PUMA Unveils NITRO™ Lab in Los Angeles and Introduces Ultra NITRO™ 7 Football Boot
Global sports company PUMA has officially opened the PUMA NITRO™ Lab in Los Angeles, marking a major milestone in the evolution of its performance innovation platform. The launch represents the most ambitious chapter of the NITRO™ story to date, highlighted by the global unveiling of the new Ultra NITRO™ 7 football boot and the introduction of NITRO™ technology into football footwear for the first time.
The Los Angeles edition follows successful NITRO™ Lab activations in Paris, Tokyo, and London, where PUMA showcased advancements in running technology. Those events helped establish NITRO™ as a benchmark in elite running performance through products such as the Fast-R3. Now, with football taking center stage on the global sporting calendar, PUMA is extending the same innovation philosophy from the running track to the football pitch.
In keeping with the brand’s commitment to community engagement, the PUMA NITRO™ Lab welcomed local youth football players before opening to media and industry guests. Members of the LA Breakers, a youth football club based in Los Angeles, were given an exclusive first look at the Ultra NITRO™ 7, reinforcing PUMA’s belief in inspiring the next generation of athletes.
At the heart of the immersive experience is the Ultra NITRO™ 7, which represents one of the company’s most significant football innovations in recent years. NITRO™ technology has been developed and refined over the past five years through extensive testing with elite runners. The knowledge gained from that process has now been translated into football performance, creating a boot designed to maximize speed, responsiveness, and energy return on the pitch.
Romain Girard, Vice President of Innovation at PUMA, emphasized the athlete-focused approach behind the development of NITRO™ technology.
“NITRO is built on one obsession: understanding what athletes need to go faster,” Girard said. “Years of testing and collaboration with some of the world’s best runners helped us perfect the technology. Those learnings are now integrated into the Ultra NITRO™ 7. The NITRO™ Lab is not only about showcasing a new boot—it’s about revealing how athlete insights continue to shape the future of performance innovation.”
The Los Angeles installation has been designed as a highly interactive experience. A custom-engineered hero display chamber, suspended against a large LED backdrop, highlights the architecture and technology of the Ultra NITRO™ 7 in real time. Visitors move through a series of themed zones, including a locker-room-inspired entrance, a timeline showcasing the evolution of NITRO™ technology from the Fast-R3 to the Ultra NITRO™ 7, and a football exhibition featuring official match balls from major competitions such as the Premier League, LaLiga, and Serie A.
The event also celebrates PUMA’s growing presence in international football. National team kits from all 11 PUMA-sponsored nations competing in this summer’s major tournament are on display, representing nearly a quarter of the qualified teams participating in the competition.
According to Dominique Gathier, Vice President of Teamsport at PUMA, the company sees the Ultra NITRO™ 7 as a symbol of its broader ambitions in football performance.
“The Ultra NITRO™ 7 will debut on the world’s biggest football stage and will be worn by top players including Christian Pulisic, Diogo Dalot, Cody Gakpo, and others,” Gathier said. “The NITRO™ Lab showcases our commitment to bringing cutting-edge innovation to football. From advanced footwear and performance footballs to our strongest-ever lineup of team kits, everything is engineered to help athletes perform at their highest level.”
Beyond current products, the NITRO™ Lab also provides a glimpse into the future of football innovation. Frosted display cases reveal concept technologies and prototypes, including the Ultra Vision and Ultra Vision∞ boots, the PUMA 3D Atom concept football boot, and the Cryo Vest, a cooling garment designed to support athlete performance in extreme heat conditions.
The Ultra NITRO™ 7 itself has been engineered around a simple goal: making every movement feel faster. The boot incorporates NITROFOAM™ ELITE within the sockliner and footbed, allowing it to compress and rebound rapidly for enhanced energy return during play. Weighing just 180 grams, the boot combines lightweight responsiveness with an ULTRAWEAVE upper for precision and a SPEEDSYSTEM 2.0 outsole designed to deliver explosive acceleration and traction.
With its combination of advanced materials, innovative cushioning technology, and athlete-driven design, PUMA believes the Ultra NITRO™ 7 represents the most complete Ultra football boot the company has ever produced.
The PUMA Ultra NITRO™ 7 will be available for pre-sale beginning July 13, with a worldwide retail launch scheduled for July 23 through PUMA’s online store and selected retail partners.
PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, and selling footwear, apparel and accessories. Founded in 1948, PUMA helps the world’s best athletes and teams perform at their best with its innovative products. Known for its iconic cat logo and the Formstrip, the company offers performance products in categories such as Football, Running and Training. Its Sportstyle collections are rooted in sports and inspire consumers by celebrating sports culture. With its long history and strong heritage, PUMA is proud of having one of the strongest archives in the industry, with many iconic products such as the Suede and the Speedcat. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in over 120 countries, employs more than 20,000 people and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany.
Source link: https://www.businesswire.com/
