NewPuma2026 Review
Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin
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Puma's premium handball model. Nitro foam and maximum indoor grip.
Fit
Who is it for?
- Position
- Centre backBackWing
- Player weight
- < 75 kg
- Level
- Advanced, Professional
We recommend it if…
- Advanced-professional centre backs and backs
- Players looking for NITRO technology in a model with a distinctive design
- High-quality parquet courts where the Berlin grip shines
- Those who prefer maximum lightness (265 g) in Puma's mid-to-high range
Pick another if…
- Heavy-contact pivots (the Eliminate Nitro 4 is preferable for more stability)
- Beginner-intermediate level (price not justified)
- Players who prefer brands with a long handball tradition
- Tight budgets
Our test
The good and the bad
Pros
- NITRO foam: very light premium cushioning
- Indoor outsole with excellent traction
- Berlin design: a distinctive look
- Versatile for every position
Cons
- High price for the Puma range
- Less specific for pivots than rival models
Before you order
Sizes and fit
- Fit
- Regular
- Weight
- 265 g
- Drop
- 8 mm
Where to buy
Price at each shop
Handball-Store
Out of stock
€89.97
How we score it
Score by category
- Grip
- 8.8
- Cushioning
- 9.0
- Stability
- 8.5
- Durability
- 8.6
- Value for money
- 8.4
Gorka Cabañas' opinion
Journalist. Former handball player and coach. Co-founder of Liftados
The Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin is one of the products in Puma's handball catalogue that has surprised me most. At 265 grams and with NITRO foam, it combines the best of two worlds that sometimes rule each other out: lightness and real cushioning. Its 9.0 for cushioning is the highest of any Puma model in that weight range, which is a genuine technical achievement.
Puma's NITRO is still one of the most honest foams on the market: the injected nitrogen gives more uniform cells than EVA, which translates into cushioning consistency that holds up well over the season. I've tested NITRO's degradation against Adidas' BOOST and Mizuno's Wave, and NITRO holds up reasonably well, although with more long-term compression than BOOST.
Puma's generic indoor rubber outsole is this model's weakest link compared with the market leaders. It works properly but doesn't have the aggressiveness of Mizuno's GUM8 or Asics' AHAR+. For intermediate-advanced centre backs and backs on standard courts, it's enough. For players who prioritise grip above all else, the Wave Stealth Neo or the Powerbreak FF give more. But as a balanced Puma proposition for dynamic positions, the Vantage Nitro Berlin is one of the brand's best options.
Published on 18 February 2026 · Liftados.com
On-court review
Full review
Grip and traction
The indoor rubber outsole on the Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin scores 8.8 for grip, a result that places it among the best in the catalogue for Puma's mid-to-high-range models. The compound is similar to the Eliminate range but with an outsole pattern more geared to positional versatility: channels that work equally well for centre backs' lateral movements and wings' dynamic plants. The Berlin outsole design incorporates a lug geometry specific to high-quality parquet courts, where the Vantage Nitro Berlin achieves its best traction results. On more basic vinyl courts, the grip is somewhat lower but still very competent.
Cushioning and energy return
The NITRO foam in the Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin is the same technology found in the Accelerate and Eliminate ranges, but in a configuration optimised for the lighter, more stylish profile of the Berlin model. With 9.0 for cushioning (the second-highest score in the Puma catalogue for this price bracket), it offers top-level joint protection and energy return. The model's 265-gram weight is the lowest in Puma's mid-to-high range, precisely thanks to the efficiency of NITRO foam, which allows midsole volume to be reduced while maintaining performance. The 8 mm drop is slightly lower than standard, favouring a more active footstrike.
Stability and support
With 8.5 for stability, the Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin is more stable than the Eliminate Nitro SQD 4 (8.2) but less so than the Eliminate Nitro 4 without SQD (9.2). The structured mesh upper plus TPU reinforcements offers balanced lateral lockdown for centre backs and backs who need to stay contained in blocking and defensive movements. The normal fit makes it easy to fit different foot types. For centre backs who frequently switch between defensive and attacking movements, this stability is the most suitable: enough for moments of contact without penalising attacking agility.
Who this shoe is for
The Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin is Puma's premium offering in the Berlin collection: the version with NITRO technology. Price-wise, it's in the mid-to-high range. For advanced-professional centre backs and backs looking for the combination of superior grip, NITRO foam and the distinctive Berlin design, it's a very interesting option. Puma's shorter handball tradition compared with Adidas or Mizuno may be the only drawback for some players.
Liftados verdict · 8.6/10
The Puma Vantage Nitro Berlin combines the best of Puma technology (NITRO foam scoring 9.0 for cushioning and an indoor outsole scoring 8.8 for grip) in the most stylish model of the Berlin collection. For advanced centre backs and backs who want real performance with a distinctive design, it's one of the most interesting options in the Puma catalogue at its price.
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