PUMA All Pro Nitro 2 review

Don't miss out on the PUMA All Pro Nitro 2 if you look for the following:

• a moderately-priced hoop shoe that ticks all the right boxes
• a decently cushioned and durable basketball shoe that's not heavy
• a highly breathable option for scorching weather

The All Pro Nitro 2 is a good all-rounder, but it doesn't stand out in any particular department.

Depending on your needs and preferences, the same price point can get you the following alternatives:

• much better shock absorption in the New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 (and better fit, too, by the way)
• much lighter weight and fantastic energy return in the Nike Sabrina 3
• greater stability and ankle support in the Adidas Anthony Edwards 2

Relying on the same Nitro foam as the original All Pro Nitro, the second iteration offers equally good cushioning and shock absorption.

Measuring the latter, our machine recorded 106 SA in the heel and 81 SA in the forefoot. Slightly higher than average, its amount of impact protection makes this PUMA shoe very comfortable, joint-friendly, and suitable for heavier athletes.

As much as we had hoped to see improvements in the shoe's energy return, our tests showed the same low reading of 47.2% in the All Pro Nitro 2's heel and only slightly better result in its forefoot - 51.4%.

This PUMA shoe remains only mildly responsive, making it suitable for post-play and for players who prefer a more stable, planted stance.

With a heel stack of 32.0 mm, the PUMA All Pro Nitro 2 still sits on the taller end of the basketball shoe spectrum.

It's not too towering to cause instability, but the added millimetres of foam help the shoe provide its excellent impact protection.

As for the shoe's forefoot stack, it showed a moderate height of 22.6 mm. It offers good protection for the ball of the foot and the toe joints, but makes the court feel less pronounced.

An above-average drop of 9.4 mm implies that the heel is a bit more elevated in the PUMA All Pro Nitro 2. This allows for more cushioning in the shoe's rearfoot and takes the load off the Achilles and calves.

The shoe's Nitro SQD (Squared) midsole setup features a softer Nitro foam core and a firmer outer layer for a controlled, supportive experience.

Pressing our durometer against the internal Nitro foam, we got a moderate reading of 22.5 HA. Even though it is slightly softer than average, it didn't make it into the plush range. And why should it? It is a perfectly comfortable, moderately soft cushioning that offers a balanced experience without compromising stability.

Much like in its first edition, the fit of the All Pro Nitro 2 can feel tricky. And we've got the shoe's one-to-one gel mould and a digital calliper to explain why.

Measuring the width between the most extended points of the shoe's ball-of-foot area, we got a standard reading of 92.2 mm. This is on par with the category average for a men's US size 9 (medium width).

But here is the trick - look at how curved the shape of the mould is! Unless you have that Egyptian-type foot shape, where all the toes are perfectly diagonal from the big toe to the pinkie, you might feel restricted by the shoe's C shape.

We also found that the narrower part of the shoe's toebox doesn't deviate far from the average at 67.8 mm. But because it discriminates against the smaller toes, some players might prefer a roomier fit.

Another reason the All Pro Nitro 2 may feel snug is its below-average toebox height.

The shoe's vertical space gets as low as 19.3 mm in the front part of the shoe, sitting very close to the toes.

The PUMA All Pro Nitro 2's grippy outsole provides a very surefooted experience for dynamic directional bursts, cuts, and hard stops.

Measuring its traction on a slab of professional court flooring, we recorded a high friction coefficient of 0.76. While it's not the stickiest grip we've encountered, it is among the grippier basketball shoes in our lab.

Aside from opting for translucent rubber, PUMA also revisited the All Pro Nitro 2's outsole design completely. The only feature that remained unchanged is the carved-out midfoot area.

The new edition features a circular pattern with a pivot point at the heel to improve the fluidity of movement. The forefoot, on the other hand, has a diamond-style tread pattern to grip the court in multiple directions. The small indentations across its surface act as suction cups, enhancing the shoe's grip.

The fork-like plate inside the All Pro Nitro 2 and the stiff external rubber sidewalls around it limit the shoe's flexibility, making it significantly stiffer in the forefoot.

Unlike the first All Pro Nitro version, which required only 14.9N to bend by 30 degrees, the updated shoe requires up to 24.4N! Not only is it more rigid than the predecessor, but it is also stiffer than the average basketball shoe.

We were delighted to find out that the PUMA All Pro Nitro 2 has a moderate weight just like its predecessor.

Tipping the scales at 13.6 oz (386g), it is on par with the category average and even falls into the lightweight range of hoop shoes!

If your feet are tired from getting hot and toasty inside those heat-trapping basketball shoes, now is the time to take a breather! Literally.

The PWR Print upper of the PUMA All Pro Nitro 2 combines thin yet strong plastic yarns with thicker threads to create a supportive yet well-ventilated material. It actually reminded us of the Reebok Flexweave.

There is no stuffy padding or thick overlays anywhere in the shoe's forefoot or tongue, allowing for unhindered airflow.

Proving to be one of the airiest hoop shoes in our lab, this PUMA shoe readily got a high breathability score of 4/5.

We don't have a single knock on the All Pro Nitro 2's lateral stability, as it never made us feel off-balance during stepbacks, shuffles, or abrupt direction changes.

However, we do have some reservations about the shoe's textile upper losing its integrity and containment over time. To prevent the airy upper from feeling sloppy, PUMA added three pairs of cords in the forefoot to connect the laces to the midsole, along with a few other internal overlays throughout the shoe.

And while these help improve the shoe's lockdown, they can't match the heavily layered uppers of the Adidas D.O.N. Issue 7 or Anthony Edwards 2.

But when it comes to the All Pro Nitro 2's platform, the stability is top-notch!

The shoe features a large, bottom-loaded TPU shank visible through the translucent outsole. The latter, in turn, extends up to create stabilising rubber panels across the shoe's midfoot and forefoot. These panels are larger on the lateral side, where support against ankle rolling is particularly vital.

Combined, these stabilising components earned this PUMA shoe the highest torsional rigidity score of 5/5.

A lot of support also comes from the shoe's sturdy heel counter. We could barely squeeze or push it in our manual test, raising the heel counter stiffness score to 4/5.

The All Pro Nitro 2 showed a standard reading of 113.9 mm in the broadest area of its forefoot.

With a sufficiently broad outrigger, this PUMA shoe ensures stable landings for jumpers and supports the foot if it plants at an odd angle during forceful side-to-side moves.

But please note that the heel dimensions of this PUMA shoe are significantly narrower than those of v1. Measuring its broadest area at 88.7 mm, the shoe's heel is nowhere near as wide as the 94.4 mm of the original All Pro Nitro.

The good news is that it's not too slim to cause instability, as it is on par with the average.

But how about the wear resistance of that unique textile upper? Are those TPU yarns capable of withstanding long-term abrasion? Let our Dremel test check that.

After a 12-second drilling session, the material showed visible damage, but it wasn't nearly as severe as some might expect. Thus, we rated the shoe's toebox durability a middle-ground 3/5.

However, the abrasion resistance of the shoe's interior lining is nothing short of spectacular!

Looking like it was never touched by a Dremel, the shoe's heel padding durability got a well-deserved 5/5.

What's more, the quality of outsole rubber also improved significantly in the All Pro Nitro 2!

Under the most demanding conditions (18 seconds at 10K RPM), we recorded a minimal dent depth of 0.5 mm! If it weren't for the delicate upper textile and thin treadlines, we would've readily recommended this PUMA shoe for outdoor courts.

The shoe's outsole thickness also looks reassuring, with a calliper reading of 3.7 mm.

A well-padded insole contributes to the step-in comfort of this PUMA shoe. It showed a standard thickness of 5.2 mm at the heel.

The insole can be easily removed if you want to use a custom orthotic, but make sure it fits in the shoe's low toebox.

The tongue is adequately padded, measuring 9.4 mm in thickness. And as our transparency test showed earlier, it is even allows some light to pass through.

A fully gusseted tongue is a plus for the All Pro Nitro 2's lockdown, given how thin and airy its primary upper material is.

We are happy to see no price hikes for the second edition of the PUMA All Pro Nitro. It is a moderately priced hoop shoe that delivers excellent value.

The unconventional triangular pull tab of this PUMA shoe is an eye-catcher.