Puma keeps pushing deeper into the max-cushion space with the MagMax 2, dialing in even more foam for runners who want comfort to lead the way. The Puma MagMax NITRO was an early entry that felt right at the forefront of the stack-height race—a shoe built for easy miles and long days on the road, where softness and protection matter more than outright speed.
It’s been about a year and a half since our review of the OG, and now the MagMax NITRO 2 has been on shelves for a few months, refining that original formula rather than reinventing it.
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Looks:
We aren’t going to spend too much time talking about the looks here because there isn’t a dramatic departure from the original MagMax. Our review colorway isn’t necessarily my favorite of the bunch, but honestly, my running shoe rotation in 2026 is already overflowing with white and off-white shoes, so a little variety isn’t the worst thing.
And besides, it’s hard to complain too much when Puma offers 13 different colorways. Chances are pretty good there’s one that fits your style.
Fit & Construction:
The tl;dr version is this: Lighter, yet still stacked sky-high.
Puma’s marketing slogan for the MagMax 2 is “Let’s Bounce,” and that’s a pretty fitting description of the experience. This is a soft, highly cushioned shoe that leans heavily into comfort and bounce without feeling overly cumbersome. The fit remains fairly accommodating, though Puma has slightly reworked the toe box to allow for a bit more toe splay than the original MagMax.
Specs:
- Weight – ~9.7oz (Men’s 10)
- Stack – 46mm/38mm
- Drop – 8mm
Upper:
The upper lands on the moderately substantial side of the spectrum. It isn’t overly built-up, but there’s clearly enough structure here to help (in my opinion) secure the foot atop nearly 46mm of foam.
That added structure does come with a slight tradeoff. While the fit should work well for many runners, the upper isn’t quite as adaptable as some thinner engineered mesh designs, particularly for those with narrower feet. Even with a gusseted thin, stretchy mesh tongue – which did assisting in a more secure midfoot wrap w- I felt I had to tighten the laces more than usual to get an ideal lock.
There was some slight lace bite as a result (not really an issue overall), but I would think that this may have more effect on those who don’t have as voluminous feet.
Midsole:
With “NITRO” right there in the name, you already know what you’re getting underfoot. Puma’s nitrogen-infused NITRO foam continues to be one of the softer, bouncier compounds on the market, and with a massive 46mm/38mm stack height, there’s plenty of it here.
The result is exactly what you’d expect: a highly cushioned ride that prioritizes comfort over outright propulsion. There is some limited energy return, but if you’re shopping in the max-cushion category, you’re probably not chasing elite race-day responsiveness anyway.
The platform remains broad (likely a necessity with the stack), providing surprisingly good stability considering the amount of foam underfoot. To be clear, this isn’t a stability shoe, but Puma has done a pretty good job at creating a platform that feels planted for its height (though see some comments on this in the outsole section below). Runners with significant stability needs may still want to look elsewhere, but for a towering max-cushion trainer, the MagMax 2 works well enough.
Outsole:
Puma has updated the outsole pattern while maintaining the characteristic grip and road feel that PUMAGRIP fans have come to expect. We don’t talk a ton about outsoles typically (especially not great traction ones like PUMAGRIP), but there are some relatively significant modifications here.
What stood out to me most was just how much exposed midsole remains underneath the shoe. The OG MagMax featured a more connected lattice-like rubber coverage through the forefoot, along with a lateral rubber strip that helped link the forefoot and heel sections of the outsole. The MagMax 2 moves away from that approach. Instead of that connected forefoot design, you now get two separate diamond-like (hoof? feather?) rubber pods up front, and the connecting strip between forefoot and rearfoot has been removed entirely.
In practice, I didn’t find this change negatively impacted traction at all. Puma’s PUMAGRIP continues to do what it does best, and grip remained consistent across a variety of road conditions. The tradeoff is clearly weight savings, and you can feel that intent in the overall lighter, more streamlined build.
That said, it did leave me wondering whether a bit more outsole coverage could have added additional structure to the platform. With more exposed midsole—particularly through the midfoot and heel—the shoe leans further into that soft, bouncy ride. But at the same time, that openness may slightly reduce the sense of rigidity and responsiveness compared to a more fully connected outsole design.
That’s more of an observation than a criticism, as I never found it problematic during testing, but it’s something I found myself thinking about during longer runs.
Overall:
The MagMax 2 doesn’t feel like a dramatic departure from the original, but the updates that Puma made seem intentionally focused on refining the shoe’s identity as a lightweight comfort cruiser.
If you’re shopping for a shoe with a 46mm stack height, you’re probably not looking for something that’s going to launch you toward a new PR. You’re looking for comfort. You’re looking for protection. You’re looking for something that feels reassuring underfoot when it’s time to log easy miles between workouts or keep your legs feeling fresh during higher-volume training blocks.
The MagMax 2 delivers on those goals exceptionally well. It leans fully into cushion, comfort, and easy-going mileage, and as a result, stands out as a very solid option for runners who want maximum protection without feeling like they’re hauling around a brick on each foot.
