The Puma MagMax might be elephantine in the looks department, but it certainly shares more in common with its namesake when it comes to performance. In our Puma MagMax review, we were surprised by its standout stability – no mean feat for a trainer boasting a 46mm/38mm stack height – as well as natural they felt at quicker paces. While initial impressions were disappointing, it didn’t take long for the Nitro foam to come alive. Much like the “Bouncy AF” easter egg, the Puma MagMax’s true colours are hiding just beneath the surface.

The Puma MagMax, Just Like Me, Needs Time to Wake Up

In the relatively short space of time I’ve called myself a runner, I’ve purchased an embarrassing number of shoes. Too many to count, really. Fortunately for both my bank balance and the sanity of my partner (we have shoe racks in more rooms than I care to admit), I haven’t kept every pair that’s made it through the door. My process? Try them on, jump around the house, maybe jog a short stretch of pavement if it’s dry—just enough to test comfort, sizing, and the all-important midsole feel. It’s not perfect, but it keeps shoes in returnable nick.

Unfortunately, though, this imperfect process means some pairs pass initial tests and flop on real runs. Others get passed over too quickly, judged before they’ve had time to shine. In an ideal world, brands would be lining up to send every new release for testing (well, maybe not every new release; see the above comment RE my partner). Alas, we’re not there yet, so this approach will suffice.

So why am I telling you this before diving into the Puma MagMax review? Well, it’s because the Puma MagMax is the only running shoe to make it into my rotation despite failing initial tests. Let’s dive into what happened.

First Impressions of the Puma MagMax

I’d been on the lookout for a chonky shoe for a while – not just max-cushion, but something fun and punchy to replace the Hoka Skyward X. As brilliant as the Skyward X is, I’d made the choice to keep everything other than the race day shoe plateless. And plateless, the Skyward X is not.

Unfortunately, for reasons we’ll get into later, not many shoes fit the bill. The Asics Superblast 2, the Puma MagMax, and the Brooks Glycerin Max were (off the top of my head) the only contenders. With no Puma in the ever-expanding collection, I thought it only fair to give them a shot.

Straight out of the box, they felt like a premium product (and, at £180, they should). The engineered mesh upper was plush and inviting. The tongue had Stretch Armstrong levels of flexibility—seriously, it’s absurd. Step-in comfort? Tick.

But when it came to the midsole, I was less than impressed. In my initial testing, jumping on the spot, jogging around the house, and even sprinting a short section of pavement, the MagMax felt like bricks. Firm, dull, lifeless. I knew Nitro foam was firmer than others, so didn’t expect the MagMax to be a super soft shoe like the Invincible 3. Still, I didn’t expect it to be so firm, either. I figured I was just too light (70kg) to compress the gargantuan wedge of foam.

Convinced these were designed exclusively for the “heavier runner”, I reluctantly boxed them up and prepared the return label. No Puma MagMax review…

Impulse Reigns Supreme

As you’ve probably figured out, that return never happened.

A week later, the box still by the door, label affixed and ready to go, I was struggling to find the motivation to run. The temptation struck: What if I give the MagMax one more try? If you can’t find the motivation to run in a new pair of trainers, you’re in trouble. So, I laced them up. The run wasn’t revolutionary, but it was better than the initial tests had suggested. Besides, it was too late to send them back now, anyway.

I can’t remember whether it happened on the second or third run, but seemingly out of nowhere the Nitro foam decided to join the party. It didn’t suddenly become pillowy soft, but it did become bouncy. AF. Now the easter egg printed under the heel collar started to make sense.

Nitro? What is the MagMax’s Midsole?

Some MagMax have “Nitro Elite” printed on the midsole, while others, like mine, just “Nitro.” This has caused some confusion, and honestly Puma need to sort out their compound names. The foam used in the MagMax is the same Elite foam used in the Deviate Nitro Elite 2. With the release of the Nitro Elite 3, which is a different compound, they’ve dropped the “Elite” from the name. What’s more confusing is there already exists a Nitro foam, one used in its cheaper daily trainers. But rest assured, the MagMax does use a premium super foam – which is why it’s so bouncy!

Max-Stack Meets Max-Stability

As I mentioned earlier, my search for a plateless, max-stack shoe turned up few viable options. Maximally cushioned shoes are often designed to reduce the impact forces of running, potentially protecting the body from wear and tear. While the scientific backing for those claims is still limited, the extra cushioning should, at a minimum, offer more comfort—helping runners log higher mileage with less fatigue. Naturally, then, there’s a proclivity for softer midsole foams. But when you combine a high stack height with softer materials, you introduce a new challenge: instability.

To address that, many brands rely on plates—carbon fibre or otherwise—to help stabilise the foam. Positioned within or beneath the midsole, these plates provide a rigid layer that counteracts the instability created by deep, compressible cushioning. Some shoes, like the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung, even feature dual carbon plates to help manage its towering 50mm/43.5mm stack.

In a plateless design, stability can instead be achieved by layering foams of different densities. The Asics Superblast 2, one of the few shoes that meets this niche criteria, uses FF Turbo+ (a supercritical PEBA-based foam) as its primary cushioning, layered above FF Blast+ Eco—a firmer EVA and Olefin blend. The latter serves as a more stable, durable base, helping keep the ride controlled despite its generous stack.

The Puma MagMax has neither plate nor dual foam construction. It boasts a gigantic wedge of Nitro foam – that’s it. But stability is arguably one of the MagMax’s standout qualities. It’s not just stable for a max-cushioned shoe, either. Of the many trainers in my collection, I’d be hard-pressed to pick a more stable option.

As you can probably tell, the MagMax is a pretty wide shoe. This alone would increase stability. But the MagMax takes it a step further by centrally locating the foot inside this wide space. If you look at any of the images I’ve posted, you’ll see the upper sits right in the middle, with some of the green coloured foam acting as a sidewall to provide more protection. What’s more, because the Nitro foam isn’t super soft, it doesn’t collapse as freely as some of its competitors might.

Puma MagMax After 60K: Yay or Nay?

After logging 60 kilometres in the Puma MagMax, I’ve had enough time to get a feel for how they perform, who they might suit, and whether they’ve earned a permanent spot in my rotation.

First off—I’m a fan. While the MagMax isn’t the softest shoe out there, the thick slab of Nitro foam delivers both protection and propulsion. I’ve noticed a real reduction in post-run soreness, and, more importantly for me, less overall tightness and neck discomfort. Since recovering from a spinal injury, that’s something I’ve had to keep a close eye on. While this may be a more niche benefit, it could also appeal to older runners or anyone dealing with similar issues.

That said, my first impression wasn’t entirely positive. The MagMax felt firm—so much so that I questioned whether my 70kg frame was enough to properly engage the foam. Turns out, it just needed some breaking in. I’ve heard this said about certain foams before and always took it with a pinch of salt, but it rings true here. The Nitro foam is medium-firm, but it’s also seriously bouncy—especially at faster paces when you’re putting more force through the midsole. For me, the MagMax has turned out to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades: ideal for easy and daily mileage, but also well-suited to longer or progressive runs.

Still, the shoe isn’t without its quirks. At 303g for a US 9.5, it leans heavy. And while Puma lists the drop as 8mm, RunRepeat puts it closer to 9.6mm. As someone who prefers lower-drop shoes (with 8mm at the very top end), I’ve occasionally experienced ankle discomfort—likely from a slight shift in my footstrike further back toward the heel. Midfoot and forefoot strikers may want to keep this in mind.

In my view, the MagMax is best suited to heavier runners and those with a pronounced heel strike. Heavier runners will activate the foam more easily and enjoy the bounce right away, making it a great daily trainer. For heel strikers, it might be one of the best options in the max-cushion space.

If you’re a midfoot or forefoot striker, however, I’d lean toward something like the Asics Superblast 2. Both shoes are plateless, max-cushion trainers with performance foams, but the Superblast 2 is significantly lighter, equally stable, and has a true-to-spec 8mm drop—making it a more versatile option across different running styles.

And, unfortunately, that means the MagMax, while an absolutely brilliant shoe, is going to struggle to keep its place in my rotation. With the Asics Superblast 2 at my disposable, it’s difficult to pick the heavier, higher drop shoe.

If you do heel strike and you’re looking for a new max-cushion shoe, my recommendation would be the MagMax. The Puma and the Asics perform equally well, but the Puma is significantly cheaper – particularly as it can be purchased using discount codes, which the Superblast is typically excluded from. I managed to pick up the MagMax for £144.50 – an absolute steal compared to the £200 I paid for the Superblast 2.

In fact, you can pick up a pair for the same price by clicking the link here and using the Gritty Runner’s discount code QJ9T1J3Y3W051, which gets you 15% off all SS25 products.

Stick Around!

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