Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 vs New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5:
Which to Choose

Start with how closely matched these are: both use a 100%/near-100% PEBA midsole with a full-length carbon plate, both are tuned racing-firm rather than pillowy, and both are deliberately tippy at jogging pace because the tall, narrow race geometry is optimized for speed, not strolling. The numbers underline the overlap — the Puma lands around 204g and the New Balance around 198g in the men's lab weight, so the New Balance is marginally lighter but not in a way you'll feel on the run. Stack is effectively identical at roughly 39mm in the heel, with the Puma at about 28.6mm forefoot and the SuperComp at about 29mm, and while Puma lists an 8mm drop and New Balance 8–10mm, both actually measure closer to 10mm underfoot, giving a similar moderate heel-to-toe feel. The meaningful differences are two. First, fit: the Puma wears like a true race shoe — a thin, breathable engineered mesh on a slightly narrow platform that prioritizes a locked-in, minimal upper over roomy comfort, whereas the New Balance uses a woven nylon/polyester mesh with a semi-gusseted tongue and a noticeably roomier toebox than most racers. Second, distance bias: the Puma is the more versatile of the two, genuinely sharp from 10K through the marathon with the half as its sweet spot, while the SuperComp's Energy Arc (concave plate plus midsole voids for extra rebound) is tuned longer, peaking at the marathon. The Puma's ride feels aggressive and snappy — quick to roll and quick to reward a committed effort — while the SuperComp pairs that propulsive snap with a touch more long-haul rebound from the Energy Arc geometry.