I'm a gear head. I am into phone, tablet, computer, mechanical keyboard, mouse, camera, audio DAC/amplifier, headphones, watches, etc.
Recently, I started running to continue my weight loss (or to maintain my weight). And I got into running shoes, which are the main gear for running.
Even for recreational runners, running shoes cost $120 to $200. Racing running shoes cost even more. There are low budget sneakers or "running" shoes, but they are not ideal for running.
As cheap skate, I look for older models. When new models come out, 1, 2, or even 3 older generation running shoes will go on sale. At least I can do this shopping on online, and look for my shoe size.
Then I found out about Ross Dress for Less. Ross buys overstock, surplus, discontinued, or out of season products and sell them at discount. They carry sneakers, including running shoes. I see mainly Pumas. I do see Hokas and Brooks occasionally. The issue with Ross is that their stock is sporadic. They might have 1 or 2 running shoes in the store. And it is just up to chance if those shoes are in my size.
Here are my running shoes:
Top row (left to right): Puma ForeverRUN Nitro, Puma Magnify Nitro, Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2
Bottom row (left to right): Saucony Triumph 19, Puma Deviate Nitro 2
(Not shown) Nike Pegasus 40
I bought Nike Pegasus 40 from Nike; and returned that. I bought Saucony Triumph 19 on Amazon and on sale ($75). The latest Triumph version is 21, so 19 is couple generations old. And no, I was not in love with Puma. All the Pumas were $40 each at Ross Dress for Less. I do like Pumas at this price.
Running Background
Male, mid-50s, 5'10", 170 lbs. Beginner runner. I only started running in February. It has been around 12 weeks since I started. First 4-5 weeks was just getting into shape and surviving. Then after that, I started to work on form, mechanics, and shoes. My goal is for weight loss, weight maintenance, and exercise. Improving my speed is my secondary goal. With that, I was more interested in daily trainers. I didn't think about rotation or racing. I bought the Pumas because they were available on discount. But trying all these variety of shoes, I understand now how different shoes can fit different purposes.
Running: I run 2 to 3 miles each day; 6-7 days per week; around 15-20 miles each week. I just did 5K Parkrun 2 weeks ago, and have run twice. First time was 33:02 (which is 10:30 min/mile average), using $10 Walmart no-name brand shoe. Second time was 30:30 (which is 9:40 min/mile average), using Saucony Triumph 19.
Foot strike: Mid foot to Heel. It varies. I'm still optimizing my form.
Neutral/Stability: I prefer neutral. I dislike/hate stability. I find stability shoes to feel "unstable". I like the shoe to push back (pressure/force) on the forefoot. I hate any pressure or support in the medial arch. And when there is cushion or push back on the heel, it can feel odd.
Feet size/shape: US 9.5. I have average width at toe box. I probably have narrow heel, as I like to use runner's loop lacing on all these shoes. I have average arch at bottom. But I have high top arch. So I need shoes with large top volume. I mainly use parallel lacing to relieve pressure on top.
Onto review. First on the 2 Pumas with plates. Then the daily trainers.
Puma Deviate Nitro 2:
Running: Immediate difference versus daily trainers. With trainers, I have to work harder at increasing my cadence and pace. With Deviate Nitro 2, I can increase my cadence up to 180-190 spm. Whether it is the composite plate, rocker, or both, it really aide in my motion to turn over quickly. As I was mainly shopping for daily trainers, I didn't experience this rocker shape on the shoes I tested at store. Maybe rocker is good fit for my mechanics, but I don't have enough experience there.
The downside is that for first 2-3 runs, I had extreme soreness in my calves and gluts. I guess it does change my running mechanics a bit. Just after couple runs, the calf soreness went away, and this became my favorite among these shoes. My glut soreness still occurs.
Fit: Initially, it was quite tight, both in the toe box and top arch. I was trying all sort of lacing technique: skipping the first holes, parallel lacing, etc. But after couple runs, the upper fabric seemed to have loosened up. Surprisingly, fit is excellent now. This is something I have found with these Pumas. They tend to be tight at beginning, but upper loosens up to fit my feet.
Weight: 9.0 oz, 257 g. US Size 9.5.
Design: Puma uses insole material that has a rough fuzzy texture. It catches pet hair. At any time there are > 10 hairs on the insole. And very difficult to remove, as the hair is embedded into the material. Deviate Nitro 2 has this particularly thick and rough texture, and my model has orange colored insole, and black hairs from my pet really stand out.
Deviate Nitro Elite 2:
I haven't used out on the road yet. I have only used this on treadmill.
Running: Did some back and forth comparison between Deviate Nitro Elite 2 and Deviate Nitro 2 on the treadmill. Immediate impressions are that Deviate Nitro Elite 2 is lighter and stiffer than Devitate Nitro 2. And it is even easier than Deviate Nitro 2 to get my pace up. Not sure if that is due to the weight or also other factors.
In terms of rocker, both have similar feel. The rocker is at the very front of the shoe, so really helps with toe off or kick. I have to try this running on the road to do more comparison.
Deviate Nitro Elite 2 uses carbon plate, whereas Deviate Nitro 2 uses composite plate. Not sure if that is the reason, but I feel Deviate Nitro Elite 2 being stiffer. Note that stiffness is not the sole softness, but rigidness or the flex of the shoe.
I did encounter some pain in my big toe, like turf toe. It was quite obviously during my 1st use on treadmill. And during my 2nd use, although I didn't notice the pain when running, I did find soreness in the big toe afterwards. Not sure if it is due to size, carbon plate, or just have to get used to new shoes.
Fit: This is a size 10, which is 1/2 size larger than my typical 9.5. As I got this from Ross, I have no choice. I used thicker socks, and fit feels fine. There is more room at front of the shoe to my toes than I typically like, slightly more than thumbs width. Being 1/2 size larger, I have plenty of toe box width and top volume, so it feels roomy and comfortable.
Weight: 8.1 oz, 229 g. US Size 10.
Rubber: All the other shoes on the list have excellent rubber coverage. And thickness appear normal visually. However, Deviate Nitro Elite 2 has less rubber coverage. The front 1/2 of sole has normal rubber coverage. The rear 1/2 of sole has 2 narrow strips of rubber; so there is a lot of exposed foam in the rear. And without measuring, I can visually see that the rubber is much thinner. I believe this is done to reduce the weight. And I assume this is similar to other brands/models with comparable purpose.
Design: The heel has a thick lip (like 1/4") with velcro-like surface. When I first picked up the shoes by the heel with my fingers, I thought the unit was defective, or there was some additional pieces missing that should stick to the velcro. It was quite odd. When I wear the shoes, I don't feel the velcro bump at all. So seems like it is doing its job to hold onto my heel and not feel weird.
Next, let's talk about the daily trainers, in order of my preference:
Note that I don't have enough experience, like online reviewers, to compare energy return these daily trainers. They all feels similar in speed or energy return. What I do feel are differences in cushion, spongy or squishy feel, where the pressure/firmness is located on my feet, and stability.
Magnify Nitro:
This is v1, not v2.
Running: It is very stable. Just felt like normal shoes. It doesn't feel like a max cushion shoes, at least compared to others I tried. It is cushioned, but not soft/squishy/spongy at all. It feels similar to Triumph 19, but I give the advantage to Magnify Nitro because it feels normal/correct right off the bat.
Fit: Initial fit was too crowded. Toe box width is average. However, front of toe box was too narrow. There was lack of room for toes; toes too crowded and bunched together; and pinky crowded inward. On the positive, there is decent volume on top. The tongue is heavily padded and soft.
Just like Deviate Nitro 2, that initial tightness quickly disappeared, just after 1 run. The upper likely expanded to fit my feet.
Weight: 11.2 oz, 317 g. US Size 9.5.
Saucony Triumph 19
I tried Triumph 20/21 at the store. They fit my feet really well. And I was looking for daily trainer, as I was planning to return Pegasus 40. So I bought Triumph 19 from Amazon.
Running: This was my 2nd running shoes after Nike Pegasus 40. I don't have experience with any running shoes before these. And I had to get used to Triumph 19. I feel pressure and push right under my forefoot. It is a bit more squishy/spongy than what I prefer. Even with the slightly spongy cushion, it is very stable. And I'm used to the feel now. And both the fit and the cushion are very comfortable.
Fit: Among all these shoes, Triumph 19 has one of the best fit for me. It has plenty of room in the toe box. Excellent top volume for my feet. The tongue is thick and nicely padded. And that didn't take away from the top volume. The heel is a bit loose for me; no issue once I use runner's loop.
Weight: 10.7 oz, 302 g. US Size 9.5.
Puma ForeverRun Nitro
If I had gotten Magnify and Deviate Nitro Elite 2 first, I probably would have skipped ForeverRUN. It has the worst fit among all these shoes. And except for Pegasus 40, I also rate the feel at the bottom.
Running: In terms of stability, it is better than Pegasus 40, but the feels worse compare to all other shoes listed here. It is quite cushioned and spongy. ForeverRUN Nitro feels more spongy than Magnify Nitro, which is max cushion. Although ForeverRUN Nitro is not unstable, it doesn't feel as stable as other shoes. Beyond that, just a generic daily trainer feel.
Fit: ForeverRUN Nitro has the worst fit among all these shoes for me. The toe box is wide, but it has low volume both in the toe box and top of the arch. It is so tight that the tongue is bulging out and I can see my socks in the seams at the edge of the tongue. And the tongue is thin and plasticy/rubber that is slightly uncomfortable. Again, I bought this at Ross, so no choice on the size. I suspect 1/2 size larger on ForeverRUN might be better for me regarding the top volume. Now that I have used the shoes multiple times, it did loosen up a bit, but the top is still tight.
Weight: 9.9 oz, 280 g. US Size 9.5.
Design: ForeverRun is marketed as mild stability. I don't like stability shoes in general. But I don't find ForeverRun offensive. It feels more like neutral shoes to me. It feels more neutral than Pegasus 40. One odd design feature on ForeverRun is that there is a metatarsal pad, right behind the forefoot pads. I can feel it when I put on the shoes; and when I run my fingers along the insole. While using the shoes, I don't feel this pad.
Nike Pegasus 40
Running: First running shoes I bought. I used Nike Pegasus 40 exclusively for 3-4 weeks and around 40-50 miles. I never felt fully comfortable with it. It is suppose to be neutral, but I find it having too much "stability" feel. When I tried the shoes walking, it felt fine. When I run, and when my feet strike the ground, I feel pressure and lump right under my medial arch. That feeling makes Pegasus 40 feel high, spongy, and unstable. Returned.
Fit: It has decent top volume for me. The toe box is not wide. But with the plenty of top volume, front fits fine. The heel fits my narrow feet well.
Weight: 10.1 oz, 285 g. US Size 9.5.
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