The PUMA Nitro range continues to grow. The brand entered the world of carbon-plated shoes two years ago and has since expanded into multiple disciplines. Now, athletes from many more categories can experience the support and energy return from the nitrocarbon plate. At the end of 2022, PUMA featured this carbon plate in their Fast-Trac Nitro trail shoe as part of the Seasons pack. It returned for a second season in 2023 with new colourways and apparel.
A Seasonal Update for the Fast-Trac Nitro
While the shoe remains the same as in the first season, it has a refreshed look for the new season. The initial range for the PUMA Fast-Trac Nitro introduced next-level trail running for seasonal runners. It worked great on the road but is terrific when taken off-road. And this is where it shone.
For Seasons 2, the PUMA Fast-Trac Nitro features all-new colourways. While there are two new colourways, the pack is led by a much brighter orange release. This orange is called Chili Powder, which the contrasting PUMA Black complements. The upper is crafted from the same materials, with only the changed colours.
While the upper comprises these two colours, the midsole features a two-tone finish with white on the front and grey on the rear half. Its outsole has a black rubber outsole to provide you with all the grip you need. The Fast-Trac Nitro provides excellent comfort and grip for those outdoor, off-road trail runs. It also doubles nicely as a daily runner or being out and about the town when the weather isn’t too pleasant.
You can read the full review for the PUMA Fast-Trac Nitro here.
Flexing in the New Seasons Apparel
What’s great about the new Seasons pack is that it has also changed with the actual seasons. For the first pack, we were heading into the summer months, and, as such, the apparel included were shorts and tees built for the warmer days outside.
Now, with the colder winter months, the Seasons pack features two jackets, a tee and trail shorts. What’s great about these pieces is that they’re all geared for trail running while keeping some valuables on your person as you run.
Keeping Warm and Dry
First on the list is the PUMA Seasons StormCELL Sympatex Packable Trail Running Jacket. A bit of a mouthful, but it gets the job done and well at that. PUMA’s Sympatex technology is a three-layer fabric that seals and protects. As such, it provides a weather-resistant finish for any runner out there. Despite its three-layer finish, it is both thin and lightweight.
Furthermore, it provides excellent insulation on those cold rainy days. In addition to being water-repellent, it also keeps heat in. This is great for the winter months, where I’ve done several runs in near 0° weather without feeling any of the effects.
The jacket has a matte finish with a rough texture. It’s not quite a camouflage finish, but it has a black finish with a few grey brushes throughout the silhouette. The jacket’s hidden pocket on the inside rear is a nifty feature. This is large enough to fit your smartphone or any other valuables, like keys, that you may want to keep in your possession throughout your run.
With all its technological features, the jacket is geared towards professionals because of its price, even though it doubles well enough for everyday use, especially on those colder days.
Next up is the PUMA Seasons RainCELL Trail Running Half-Zip Pullover. Although not quite as feature-heavy as the StormCELL jack, the RainCELL also offers a level of weather resistance that’s pretty useful. It’s also a bit thicker than the former while protecting the runner from the rain and heavy winds. It operates slightly cooler with its polypropylene fabric finish.
The jacket has a bright orange finish with reflective materials. This is the same orange colourway known as Chili Powder found on the Fast-Trac Nitro and combined with a mix of greys on the front pocket and sleeves. Although it does have a front zip, making it a pullover fit. It also features two pockets, one on the chest and one on the rear at the bottom. Both are relatively small, so you won’t be able to carry your smartphone around with you using this pullover. It works great for your keys, wallet and the like.
The Must-Have Essentials
The PUMA Seasons Lightweight 5” Woven Trail Running Shorts. It has a light grey colourway with the dryCELL technology to prevent moisture build-up and keep your runs as dry as possible. It also features an internal brief for better support. There are three pockets in total. One is featured on the back as a right-hand side pocket and an internal pocket. The rear pocket works great for keys, with the right-hand side pocket much more prominent, although not large enough for your smartphone. The internal pocket works best for a few coins or something small like your garage keys or gate tags.
Lastly, there’s the PUMA Seasons CoolCELL Trail Running Tee. Unlike the rest of the Seasons Pack geared towards the colder winter months, the tee was designed for summer runs. It features PUMA’s CoolCELL technology to keep you cool and as dry as possible while you run. It may differ from the rest, but it also offers a pocket for storage, as with the other pieces in the Seasons collections. This is always a great feature, even with much smaller pockets.
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New Season, New Gear
I was never one to change the type of gear throughout the seasons. When it gets cold, I’d often switch to a hoodie or under the top to keep warm during my winter runs. However, this often resulted in much more sweat because those pieces were not designed for running. With the PUMA Seasons pack, all that changed, offering weather resistance, rain-proof and wind-proof pieces while still providing lightweight running and keeping you as dry as possible.
The new PUMA Seasons Fast-Trac Nitro Season 2 also provides a brighter colourway. This works great for the winter months when the sun rises later and sets much earlier, making it much easier to spot in the dark. It still offers all the great features of the best terrain traction and comfort throughout your run. It also works when the weather doesn’t look too great or is wet underfoot, keeping you on your feet when it gets rough.
You can visit PUMA.com for the PUMA Seasons Fast-Trac Nitro. You can also visit the site for the rest of the PUMA Seasons apparel and gear for all your trail running requirements.
