Whether it’s super-foams, high-stacks or highly responsive options, there is something for everyone here.
Brooks – Glycerin Flex – £165.00
Something a little different from Brooks, the Glycerin Flex combines the great soft yet responsive cushioning of the brand’s Glycerin models with a highly flexible design that aims to facilitate the foot’s preferred motion path.
Deep grooves cut into the midsole create the FlexZone technology, making this shoe perhaps the most flexible on the market right now, yet it has a stable and highly efficient ride.
With soft cushioning on impact, a super-smooth heel-toe transition, and energised toe-off, the shoe has race-day propulsion as well as everyday comfort. It’s only February, but this is the shoe of the year so far!
Karhu – Mestari Run 2.0 – £150.00
Karhu may be a new name to many, but the brand is one of the most established running shoe brands, dating back to 1916.
The Mestari is the brand’s max-cushioned daily trainer designed for runners seeking a well-cushioned and responsive ride that delivers mile after mile with great consistency.
At its heart, the shoe uses AeroFoam, Karhu’s nitrogen-injected midsole foam combined with the brand’s Fulcrum technology. The Fulcrum is engineered to guide the foot forward smoothly and with a stable rolling motion. The result is a shoe that feels effortless to run in.
The Mestari is a very versatile shoe, capable of dealing as easily with long daily miles as it is with shorter speed and interval sessions. The ride is very well balanced and suits a wide range of foot types and runners. For dependability and flexibility, the Mestari Run 2.0 is certainly worthy of consideration this spring.
Enertor – Recovery Slider – £65.00
Perhaps best known as an insole brand, Enertor has launched its new Recovery Slide, engineered to help runners reduce pain, ease fatigue, and recover faster between training sessions.
At its core is UltraSole, the brand’s new full-foot shock absorption technology that absorbs 50% of impact, reducing muscle and joint strain to help tired legs bounce back faster.
The wide fit, subtle arch support, built-in met pad and slightly raised heel are engineered to reduce pressure points and ease load on calves and the Achilles, supporting comfort and relief after a long session.
The slide also features a durable rubber outsole which, although not specifically designed for outdoor use, makes the slides more durable and provides better traction on a variety of surfaces.
Skechers – Aero Burst – £140.00
This max-stack daily trainer from Skechers offers masses of cushioning in a stable and super-responsive package.
Designed for daily training, the shoe features a 42mm deep stack of the brand’s Hyper Burst Ice cushioning, their proprietary nitrogen-infused foam. Sitting within the midsole is a carbon-infused H-plate, a uniquely shaped carbon plate that maximises energy return with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio. The result is a highly cushioned and long-lasting daily trainer that simply soaks up the miles and adds a spring to your stride.
Of course, the shoe also features the brand’s other technologies, such as a Goodyear rubber outsole and the Archfit innersole, but it’s the great cushioning that’s the standout feature of this good value daily trainer.
Saucony – Ride 19 – £140.00
Lighter, softer and more responsive than ever, the new Ride 19 returns as one of the best value daily trainers in the neutral cushioned category.
A reformulated PWRRUN+ midsole foam is at the heart of the new model, and it provides plush cushioning, increased energy return and, with a slightly wider platform, a more stable footing. The overall geometry of the shoes’ midsole has been tweaked, along with added flex-grooves and a unique outsole design. The shoe is as soft and responsive as well as stable and sure-footed.
The upper is a light, breathable and yet plush engineered mesh which hugs the foot, offering a great fit with soft padding in key areas for all-day wearability. The Ride 19 is a great value, versatile daily trainer that puts a spring into every stride.
361 – Meraki 7 – £130.00
The all-new Meraki 7 sees revisions from the ground up, making it a high-performing and great value daily training shoe. The brand’s Engage and Primo midsole foams combine to provide a well-cushioned, stable and entertaining ride that outperforms the price tag.
The high-performance midsole foams give the shoe a smooth yet stable ride that suits any pace with an efficiency that soaks up the impact and gives a gentle spring to each stride.
The upper, as with the rest of the shoe, provides a fit and feel that outperforms the price and is as good as anything else on the market right now. For those seeking a great value, responsive, daily trainer, the Meraki is a great contender.
Hylo – AXIS – £140.00
The brand’s second model, the AXIS, takes the lessons learned from their first shoe, the IMPACT and adds a touch of stability for a versatile ride that’s sure to please a wider audience.
A new, 50% bio-based midsole, Hyperbolt+, uses a supercritical, nitrogen-injected foam alongside some subtle medial support that enhances rearfoot stability without being overly controlling and resulting in a smooth and stable ride. A familiar natural rubber outsole displaces water and provides great traction, adding durability in key contact points.
A single-piece knitted upper again uses bio-based materials and offers a great fit with a structured design to suit the shoe’s performance credentials. This could very well be the best performing shoe on the market with such eco-credentials.
Nike – Structure Plus – £165.00
While the established Structure 26 has long been Nike’s go-to support type shoe, the Structure Plus adds ZoomX foam, the brand’s super-soft and responsive midsole material, to make this the softest Structure ever.
Combining ZoomX and ReactX foams, this blend offers support and cushioning, with an added midfoot support system, resulting in an incredible springy support shoe. The high cushioned stack results in a slightly heavier model, and the 10mm drop is akin to more traditional support shoes, but for fans of the Structure model, it’s the added cushioning that gives the overriding running sensation.
The upper is a familiar combination of breathable meshes and supportive elements incorporated into the lacing to secure the foot and complete the support shoe package.
Puma – Deviate NITRO Elite 4 – £210.00
Lighter, more responsive and more stable, the new Deviate NITRO Elite 4 from Puma returns as the more runnable race-day shoe for the masses from the brand.
While the Fast-R 3 was a massive success in 2025, it remains a highly aggressive racing shoe, performing at its best for stable forefoot strikers able to maximise its geometry.
The Deviate resembles a more traditional race day shoe, but at just 170g and with a new A-TPU midsole, it’s a speed demon in disguise. The new foam enhances energy return, complemented by a sculpted plate that contributes to a highly propulsive yet stable ride. 30g lighter than its predecessor, the weight saving is noticeable, and the shoe just screams fast!
For many, this could be a ‘safe bet’ in carbon-plated racers, being light and stable with an explosive feel when you put your foot down.
FITASY – Stride 3D Printed Sneaker – £220.00
FITASY is a US-based startup that has developed a technology to make custom-fit 3D printed footwear not only more accessible for everyday consumers, but to support better foot health and help active people with faster recovery.
Fitasy’s first-of-its-kind scan-to-print software allows anyone with a smartphone to capture a precise 360° model of their feet and then receive 3D-printed shoes designed to the exact contours of their unique shape. The founding team is made up of engineers with backgrounds at MIT, Caltec, Imperial College.
The shoe aims to provide a solution to ill-fitting footwear, which can contribute to poor foot mechanics. A triple-layer lattice construction helps reduce impact and support recovery.
Made from a single recyclable material, the shoes are sustainable by design, and the end-of-life disposal is simplified compared to traditional footwear.
The 3D sneaker is available now, with a fully custom-shaped shoe becoming available soon.
HOKA – Cielo X1 3.0 – £250.00
Having listened to feedback from HOKA elite athletes, the Cielo X1 3.0 drops weight, improves on cushioning and gets a more stable platform. It might be third time lucky, but this is the Hoka racing shoe we’ve been waiting for.
Now weighing in at just 217g, the 3.0 sits firmly in elite racing shoe territory. The PEBA midsole is now the brand’s most responsive foam, and combined with a stable carbon plate and remodelled midsole cutaway, the shoe remains stable, cushioned and highly propulsive.
A new textile upper keeps weight down, and a dynamic forefoot vamp adapts to the foot’s movement for a secure yet flexible fit. Asymmetrical lacing further improves the fit and reduces pressure on the instep over longer distances for added comfort.
