagMax the weather here in the North West of England has been pretty grim, with non-stop rain for the last couple weeks. As Matt K says, the PumaGrip outsole is awesome.
This is a reason Puma has become a big fan favorite, not not only with runners, but also Hyrox athletes as the grip has allowed for its use on gym floors and under the strain of sledge pulls etc...It’s not something the MagMax would be suitable for given its high stack height but PumaGrip has been perfect for me on the wet roads and a fewt off-road sections I’ve taken it on the last four weeks building towards my next marathon.
Kieran: Covering the outsole of the Magnify is Puma’s inhouse outsole compound “PumaGrip”. For those of us playing at home PumaGrip is one of the top three outsole compounds at the moment only being outdone by Vibram and running equal second with ASICSGrip. While I’m not sure exactly what the compound is made out of, what I can say is that it’s an incredibly grippy compound while also being very long lasting. The tread pattern of the outsole is also reasonably aggressive as well with a decent amount of decoupling to ensure the shoe feels smooth while also providing bite in adverse conditions.
Overall this is an outsole that will serve you well over long miles and in whatever conditions you’re running in as well. After 50 km in a range of conditions not only is the outsole still in showroom condition but it’s never set a foot wrong as well. Something to be admired for a mileage monster like this.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Matt K: The ride of the shoe is very bouncy but smooth and controlled at the same time. Despite being a heel striker I never felt like I was going to roll an ankle, even when taking corners. I do feel that this shoe is best suited for cruising rather than breaking PRs due to its weight picking up the pace is not ideal.
But I don’t think anyone considers this a workout or speed shoe, this is not its purpose. Unusually, for a max cushion shoe, I decided to test the MagMax on a treadmill as well as outdoors. To my pleasant surprise it performed very well, so if the mill is your thing you may consider MagMax as an option, which is something I would not usually say while reviewing shoes of such a high stack fo cushion. If you’re a runner who prefers running with their own personalized or stock orthotics MagMax will easily accommodate those as well.
MagMax is a great shoe altogether. What makes it really shine is the fact that it offers a lot for a variety of runners. It’s approachable for folks who have not experienced a bouncy trainer before and were maybe a bit apprehensive, worrying that their biomechanics might not handle such a shoe particularly well.
In terms of recommendations, one thing that could improve this shoe is perhaps making it a tad wider in the midfoot. The shoe is already pretty heavy so there won’t be any dramatic weight change but the control of the gait cycle could be even better.
Matt C's: Score: 8.75/10 😊😊😊😊
Ride (50%): 9/10 Fit (30%): 9/10 Value (15%): 8/10 Style (5%): 7/10
Matt C: As I mentioned above I’ve tested the MagMax the last four weeks in some pretty horrible weather as I’ve built towards my next marathon in a week's time. And I’ve found myself reaching for the MagMax quite a bit, be it for tempo 20-mile runs featuring marathon pace or for easy recovery day miles after intense track sessions.
The ride is smooth with lots of cushioning from that slightly firmer and stable NITROFOAM providing protection for tired legs while also still allowing a pace pick up when required,
I managed a really good 20-mile run straight out of the box with the MagMax average 6:10 per mile for the whole run and miles 15-18 done at 5:08 Marathon Pace.
I’ve done a couple 5km parkruns running with my 1 year old in his buggy and managed to run them between 17:00-17:30 for them, only 30 seconds or so slower than my buggy PR wearing supershoes, although a long way from my non-buggy PR.
I would say at the faster speeds the bit of extra weight in the MagMax compared to shoes such as the ASICS Superblast, or of course a race shoe, does make it feel like harder work. But this isn’t a shoe designed for speed work, but one that works perfectly as that daily marathon mileage training companion, to log long runs that might include MP work or to help those tired beat up legs log those easy day recovery miles in.
My one nagging issue with the MagMax, and it could be something completely personal to me, so nothing to do with the shoe and just pure coincidence, but after every run in it I’ve had a tender and sore left achilles for a couple of days.
That being said, it hasn't stopped me from reaching for the MagMax and I think post-marathon, I’ll continue to use the MagMax for my longer work and recovery runs.
I’ve put just over 100 miles on the shoe with 3x20 milers and several 5-10 miles runs plus a couple of parkruns. Every time the shoe has been a delight and has done exactly what I’ve wanted out of it, be it to protect some beaten up and tired marathon training legs or hit a hard long run with some MP thrown in.
Also, something that I mentioned briefly in my introduction, if you are a value-driven purchaser then something Puma is very much on top of its competitors across most of its running line is price. Puma MagMax again does that here in the UK coming in at £170, compared the £200 for the ASICS Superblast, £250 ADIDAS Prime X 2 Strung, £200 Saucony Kinvara Pro 2, and just undercutting the new, £180 Brooks Glycerin Max.
Matt's Score: 9.1/10 😊😊😊😊
Ride (50%): 9/10 Fit (30%): 9/10 Value (15%): 10/10 Style (5%): 8/10
Kieran: The word I’d use to describe the ride of the MagMax is “consistent”. As mentioned earlier, the shoe feels neither soft nor firm. It sits right in that butter-zone where it compresses just enough under foot to not feel firm but at the same time it never rebounds enough to make the shoe feel dynamic. While not as engaging or as memorable as other shoes out in the market at the moment, what it does do is create a stable, smooth and rolling experience. More so than that it also creates a shoe that’s quite usable as well.
The MagMax works incredibly well as a daily trainer, a recovery shoe, a long distance trainer and to a degree a shoe that you could use for something a little faster (if you don’t mind the extra weight).
What PUMA has managed to do with the MagMax is make a shoe that sits right in the middle of the Maximalist spectrum with at one end the ridiculously cushioned and soft New Balance More that only really works for your easiest days and at the other end being the ASICS SuperBlast which is super light and better used for Marathon specific efforts.
What we have here is a shoe that does a fantastic job at balancing out all of its elements to create a fantastic mileage monster. I for one can attest to this because I find myself walking out my front door in the MagMax more often than not these days. For a first go at new model, I’d say PUMA’s hit it out of the park.
5 Comparisons
Brooks Ghost Max 2023 (RTR Review)
Matt K; Ghost Max is a very stable shoe despite its size, even more than MagMax. If you are opting for more comfort and a bit of bounce go with the Pumas. If you prefer more control and a much wider base, especially in the midfoot go with the Brooks.
Puma Magnify Nitro 2 (RTR Review)
Matt K: Magnify 2 is a comparable shoe to MagMax with a somewhat lower stack on Nitro foam cushion and thus lighter weight. What makes it different however is that Magnify is notably less stable and much more bouncy than MagMax. I would see them as applicable for similar forms of training but if you’re looking for a more controlled ride opt for the MagMax.
Kieran: The Magnify 2 once billed itself as the thickest slab of foam PUMA had put on a shoe but the MagMax has taken its crown. The MagMax and the Magnify share a lot of traits, from their relatively dense midsoles and pointy toe boxes to their tacky outsoles.
What I would say is that the MagMax just feels like more Magnify. So you still get all the good stuff but just different expressions of it. If you prefer more traditional geometry on your shoes then the Magnify is a great pick, if you want something truly thick then the MagMax is the way to go.
Brooks Hyperion Max 2 (RTR Review)
Matt C: I’ve been training in the Hyperion Max 2 alongside the Puma MagMax. The stack height on the Hyperion Max is lower at 36mm heel and 30mm forefoot, Unlike the MagMax, it has Pebax plate and so for faster work it has been my preference over the MagMax but for longer or easier runs I’d definitely choose the MagMax. If I was selecting only one shoe I’d lean slightly towards the MagMax as it’s just slightly more versatile, although given its weight and stack, it does make top ends speeds just a little harder work.
New Balance Fresh Foam More v4: (RTR Review)
Kieran: I’ve tried on the v5 but have yet to run in them so I’ll compare it to the v4 instead. The More v4 with its looser upper and much softer midsole feels incredibly sloppy compared to the dialed in and firmer MagMax. The MagMax overall feels like a much easier shoe to run in because it’s not all over the place like the More v4.
ASICS SuperBlast v1 (RTR Review)
Kieran: I haven’t been able to get my hands on a pair of the v2’s (RTR Review) so a comparison to the v1 will have to do. While the SuperBlast v1 is one of the all-time shoes, I found the fit of the upper a little strange, the midsole somewhat clunky and the outsole a little slippery in the wet. With that said, compared to the MagMax the lighter weight of the SuperBlast and the FF Turbo midsole make it a much more capable shoe for tempo efforts, faster long runs and even the marathon itself. The MagMax on the other hand feels smoother at daily training speeds and the dialed upper combined with the grippy outsoles make it a shoe that I prefer for racking up those Zone 2 miles. Overall the MagMax does the easier stuff better than the SuperBlast and I’d definitely choose it as a mileage shoe over the SuperBlast given the laters relative scarcity and cost.
ASICS GEL-Nimbus 26 (RTR Review)
Kieran: Compared to the MagMax the Nimbus 26 feels awkward and blocky. An overly tight upper and slappy midsole pale in comparison to the excellent fit and rolling midsole of the MagMax. Even though the MagMax is a little more expensive it’s a shoe I’d choose over the Nimbus every day of the week.
Nike Invincible 3 (RTR Review)
Kieran: With its water bottle like upper the Invincible 3 isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but I quite enjoy it. The ZoomX midsole definitely feels more dynamic than that of the MagMax and as a result the Invincible feels like it can pick up the pace a little bit more. However at slower speeds it can feel a little bit blocky as compared to the smooth MagMax. Overall I’d go the MagMax over the Invincible but it would be a close call.
Tester Profiles
Maciej 'Matt' Kolat- 37 years old, hailing from Poland but pounding Scottish pavements and trails since 2007. Mainly runs shorter distances on pavement 5-10 km and reserves longer runs for beautiful Scottish Glens. Matt’s opinion sometimes may differ from other RTR testers as he is the slowest of the bunch (5k at 25:38). Matt also uses running as a way to stay healthy having shed 100 lbs so far (and counting).
Matt is the owner of Made to Run an independent running store based between Manchester and Liverpool in the UK, which he runs alongside his mother Susan who competed in the 1987 Rome World Championships 10,000m and 1988 Seoul Olympic Marathon for Great Britain. So with running in the family, Matt has high goals of replicating what his mother did and having raced at the national level over in the UK for the last 15 years, Matt made a further step towards his goal on his 30th birthday when he won the 2021 Manchester Marathon in 2:18.23, followed two weeks later by winning the Liverpool Rock N Roll Marathon. Matt also has PR's for the 5km -14:18, 10km - 30:11 and HM - 65:28. Matt is also the author of The Art of Running, a graphic novel about legendary runner Steve Prefontaine. Instagram - GoCre91
Kieran Scarfe Equal parts runner and shoe-nerd Kieran has worked or been in the orbit of the running shoe world for the last decade. Managing run specialty stores and even working as a Sales Rep for HOKA in Australia. When he's not reading the latest running shoe news or reviews Kieran is out running on a mixture of trails and road training towards the elusive Sub3 and one day hopefully a Boston Qualifier. Kieran weighs around 70kg, is a mid-foot striker, and is good for a 90 minute 1/2 marathon. His Instagram is @shoewizard.
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