For our follow-up coverage, including Jake Dearden’s first detailed review of the new PUMA HYROX shoe, read our latest article here.
The biggest HYROX event ever is coming to London from December 4 to 7, and PUMA is using the weekend to showcase what appears to be the next step in its hybrid fitness lineup. A new shoe will be previewed at the ExCeL as part of a ramp challenge called The Final Stretch. Anyone who reaches the top of the wall will get an up close look at the model, and some will win a pair.
This activation matches a larger pattern. PUMA has been building energy around HYROX specific footwear all year, including a teaser posted on PUMA and HYROX World Instagram in October with the caption, “The first of its kind. The debut shoe built for the sport. Dropping February 2026.” That post did not show a full shoe, but it positioned PUMA’s hybrid fitness plans as something separate from its main running line.
At the same time, images of an unreleased shoe have been circulating on Reddit and Discord. The model shown in those posts features a plated midsole, updated Nitro foam geometry and an outsole design consistent with the Deviate Nitro line. The tread is more aggressive than prior versions and the overall geometry looks like a natural evolution of the Deviate Nitro 3.
Reddit sourced images
Nothing is confirmed, but based on publicly available timelines, the shoe seen in those leaks aligns with the Deviate Nitro 4. The release calendar from Solereview lists the Deviate Nitro 4 for November 2025 and Deviate Nitro Elite 4 for early 2026, with some regions receiving earlier drops tied to major events. London is the biggest HYROX race ever held, and Phoenix in February is a HYROX Major, which makes both weekends realistic staging grounds for early releases.
More clues came during the November 23 episode of the RMR podcast. Meg Jacoby and Rich Ryan discussed the next generation of PUMA shoes. Jacoby said she has already trialed the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 in Stuttgart and described it as “very nice.” When asked whether the teased HYROX shoe was something entirely new or simply the Elite 4 tuned for hybrid fitness, Jacoby said, “That is what it is,” and added that the shoe “is geared more for HYROX.” Rich Ryan summarized it by saying PUMA appears to be hedging instead of producing a standalone HYROX model. Both agreed that the updated version should perform well for running and hybrid racing.
Photo source : Meg Jacoby Instagram from HYROX Stuttgart
Taken together, the best read on the situation is this. London will most likely showcase the standard Deviate Nitro 4, the shoe seen in the circulated images. Phoenix will most likely be the first major opportunity to see the Deviate Nitro Elite 4, the lighter plated model that athletes have been testing. A fully separate HYROX specific shoe is still possible, especially based on PUMA’s October teaser, but nothing so far points to a brand new silhouette debuting in December.
PUMA released the Deviate Nitro 3 during major HYROX weekends in the past, including around HYROX World Championships. Rolling out the fourth generation at the sport’s largest race follows the same pattern. If the brand follows its usual Elite timing, the plated version would land in February, which lines up with Phoenix.
This is still an evolving story. Hybrid Fitness Media will be pay attention to what goes down London and will be on site in Phoenix. We’ll continue to track what PUMA reveals, how athletes respond and what the final release timeline looks like for both the Deviate Nitro 4 and the Deviate Nitro Elite 4.