Puma has taken running shoe innovation to ridiculous new heights with its latest carbon-plated supershoe
Two carbon plates and a design that goes beyond racing regulations
Puma seems determined to outdo Nike in the increasingly outrageous supershoe arms race, as the brand just unveiled a new model with an enormous, exposed springboard sole and not one, but two, carbon-fibre plates.
The new Puma FAST-RB NITRO Elite 2 looks like something you might find in a futuristic running lab, but it's a real product designed to deliver the highest running efficiency Puma has ever recorded in testing.
There's one rather significant catch, though. The FAST-RB NITRO Elite 2 isn't ‘legal’ for competitive road racing under World Athletics regulations, so you won't see elite runners wearing it to break marathon records anytime soon.
Two plates are better than one?
Like Nike's Alphafly and most other supershoes, Puma's latest creation uses carbon-fibre technology to improve propulsion, but the German sportswear brand has taken a noticeably different approach.
The FAST-RB NITRO Elite 2 features two fused carbon-fibre PWRPLATES that form an exaggerated springboard structure beneath the foot.
Puma has also updated its NITROFOAM ELITE cushioning, combining a softer inner core with a firmer surrounding layer to improve energy return.
The redesigned ULTRAWEAVE upper promises a lighter, more breathable fit (do they ever not?), while a PUMAGRIP outsole provides road traction.
With a whopping 55mm heel stack and 47mm forefoot stack, the FAST-RB NITRO Elite 2 significantly exceeds World Athletics' 40mm sole-thickness limit for competitive road racing.
That doesn't prevent everyday runners from wearing it for training, of course, but it makes the shoe an engineering experiment that explores what might be possible without the constraints placed on competition footwear.
Puma's most efficient running shoe yet
Puma's internal lab testing suggests the FAST-RB NITRO Elite 2 delivers greater running economy than any other road running shoe in its current line-up.
Developed over two years, the brand also claims the shoe delivers the highest energy return it has recorded in testing.
At 250g for a UK size 8, the shoe isn't exceptionally lightweight by modern supershoe standards, especially given its substantial sole.
Puma also estimates a lifespan of around 320km (200 miles), which isn't too bad, especially compared with the notoriously fast but ephemeral Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3.
The Puma FAST-RB NITRO Elite 2 launched on 28 October 2026 in limited quantities and is available from Puma UK for £310.
