A new season arrives and with it a fresh range of shoes from all the leading brands.
New Balance – Ellipse v1 – £130.00
This brand-new style from New Balance is a fresh, modern take on a daily-training running shoe, focusing on cushioning, versatility, and step-in comfort for runners of all levels.
Positioned within the brand’s lineup between the 880 and 1080 series, the Ellipse aims to deliver a balanced blend of cushioning and responsiveness while remaining suitable for everyday wear.
In many respects, the shoe could be considered very similar to the previous model of 1080. While the new 1080v15 features the brand’s Infinion foam, the Ellipse uses New Balance’s Fresh Foam X midsole, which provides soft, lightweight cushioning intended to absorb impact and create a smooth, comfortable ride, as previously used in the 1080v14.
This foam is tuned to offer a slightly bouncier feel while maintaining stability during longer runs. Combined with a rockered sole profile, the design helps guide the foot through the gait cycle and encourages a natural, efficient heel-to-toe transition.
The Ellipse is a great value daily trainer with a soft and responsive feel that makes it versatile for training at a variety of paces. It is also a great value option for such a highly cushioned model.
Adidas – Terrex Agravic TT – £160.00
Built for the trails with a focus on speed, agility and grip, the Terrex Agravic TT has a dynamic ride with versatile grip for traction on a variety of surfaces.
The Continental rubber outsole uses high-performance tyre rubber compounds for great grip in both the wet and dry conditions, and with 5mm multi-directional lugs, loose gravel, mud or rocky terrain can all be taken safely in your stride.
A key feature of the shoe is its dual-foam midsole, combining adidas Lightstrike cushioning with the more responsive Lightstrike Pro foam. The result of this combination is a shoe that feels soft enough to soak up impact, yet stable enough to give confidence on uneven trails. A rock shield also serves to provide added stability as well as protect from sharp rocks.
The upper is made from a breathable engineered mesh reinforced with abrasion-resistant materials and TPU overlays. This construction improves durability while protecting the foot from trail debris such as rocks and roots. At the same time, the lightweight mesh promotes ventilation and drains very well in the wet.
Overall, the Adidas Terrex Agravic TT offers a combination of cushioning, durability and excellent grip, making it a strong option for runners seeking a versatile shoe capable of handling challenging off-road routes.
ASICS – Gel Cumulus 28 – £140.00
The 28th version of the brand’s popular neutral cushioned daily trainer returns with new cushioning, taking the ride to a cloud-like experience in a familiar package.
A key update in the GEL-CUMULUS 28 is the introduction of FF BLAST MAX foam midsole. This cushioning material is engineered to provide soft landings while still offering responsive energy return during toe-off, helping runners maintain a natural and efficient stride. The shoe also uses PureGEL technology in the heel, which improves shock absorption and is softer than traditional GEL cushioning, enhancing comfort during impact.
The outsole features FLUIDRIDE, a blend of rubber and EVA designed to promote smooth heel-to-toe transitions while maintaining durability. In the heel, AHAR LO rubber provides additional grip and resistance to abrasion, helping extend durability.
The upper is a lightweight engineered mesh, allowing improved airflow and a comfortable fit as well as a familiar high-quality ASICS feel.
Overall, the GEL-CUMULUS 28 provides a well-balanced combination of cushioning, responsiveness and durability. Its smooth ride and comfortable fit make it a dependable option for runners looking for a versatile shoe suitable for everyday road running at a range of paces.
Brooks – Glycerin 23 – £165.00
Sometimes a small change makes a big difference, and that’s certainly the case here with the latest version of Brooks’ premium neutral cushioned shoe.
The Glycerin 23 gets just a 2mm increase in the cushioning stack of the forefoot, but it transforms the ride and responsiveness massively. The cushioning is still the brand’s DNA TUNED, nitrogen-injected foam, but the increase also means a small drop in the heel-to-toe height. The result is a more balanced ride with soft heel landings and springy toe-offs, making this a great daily trainer.
Elsewhere, the upper has been upgraded and is now even softer and plusher than ever for a premium fit and feel that hugs the foot and makes every mile a pleasure. For plush daily miles at any pace, the Glycerin 23 is a sure-fire winner.
Altra – Experience Flow 3 – £130.00
The brand’s lightweight, performance training shoe keeps to the brand’s ethos of a lower drop and naturally shaped toe-box.
The Altra EGO P35 midsole foam is light, plush and responsive, and in this, the 4mm heel-to-toe drop provides a smooth riding experience. The rocker forefoot complements the low drop and helps encourage a faster toe-off; perfect when you want to pick up the pace.
A new engineered mesh upper improves the fit and feel around the foot, and the redesigned ankle collar provides a secure and snug fit. The 4mm drop design naturally encourages stability and makes the shoe a great value option for those seeking a lower drop model for daily training.
Skechers – Aero Spark – £120.00
The Aero Spark combines daily trainer cushioning with racing shoe performance in a good value package. The lightweight, versatile model uses the brand’s Hyper Burst Ice midsole, a supercritical, nitrogen-injected foam with high levels of energy return.
Embedded in the midsole is a carbon-infused H-plate. Designed to provide racing shoe levels of responsiveness in a more versatile daily training environment, it does just that. The ride is soft and cushioned, yet well-balanced and versatile enough to feel good at any pace.
The upper is a simple yet functional design, with a good fit, with the shoe being rounded off with a Goodyear rubber outsole offering great traction and durability.
Mizuno – Neo Zen 2 – £140.00
The original Neo Zen broke the mould on traditional training shoes, with its super-soft and ultra-responsive cushioning. This update retains the key design elements but improves on both stability and performance with an all-new nitrogen-infused midsole.
The familiar, almost bouncy ride remains, but the shoe feels altogether more balanced, which should give it a wider appeal. A revised midsole geometry aids heel-to-toe transition, making the shoe a more versatile and capable daily training option.
A new engineered mesh upper improves on the overall fit and has a neater ankle collar for a sock-like feel and secure, more locked-down fit.
Salomon – Aero Glide 4 – £145.00
The latest version of the brand’s go-to road running shoe is the best yet. With a new geometry to the midsole cushioning and a ‘reverse camber’ design, the shoe has a light, lively and responsive feel with a great heel-to-toe ride and springy push off.
The lightweight OptiFOAM2 midsole feels very engaging and almost wants to go faster, with the forefoot rocker encouraging this sensation even more. For a max-cushion shoe with a 41mm stack, it’s a surprisingly agile and stable ride.
The shoe has a breathable, 3D mesh upper with an ‘inside out’ construction, meaning a seamless fit on the foot and a neat and secure wraparound feel.
With the combination of deep, responsive cushioning and racing shoe performance, the Aero Glide 4 proves to be a very versatile daily trainer, capable of steady miles as well as faster intervals and tempo runs.
361 – Phoenix 2 – £145.00
The Phoenix 2, stability road trainer gets a revamp that sees a new, two-piece midsole combining the brand’s Primo Foam for plush cushioning and ENGAGE Foam to provide structure and guidance through the gait cycle. The combination creates a smooth, balanced ride that feels cushioned yet controlled underfoot.
The new upper has a breathable engineered mesh incorporating recycled yarns, offering airflow while maintaining a secure fit.
Overall, the shoe has a premium fit, feel and performance about it that exceeds its price tag, making this a great value for money option for those wanting cushioning and control in a daily trainer capable of going the distance.
HOKA – Speedgoat 7 – £145.00
This popular trail shoe returns with a new supercritical EVA foam midsole that aims to improve the responsiveness and durability. Engineered to deliver a softer yet more energetic ride compared with previous versions, this midsole uses gas-infused foam to create a lighter, more responsive feel while preserving the protective cushioning needed for long-distance comfort.
The shoe still sits at around 40mm in stack height with a 5mm drop and provides a balanced ride for a max-cushioned model. The Vibram Metagrip outsole has 5mm lugs for mixed terrain and copes well with anything from forest paths to muddier trails.
The Speedgoat has always been relatively light for such a well-cushioned trail shoe, and this model is no different, weighing in at around 275g.
The Speedgoat features a lightweight woven upper with stretch elements and a dual-gusseted tongue to secure the foot and limit debris entry, along with practical elements such as reflective detailing and integrated gaiter attachment points.
ASICS – Trabuco Max 5 – £160.00
Bringing ‘max’ cushioning to the trails, the Trabuco Max sees a high stack of the brand’s FF BLAST PLUS midsole cushioning foam with a lower 5mm heel-to-toe drop for off-road stability.
The ride is fast and smooth as you might expect from the midsole, which is usually found on the brand’s faster road running shoes. It’s still light at around 300g for a ‘max’ shoe and proves to be a good performer on firmer trails and gravel tracks.
While the shoe sits in a rather unique category, it excels for faster-paced running on firmer trails, where it has good traction, great energy return and a super-smooth feel.
KEEN – Roam – £130.00
As its name suggests, this new shoe from outdoor brand KEEN is built to go wherever you may wander.
QuantumFoam cushioning is stable on the trail but responsive on the road, with a nice degree of energy return, which is rare for a shoe of this type. The ripstop upper provides a great, wraparound fit and keeps trail undergrowth at bay, while the multi-directional lugs are perfect for a wide variety of trail surfaces.
The upper fit is a little more generous than many shoes in the forefoot area, so there’s plenty of space for the toes to spread to aid overall stability, as well as allow for natural swelling over extended runs. It’s a versatile and durable door-to-trail option offering good value and go-anywhere ability.
VKTRY – Recovery Slide – £91.00
Taking recovery to the next level, the VKTRY recovery slide features a soft, dual-density EVA footbed as well as a carbon plate.
The slide’s unique three-layer construction provides contoured cushioning for underfoot comfort and support, a carbon plate for stability and a contoured rocker sole to aid foot function.
While we may be more familiar with carbon plates in supershoes and elite racing models, here it aids stability and makes the slide a more substantial recovery option than many traditional versions. The slide could also make a great option for those users that normal wear an orthotic; the plate provides more structure and helps to offset load through the joints.
These are certainly the most comfortable recovery-type slides we’ve tried and prove to be so over extended periods of use.
