The PUMA Deviate Nitro 4 is 1 pair for people who want to go from training to the full marathon in a plated shoe. The deciding points are about 250g, an 8mm drop and an 800km guide. Released Jan 23, 2026, sole 38/30mm, official price JPY 22,000.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
If you wear a plated shoe every day, this is the 1 pair at PUMA. Where its older brother the Elite 4 made the plate stiffer, this shoe rebuilt the plate to be supple. The official words are "secures stability while raising flexibility." It makes sense as a plate for daily distance running, and I see it as the training workhorse.
Key points
- The previous Nitro 3's official page says about 262g. This one is about 250g, a gap of 12g
- The PUMA x HYROX edition is 39/29mm with a 10mm drop. Add heel and forefoot and both are 68mm
- The older brother Elite 4 made the plate stiffer, and this one made it supple. The directions are opposite
Is the Deviate Nitro 4 worth buying: a number more important than "about 15g lighter"
The Deviate Nitro 4 is a buy for people who want to put in daily distance in a shoe with a plate. The deciding points are a supple plate, an 8mm drop, and an 800km guide.
It got about 15g lighter than the previous model. But what changed the shoe's character more than weight is that the heel-to-forefoot height difference (drop) went from 10mm to 8mm.
Deviate Nitro 4 weight and drop? The official numbers
| Item | Deviate NITRO 4 |
|---|---|
| Release date | Jan 23, 2026 (PUMA Japan's announcement) |
| Official price | JPY 22,000 (incl. tax) |
| Weight | About 250g (men's 27cm) / about 205g (women's 24cm) |
| Stack height | Heel 38mm / forefoot 30mm |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Width | Men's 2E equivalent / women's D equivalent |
| Plate | Yes (PWRPLATE of carbon composite) |
| Sole foam | 2 layers of NITROFOAM |
| Outsole rubber | PUMAGRIP |
| Durability guide | 800km |
The official page's classification is cushioning "Max" and response to foot collapse "Neutral." The target is written as "from serious runners to fun runners," and the use as "from tempo-up runs to the full marathon."
Colors: 11 on the men's page on the day I checked. 4 of them showed a markdown, and all 4 were out of stock.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
PUMA Deviate Nitro 4
The lowest price on Rakuten was JPY 13,200 (as of 10/13). It ranges up to JPY 22,000 depending on the shop. Prices move daily. Try shoes on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit differs by brand, so read the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNitro 4 vs Nitro 3: what changed from the previous generation
The previous model is the Deviate Nitro 3. It went on sale Jul 19, 2024, and its product page remains on the Japan official site. I line up its numbers.
| Nitro 3 | Nitro 4 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (27cm) | About 262g | About 250g | −12g |
| Drop | 10mm | 8mm | −2mm |
| Guideline distance | 800km | 800km | 0km |
| Price at release | JPY 19,800 | JPY 22,000 | +JPY 2,200 |
Weight: Subtracting between official pages gives 12g (262 − 250). The official description says "about 15g." The Nitro 3's wide version is written as about 265g, and subtracting from that gives 15g (265 − 250). Read either way, the share lighter is around 5% (12 ÷ 262 = 4.6%).
Drop: It shrank 2mm, from 10mm to 8mm. That makes it the same 8mm as the Elite 4, Pure Nitro and Velocity Nitro 5. Even if you rotate PUMA's 2026 shoes, the relationship between heel and forefoot height does not change.
Foam: The Nitro 3 combined 2 kinds, NITROFOAM and the same NITROFOAM ELITE as the race shoe. The Nitro 4's official page has no ELITE name, and says "NITROFOAM 2-layer structure." The explanation is that two layers of nitrogen-infused foam are stacked to raise rebound.
Plate: This is the interesting part. The press release writes that the Nitro 4's plate was rebuilt into a "shape that secures stability while raising flexibility." The older brother Elite 4 "raised stiffness over before." In the same generation, the plates swing in opposite directions.
Price: Up JPY 2,200 between release prices. The guide distance is 800km for both, so per km goes from about JPY 24.8 to 27.5 (19,800 ÷ 800, 22,000 ÷ 800). That is a rise of about JPY 2.8 per km.
HYROX edition, Pure Nitro and Elite 4 compared
Besides the standard version, there are 3 shoes carrying the Deviate name: the edition with the HYROX name, the plateless Pure Nitro, and the race-oriented Elite 4.
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Weight | Sole thickness (drop) | Plate | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deviate NITRO 4 | About 250g | 38 / 30mm (8mm) | Carbon composite | 800km |
| PUMA x HYROX Deviate Nitro 4 | About 250g | 39 / 29mm (10mm) | Carbon composite | 800km |
| Deviate Pure Nitro | About 220g | 38 / 30mm (8mm) | None | 800km |
| Deviate Nitro Elite 4 | About 170g | 40 / 32mm (8mm) | Carbon | 400km |
PUMA x HYROX edition: same weight, different sole notation
The press release describes the HYROX edition as a "model based on the DEVIATE NITRO 4." The weight is the same at about 250g, and the guide is the same 800km.
What differs is the sole notation. The standard is 38/30mm with an 8mm drop; the HYROX edition is 39/29mm with a 10mm drop. Add heel and forefoot and the standard is 68mm (38 + 30) and the HYROX edition also 68mm (39 + 29), so the total is the same. The 10mm drop is the same number as the previous Nitro 3.
There are 3 other differences. The width notation is "regular," not "2E equivalent"; there is 1 color; and the recycled material share in the upper is 30% or more (20% or more for the standard). The price is higher for the HYROX edition, as in the table below.
Those who want to match an 8mm drop, or choose by the "2E equivalent" notation, take the standard. Those who want the HYROX color and name, or are used to the previous model's 10mm, the HYROX edition. On the official numbers, no function exclusive to the HYROX edition is written.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
PUMA x HYROX Deviate NITRO
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 20,790 (as of 10/13). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaPure Nitro: the same thickness, no plate
Sole thickness, drop and guide distance are exactly the same as the Nitro 4. No plate, and 30g lighter (250 − 220). If you do not want a plate's push, the Pure Nitro fits better. Width is noted "regular."
Elite 4: 80g lighter, half the guide distance
The Elite 4 is 80g lighter (250 − 170) and 2mm thicker in the sole. In exchange, its guide is 400km, half the Nitro 4. For people who want a shoe for race day only, the numbers are collected in the Elite 4 review.
What I like
Easy to run in whatever your landing position. The PUMAGRIP contact area is broad, a build that suits people who land on the heel and people who land mid-foot.
Width is 2E equivalent, so you can choose fit by notation. The HYROX edition and Pure Nitro are noted "regular." The standard is the one where you can buy after checking width by notation.
Height relationships now match the older brother. Training in the Nitro 4 and racing in the Elite 4, the drop is 8mm for both. The previous pairing was 10mm and 8mm, a 2mm mismatch.
A plated shoe that lasts 800km. PUMA's plated shoes: the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 is about 150km and the Elite 4 400km. This shoe is 800km, JPY 27.5 per km (22,000 ÷ 800). 800km is about 19 full marathons (800 ÷ 42.195 = 18.96).
Things to watch
It is not a light shoe. About 250g is 10g heavier than the plateless Velocity Nitro 5 (about 240g) and 30g heavier than the Pure Nitro. It is the heaviest of PUMA's 4 new 2026 shoes.
About 11% pricier than the previous model. 2,200 ÷ 19,800 is about 11%, and the weight gap is 12 to 15g. If lightness were the only reason, it would not pay.
I cannot find a wide version. The Nitro 3 has a wide product page, but on the day I checked, no Nitro 4 wide appeared in a search of the Japan official site.
The drop changed. For someone who liked the Nitro 3's 10mm, a 2mm difference shows up.
Who is it for?
- Good fit: Someone who wants to put in pace-run and 30km-run distance in a plated shoe. Someone who wants to cover tempo runs through the full marathon with 1 pair. Someone who races in the Elite 4 and wants to match training with an 8mm shoe.
For lightness priority, the Elite 4 or Pure Nitro; for plateless, the Pure Nitro or Velocity Nitro 5; for 3E or above, the Velocity Nitro 5's wide fits. If your Nitro 3 is under 800km, wearing it out first is still in time (a gap of 12 to 15g).
For people who want to line it up with other makers' plated training shoes, the same form of table is in recommended running shoes for 2026. A comparison of PUMA's 4 new shoes is in the article on PUMA's 2026 new releases.
Price and where to buy
| Model | Official price | Per kilometer | Rakuten price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deviate NITRO 4 | JPY 22,000 | About JPY 28 | JPY 13,200–22,000 |
| Same, the 4 colors with an official markdown | JPY 15,400 (out of stock) | About JPY 19 | — |
| PUMA x HYROX edition | JPY 23,100 | About JPY 29 | JPY 20,790 |
| Previous model Nitro 3 | JPY 6,999 to 15,400 (all colors out of stock) | — | JPY 13,850–15,990 |
| Pure Nitro | JPY 19,800 | About JPY 25 | JPY 15,840–19,800 |
On the official site, the 4 colors showing a markdown were all out of stock. People who are not particular about color can first check whether the same color remains at a Rakuten store.
The previous Nitro 3 showed out of stock in every color on the official site. For people who want to keep wearing a 10mm drop, what remains in stores is the option.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
PUMA Deviate Nitro 4
The lowest price on Rakuten was JPY 13,200 (as of 10/13). It ranges up to JPY 22,000 depending on the shop. Prices move daily. Try shoes on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit differs by brand, so read the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japan
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
PUMA Deviate Nitro 3 (previous generation)
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 13,850 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 15,990 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanFAQ
How does the Deviate Nitro 4 fit?
Width is 2E equivalent for men's and D equivalent for women's (official page). The toe is written as a "rounded" shape. The official online store accepts size exchanges within 14 days of arrival.
Can the Deviate Nitro 4 be used in full marathon races?
Yes. The use is "tempo-up runs to the full marathon." The Elite 4 is the one built specifically for race day, and the Nitro 4 is positioned for "runners aiming to improve speed in daily running."
How do the Deviate Nitro 4 and Elite 4 differ?
The plate and foam differ. The Nitro 4 has a "carbon composite" plate that keeps flexibility. The Elite 4 has a "carbon fiber" plate with raised stiffness. The foam differs too: NITROFOAM for the Nitro 4 and NITROFOAM ELITE for the Elite 4. The Elite 4 weighs about 170g, 80g lighter, with a guide of 400km.
How many km does the Deviate Nitro 4 last?
The official guide is 800km. The previous Nitro 3 is also 800km, and the race-oriented Elite 4 is written as 400km.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten Ichiba
Sources
- PUMA Japan official: men's Deviate Nitro 4
- PUMA Japan official: women's Deviate Nitro 4
- PUMA Japan press release (Jan 9, 2026): DEVIATE NITRO ELITE 4 and DEVIATE NITRO 4 released
- PUMA Media Hub (Jan 9, 2026): Deviate NITRO 4 & Deviate NITRO Elite 4
- PUMA Japan official: men's Deviate Nitro 3
- PUMA Japan official: men's Deviate Nitro 3 Wide
- PUMA Japan press release (Jun 28, 2024): DEVIATE NITRO ELITE 3 and DEVIATE NITRO 3 released
- PUMA Japan official: men's PUMA x HYROX Deviate Nitro 4
- PUMA Japan press release (Jun 11, 2026): PUMA x HYROX AW26 collection
- PUMA Japan official: men's Deviate Pure Nitro
- PUMA Japan official: men's Deviate Nitro Elite 4
- PUMA Japan official: men's Velocity Nitro 5
