Puma has unveiled its latest super shoe, the Fast RB (Rule Breaker) Nitro Elite. Designed to push the limits of speed and performance and to challenge conventional rules, this shoe is built for speed, boasting features that set it apart from anything else on the market.
The Fast RB Nitro Elite is not race-legal, exceeding World Athletics’ stack height regulations with a towering 58 mm midsole and three plates—18 mm and two plates beyond the legal limit.
Romain Girard, Puma’s head of innovation design, said in a press release that this shoe is more than just a piece of gear, “Our elite race day running shoes are often confided to work within the rules, but with Fast RB NITRO™ Elite, we asked the question: what if we pushed running technology as far as we can? This is not just a running shoe; it’s a statement. Proof of our intent to not only be the fastest brand in the world, but the most innovative.”
The Tech
The shoe’s midsole is a game-changer in the world of running. It includes Puma’s Nitro Elite foam, known for its exceptional cushioning and energy return, combined with a unique 58 mm stack height.
The shoe features a full-length carbon plate at the top, flanked by two TPU plastic plates beneath the forefoot, all separated by layers of Nitro Elite foam. This configuration is similar to what’s found in Puma’s race-legal models, like the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 and Fast-R 2 Elite, but takes performance to a new level.
Adding to the Fast RB Nitro Elite’s distinctiveness is its decoupled midsole. Unlike conventional designs, the heel and forefoot are not connected by foam but only by the carbon plate, allowing for unique ground contact dynamics. This unconventional design doesn’t even allow the shoe’s heel to touch the ground when laid flat.
The Fast RB Nitro Elite’s upper is equally advanced. It features laceless mesh reinforced with Puma’s PWRTAPE, providing a snug and secure fit. The outsole is fitted with PUMAGRIP technology for grip, offering reliable traction on various surfaces.
Limited Edition Availability
This boundary-pushing shoe will be released in two colorways starting August 28, priced at USD $400. With only 1,000 pairs available worldwide, runners eager to experience this revolutionary design will need to act quickly to secure a pair.
The shoes will only be available in select Puma stores across the USA, UK, Central Europe, Nordics, Thailand, Japan, China, and Australia.
Why Would Puma Make An Illegal Shoe?
You might be wondering…why would a company make a shoe that breaks all the rules?
Well, for starters, this shoe wasn’t made with elite runners in mind…but it’s also not the first ‘illegal’ shoe on the market.
This time last year, Adidas released their Adizero Prime X, a super shoe that broke World Athletics rules by featuring a 50mm stack and two carbon plates. While the shoe couldn’t be worn by elite runners, it was fair game for amateurs.
In the press release from Adidas, they said that the shoe “is permitted for ambitious runners aiming to smash their personal bests.”
However, this raised some questions.
If runners are able to “smash their personal bests” wearing illegal shoes, did they really smash it? And why are amateurs held to a different standard from professional runners, even if they are racing in organized and official events?
While we could go down a philosophical rabbit hole trying to come up with an answer for the first question (and probably not come up with a universally accepted answer), we can provide a bit more insight into why it may be challenging to enforce the same rules the professional runners follow on amateurs.
Differentiation Between Elite and Amateur Competition:
World Athletics’ regulations are designed to maintain fairness and uniformity in competitions where world records, rankings, and prize money are at stake. Amateur events, even when sanctioned, generally don’t have the same level of scrutiny because the performances of amateur runners are unlikely to impact global rankings or records. Allowing more flexibility for amateurs reflects this distinction.
Practicality of Enforcement:
Strictly applying professional shoe regulations to all amateur participants would require significant resources for policing and enforcement. In large-scale events, such as marathons or mass-participation races, checking every runner’s shoes would be logistically difficult. Therefore, it is more practical to focus enforcement on elite athletes where the stakes are higher.
Lack of Competitive Implications:
While fairness is a key principle in elite sport, many amateur runners participate for personal enjoyment, fitness, or to achieve personal goals rather than direct competition. As a result, the impact of “illegal” shoes on overall competition is seen as less significant, and the focus on equity is less rigid in these cases.
Now, while these are general reasons why amateurs aren’t held to the same standards as elite runners, there are always exceptions, such as if a runner runs a BQ while wearing a pair of illegal shoes. But that’s another rabbit hole for which we probably won’t ever have a universal answer.
