I still remember the first time when I ran in AlphaFly Next%. The feeling of unreal bounce, springy stride and the joy of hitting the pace so effortlessly. Since then I have used super shoes from Adidas, Nike, Puma, New Balance, and Saucony. Most do their job well as racing shoes, but they no longer feel different, these are now the new Normal.

I’ve heard about Fast R3 Nitro as part of Puma’s Project 3 on the run up to the Boston Marathon 2025. Having used Puma’s other super racer, Deviate Nitro Elite, I was excited. It was so hyped that I wanted it badly. Thankfully Puma India brought these supershoes right after they launched in India. I bought a pair from Puma Indira Nagar store.

How does this new super shoe from Puma Fast R3 stand against the other racers? Does it really deliver on the hype? Is it a worthy shoe for race day? Read the review.

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What makes up Fast-R Nitro 3?

The shoe is so light (200grams in UK 10) that it is unbelievable. They do feel very delicate in the hands and are beautifully made. If you have seen the previous edition of Fast R, this shoe looks similar – A split midsole with a carbon plate visibly protruding out and the plate extending all the way forward beyond the toe box. Fast R3 however is much more refined in looks. The plate in the midsole is hidden now, and looks more similar to the early editions AlphaFly Next%. The midsole is still split into two halves and the plate is also extended beyond the toe box.

Plate extended beyond toe-box

Midsole

The midsole of Fast R3 uses Nitro Elite Foam, which is made of Aliphatic TPU foam. The midsole feels superior to touch and is super soft. The split midsole is quite aggressive with a distinct tapered heel cutout – kind of inverse of Puma Fast FWD Nitro’s midsole shape. The shape of the heel doesn’t give much confidence to heel first strike runners though. The midsole has 40mm stack height at the heel, and 32mm in the forefoot, effectively offering an 8mm drop, just right for a racer.

Split midsole with deep heel cut-out

Upper

The upper is made up of a single layer engineered mesh (ULTRAWEAVE as Puma calls it). It is the thinnest upper I have ever seen, and feels like paper. It is extremely breathable and semi-transparent.

The upper material is soft and wraps around the foot securely, providing a conforming sock-like fit. The tongue is minimalist, is also paper-thin and not gusseted, and is made of the same upper material. It takes a bit of time to make sure the tongue sits in properly above your foot though.

Heel

The heel area is really well-executed for a light weight racer. It has conventional heel collar with reasonable padding and a rigid heel cup for a comfortable and secure fit. The fit and lockdown are definitely an improvement over Deviate Nitro Elite that I’ve used in the past. There is no heel tab though. Given the shoe is easy to get in, one wouldn’t miss it much.

Heel area is really well done for a racer

Outsole

The outsole is made from PUMAGRIP rubber. However it is quite different from other Puma racers. It is thin and resembles the outsole that you see in the Adios Pro series. The tread pattern is flat and minimalist and primarily meant for road surfaces.
The outsole is primarily focused on the forefoot which gives an indication of the shoe priorities. The heel portion hardly has any rubber coverage. Two smaller rubber patches are located on the sides of the heel.

The midfoot area is left exposed with no rubber coverage to probably save weight and not interfere with the carbon fiber plate. Carbon fiber plate can be seen through

Why did I buy it?

For my races I currently use AlphaFly Next %3. I have settled on the AlphaFly line after trying other supershoes including Adios Pro, VaporFly, and Deviate Nitro Elite. I am quite happy with it and really not looking for an alternative. But given what I heard of Fast R3 Nitro from my friends, I really wanted to feel the excitement. Bonus is that I might find something worthy of replacement.

Ride in Fast-R 3

The first time I laced up the Fast R3 Nitro, I couldn’t believe how light they felt. At 200 grams for UK 10, I have never worn any shoe so light. I felt a déjà vu from my first Alphafly experience, an unreal bounce when I tested it for a few strides.

However I had mixed feelings, given it has a bit of instability. The split midsole and that hollow heel design made them tricky to control, but once I found my rhythm after a few strides, it worked well. That said, your ankle has to work a bit harder compared to other shoes. But the responsiveness and lightness makes up for it.

My first run with them was a local 10K, more of a threshold effort than a full race. After I started running, they felt quite stable, and I couldn’t really notice any tinge of instability. The bounce was electric, almost playful, and even though I’m a heel-midfoot striker, the run went surprisingly smooth.

A few weeks later came the Hyderabad marathon (half). I went in confident after that 10K, and the shoe didn’t disappoint. The ride was soft yet powerful, every step full of energy return, and even in the final stretch, the shoe kept giving. However, in the final mile, my socks got soaked with sweat, I started to feel my feet slipping slightly inside the shoe. It didn’t ruin the race, but that is something to note. Despite that, it was a PB on the course by a massive 3 minutes from the previous year. The shoe definitely played some role.

Next up was the Bengaluru half marathon. I planned a fast finish, and when I picked up the pace after the 12th kilometer, as expected the shoe felt like it was flying with me. But during the descent at the 19th kilometer, I suddenly felt a lump under my foot. For a moment, I thought my sock had bunched up, but later after the race when I checked it turned out the insole glue had given away had come loose and slid forward. Even then, I managed to hold pace and finish strong, with a surprise personal best by a minute, and this is not even a goal race.

Fit and Comfort

With 50+ km logged so far, it is one of the most comfortable racers I have used. It feels incredibly minimal and delicate and you could sense just how thin and lightweight it is. It gives a super “skin-like” feel over your foot, which can feel amazing when everything is in place. It is true to size, however, the fit is a bit relaxed. You might have to try adjusting the lacing to get the right fit. Especially when your feet sweaty, or when your socks are soaked you may experience the slippage.

Stability

The shoe feels a bit wobbly when walking or when running at slower speeds. However, once you pick the pace the shoe is really stable. I am particularly impressed by the uncompromised heel cup design and padding around it. The cut-out in the heel might be a problem for extreme heel strikers though.

Road Grip

Lack of tread in the outsole means the shoe is primarily designed for roads with good traction. The shoe may slip on roads with gravel or loose sand probably. All the three races that I tried the shoe in, I had no problem with the grip. Heel strikers may find issues with the limited rubber in the heel.

Decent grip for a road racer

Durability

Puma mentions the Fast-R 3 Nitro is designed for 150 km lifespan, which I think is a good practice. Because the upper is ultra-thin, split midsole sections expose more foam edges, and the minimal outsole rubber on the heel, the lifespan can be even lower.

Aesthetics & Ergonomics

The shoe looks futuristic, aggressive, and highly distinctive. The "Heat Fire-Sun Stream" colorway that I have has a high-energy aesthetic, with vibrant orange and gold upper contrasted by black accents. The black Puma logo pops prominently off the side of the shoe, while the Puma Cat logo appears throughout the silhouette. The minimalist, almost transparent Ultraweave upper, the distinct decoupled midsole, and the visible carbon plate all contribute to the technical and aggressive look. "FOREVER. FASTER." is written on the insoles, finally makes sense.

Review Summary

Aravind

Aravind is a techie, running geek, and a marathoner. He is a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. He loves all things technology and technology in running, with special interest in running form analysis.