Puma Just Released a $250 Tech-Loaded Performance Basketball Shoe

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Puma Hoops believes it has made the ultimate game day basketball shoe.

The athletic giant has released the All-Pro Nitro Elite, a tech-loaded basketball shoe ready for any court. With its release, Puma Hoops has also unveiled a new innovation: Nitro SQD foam.

Nitro SQD is a full-length, nitrogen-injected foam internal midsole that Puma stated was created to offer superior responsiveness and cushioning. A softer foam for cushion, the brand explained, is surrounded by more rigid foam for stability.

Aside from Nitro SQD foam, the All-Pro Nitro Elite features several other Puma innovations, including its Pwrplate carbon fiber shank that is built into the insole for torsional rigidity, as well as its lightweight and breathable Ultraweave engineered woven upper with multi-zoned materials for targeted support.

Also, Puma included a heel counter Formstrip on the Nitro SQD, which the brand described as an electroplated external TPU heel counter that was added for explosive side-to-side movements. The shoe is completed with high-abrasion outsoles for quick cuts.

The Puma All-Pro Nitro Elite is available now via Puma.com, the Puma app, the brand’s New York City flagship store and at Dicks Sporting Goods. It released in a full size run and retails for $250.

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.