Puma’s new shoe is a rocket, but only for casual runners
A sneaker that breaks rules, but only if you’re not a pro.
The story
Puma released an upgraded 'super shoe' with a higher energy return, flouting athletic regulations, but it's legal for amateurs.
Source: wwd.com
Our reading
Puma has made a shoe so aggressively optimized for energy return that it might as well be a battery with laces. The Fast RB Nitro Elite 2 is the kind of product that makes you wonder if the engineers were trying to build a running shoe or a tiny rocket. The fact that it’s technically legal for amateurs is less of a loophole and more of a ‘we’re not stopping you’ shrug. The shoe’s 8mm heel-to-toe drop is a subtle nod to the rules, but the 58mm stack height is a middle finger wrapped in a foam cushion. If you’re not running a marathon, you’re just wearing a very expensive science experiment.
