PUMA Fast-FWD Nitro Elite 2 Review

Put simply, the Fast-FWD 2 knocks performance out of the park. This shoe is incredibly light, responsive, snappy, and does exactly what it’s meant to do. We took these out for a range of track workouts and shorter-distance road runs, and found that they’ve ranged well from 10k pace and under. The grippiness of the PUMAGRIP rubber gave us confidence on both track and the road surfaces.

The carbon PWRPLATE is noticeably flexible, yet we could still feel a noticeably springy pop that helped lift us off the ground and drove us forward. The foam is responsive for fast speedwork reps, yet feels quite comfortable on jogging rest intervals. Even for short segments at sub-6:00-minute pace on downhills, Loucas’ feet felt protected enough without harsh jarring impacts. Cameron ripped it for intense repeat 400s on the track, dipping below 4:40 mile pace, and the Fast-FWD 2s felt great throughout.

One small knock, in the grand scheme of things: Although these have an 8 mm heel-toe offset, the perceived feeling underfoot is akin to a lower drop. That, plus its less-extreme rocker, left us with a bit of work to do on our fastest paces. Depending on your style, this could be exactly what you want, or leave you wishing the shoes would get you up and on your toes a bit more.

Overall, the Fast-FWD 2 is a wonderful, coherent package that works super well.

For such a minimal, low-profile shoe, the Fast-FWD Elite 2 did a great job in terms of comfort. PUMA knows how to do see-through, featherlight, race-day uppers with minimal padding and how to still keep them comfortable. The heel collar is flexible and soft with just the right hint of padding. Even the barely-there tongue has a small triangle of padding to prevent lacebite, which we appreciated.

For a low-stacked shoe, the quality of this foam is much more protective against impact than you’d expect. The NITRO ELITE is somehow both featherweight AND sturdy, so it stands up well to impact. It's hard for this kind of shoe to offer comfort features, so this is a win!

As a midfoot striker, Loucas is sensitive to impact where he lands near his 5th metatarsal head, and he found it very comfortable. For true forefoot strikers, some might wish for a hint more stack under the toes. 

While the materials are impressively comfortable for a racing shoe, Cameron had some slight heel lockdown concerns, which made him a little uncomfortable around some turns. That brings us to…

The fit is where things get slightly complicated. None of us experienced any hotspots or blistering, which was a huge win. However, our team was split on whether or not we got the secure lockdown that we’d expect from a pinnacle performance shoe. 

Loucas has a narrow (C-width) foot and found these shoes to fit true to length, width, and volume. He was able to get a great lockdown, and the upper wrapped well around his foot and under his arch. His heel felt secure without feeling restrictive, while his metatarsal heads and toes were happy with the width and volume.

Cameron has a standard (D-width) foot, and wished that the fit were a bit more snug. The forefoot was roomier than he prefers for a short-distance, top-speed shoe, and the heel lockdown wasn’t quite right for him, forcing him to pull his laces tight for sufficient lockdown. This made sharp turns a bit of a nuisance.

"OK, there’s just something magic about the Hyperwarp Pure (and it BETTER feel magic for the price in this grouping). I loved it right away, especially the propulsive feel of its aggressive, late-stage, 'snub-nose' rocker. That said, the Pure feels like what you’d get if you just made the PUMA taller and broader based. Not that their foam feels identical, but the experience and the smile on my face match up." -Loucas

"The Fast-FWD is a tad bit lighter, but the 3mm more foam underfoot in the Hyperwarp Pure makes a big difference in feel. For that snug race-day fit, I prefer the Hyperwarp. For a road mile, I want the ultralight, snappy feel of the Fast-FWD Elite. For a 10K, my preferences would be to grab the fit, cushion, and feel of the Hyperwarp, which is a shoe I’ve comfortably taken over 10 miles. 5k? I might pick the Hyperwarp purely for the added cushion and fit, but the Fast-FWD can RIP more aggressively." -Cameron

"Underfoot, the Pacer v2 feels like the most shoe of this group, and that’s not necessarily bad. Its base is broader throughout than the PUMA. It’s the heaviest of the group, but that doesn’t feel very noticeable on foot. For underfoot comfort, the Pacer v2 is a shoe I could easily take up to a half marathon, while the Fast-FWD 2 is 5k or less... mayyybe up to a 10k." -Loucas

"For what it’s designed for, I’m picking the Fast-FWD Elite for anything 5k and below. At 7.4 oz, the SC Pacer is way heavier. For a 10k, I might grab the SC Pacer purely for comfort over that distance, but it’s a close call that’s totally up to personal preference. If I fortify my lower leg strength, it’s Fast-FWD Elite for sure. " -Cameron

"Ok, these two feel like kindred spirits, closer to spikes. They’re so close on stack, weight, and price. This doesn’t really matter, but I like the little bit of flex/stretch you get as you lace up the Nike. These two have identical base widths, but the Nike gives a touch more cushioning under the toe tips, plus a little more outsole depth in the forefoot with the waffle pattern. But my toes are happier in the PUMA, especially on the pinkie side." -Loucas

"These two are probably the most similar in my opinion. Low, light, and fast as heck! PUMA has more foam and less weight, while Nike is more aggressive. For my form and mechanics, I’m not going to be on my toes for an entire 5k, or maybe even full road mile. For my fastest workouts and all-out road mile, I might snag the Streakfly for pure aggression. For anything longer than that, I get along with the balanced geometry of the Fast-FWD Elite a bit better. " -Cameron