# Plateless Racing Sneakers The Puma Deviate Pure Nitro Eliminates Carbon Components By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2026-05-18 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/puma-deviate-pure-nitro References: [t3](https://www.t3.com/active/running/puma-deviate-pure-nitro-launch-0526) & [uk.puma](https://uk.puma.com/uk/en/men/shoes/running?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjevent=0ceedaee52f111f1828500760a82b836&click_id=0ceedaee52f111f1828500760a82b836&utm_source=CJ_COM&utm_medium=AFF&utm_campaign=Future+Publishing+Limited&utm_campaigncode=3486349)  The [Puma](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/deviate-series) Deviate Pure Nitro racing sneaker is an advanced footwear style created by the brand as a modernized take on its signature trainers that opt for a different design. The sneakers are engineered with a [plateless design](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/adidas-hyperboost-edge) that sets them apart from the other models within the Deviate range and thus shift away from carbon fiber material. The sneaker is constructed with a NitroFoam midsole that will help to elevate propulsion and responsiveness, and comes in at 220-grams to position it as around 30-grams lighter than other options in the range. The Puma Deviate Pure Nitro racing sneaker is ready for race day, but also suited for everyday training to position it as a more [cost-effective alternative than carbon plated models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crivit-carbonlite-10). Image Credit: Puma ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 8.7/10 - Popularity: 93% | Activity: 92% | Freshness: 77% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Plateless Performance Footwear:** Reducing reliance on carbon plates through advanced foam engineering creates lighter, more affordable racing shoes that challenge established performance hierarchies. - **Lightweight Race-day Everyday Crossover:** Convergence of race-capable technology with casual training profiles produces versatile models that blur lines between competition and daily wear. - **Material Substitution with Foam Technologies:** Adoption of high-energy-return foams in place of composite inserts opens pathways to lower-cost, easier-to-produce performance footwear. ### Who This Affects Most - **Athletic Footwear:** Mass-market shoe brands face potential shifts as accessible high-performance designs threaten premium carbon-plated market segments. - **Sports Technology Manufacturing:** Foam-focused propulsion systems create opportunities for suppliers and OEMs to redesign production lines away from composite tooling and toward polymer processing. - **Running Retail and Coaching Services:** Retailers and coaches may need to reassess fitting, recommendation, and inventory strategies as multipurpose plateless models change consumer purchasing behavior. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Performance Grid-Patterned Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-structure-26.md) - [Nitrogen-Infused Running Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brooks-glycerin-flex.md) - [Elite Marathon Racing Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/adizero-adios-pro-evo.md) - [Carbon-Plated Trail Racing Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brooks-cascadia-elite.md) - [Motorsport Heritage Mid-Top Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/speedcat-mid-clyde-royal.md) - [Dual-Carbon Plate Gravel Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/salomon-grvl-concept.md) - [Road Racing Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slab-phantasm-3.md) - [Nitrogen-Injected Trail Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rossignol-vezor.md) - [Racing Style Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/speedcat-plus.md)