Smooth and steady, the latest daily training shoes
The latest training shoes all offer a smooth riding sensation for those daily miles
HOKA – Clifton 10 – £140.00
The tenth edition of the Clifton – Hoka’s most popular shoe – sees a major development in the way of cushioning, with the new version upping to the rearfoot cushioning providing an eight millimetre drop.
The CM-EVA midsole foam remains the same, there’s just three millimetre more of it in the rear of the shoe. This should make the shoe more suitable for a wide range of runners, in particular heel strikers, where the extra depth will better soak up the initial impact.
Elsewhere, the new upper uses a neatly engineered mesh that wraps around the foot snuggly and securely. Overall, it’s a good update and the increased heel drop makes for a plush, forgiving ride perfect for daily training.
Puma – Deviate NITRO 3 - £150.00
The shoe that brought carbon-plate technology to daily trainers returns in its third iteration with the NITRO 3. The shoe sticks to the original formula with tweaks to increase the cushioning and ride.
The midsole stack is up by around five millimetres to provide the largest stack of nitrogen-injected cushioning to date, alongside the carbon fibre plate that keeps the shoe stable and makes the most of the energy return.
The ride is light, soft and springy, with the perfect balance of propulsion for everyday training. Heavier runners may even find the shoe the perfect race day solution thanks to its added stability and durability.
PUMAGRIP gives the familiar high traction underfoot feel and rounds of the package for the durable daily trainer that manages to make every run feel more engaging.
361 – Ventus - £140.00
The brand’s new, range-topping model in terms of neutral cushioning, the Ventus uses a combination of plush Primo foam and a new ‘CQT EXTREME3’ foam. Together, alongside a slightly rockered midsole geometry, the shoe provides an ultra-responsive ride that brings some of the feel of carbon-plated supershoes to a daily training model.
With higher levels of energy return, the midsole foams give the shoe an elevated ride experience that brings a smile to your face with every stride thanks to the ‘springy’ feel.
It’s a stable ride too, making the shoe great for anything from easy recovery runs to tempo sessions on the roads. The upper is a breathable mesh perfect for the summer months and supports the foot well with plush padding around the ankle collar for a welcoming fit. The Ventus is a great value model for a shoe that offers such a fun and engaging ride.
Adidas – Supernova Rise 2 – £130.00
This no-nonsense training shoe offers good all-around support and soft cushioning courtesy of the Dreamstrike+ midsole foam. The brand has kept things simple here and the shoe is all the better for it with a fit and feel that’s perfect to pull on and go.
The shoe offers a soft, plush, smooth riding feel that’s great at any pace making it a versatile option for those looking for a good value do-it-all daily training shoe.
Support rods incorporated into the midsole help retain stability, although this is, strictly speaking, a neutral model, so these serve for general control and to keep the foot centred. It’s a good value, versatile shoe for daily training across a variety of paces.
ASICS – Gel Cumulus 27 – £140.00
When a shoe reaches its 27th version you know it’s doing well and the Cumulus 27 doesn’t stray from its established blueprint, offering an evolved ride over the previous model.
A deep stack of cushioning with FF Blast+ foam and a PureGEL heel insert provide a smooth ride, which when combined with the FluidRide outsole allows the foot to roll naturally through the gait cycle.
There are not really any bells or whistles here, just deep, plush cushioning in a familiar fitting model that gets on with business. 100 per cent of the shoe’s upper comes from recycled material, so the Cumulus is trying to become a little more environmentally conscious while soaking up those miles.
Under Armour – Infinite Elite 2 – £145.00
This update to the brand’s max-cushioned offering brings a lighter, softer feel with improved energy return thanks to the improved HOVR+ midsole.
The Elite 2 is an evolution of the first version rather than a revolution and makes small tweaks for an overall improvement. The upper is an engineered mesh, providing a good fit and breathable feel. There’s plenty of ankle collar padding with a more stable heel counter which helps increase the overall stability of the shoe.
This is a highly cushioned model and as such isn’t the nimblest of shoes but for easy miles it excels, simply soaking up every mile with a plush, springy ride that’s a great place to be for longer runs.
Saucony – Guide 18 - £130.00
A remarkably good value shoe, Saucony actually reduced the price of the Guide 18 from the previous model while retaining the best features.
The shoe proves to be a highly effective model in providing control for overpronation, thanks to its unique geometry, which ‘guides’ the foot forward in a controlled manner, helping keep the foot in a neutral position. The deep stack of the brand’s PWRRUN+ cushioning is a versatile midsole material that copes with multi-pace training making this a do-it-all option at a great price.
Diadora – Atmos Star – £170.00
By introducing a Super Critical Foaming process to their midsole, Diadora has reduced the weight of the cushioning yet improved its rebound by 40%. The result is a new range-topping highly cushioned training shoe.
Assembled in Italy by hand, the shoe exudes Italian flare and quality with a plush fitting upper that complements the highly responsive midsole. Designed as a daily trainer, the Atmos Star feels plush and bouncy with every step and even manages to perform very well when you pick up the pace. With a good degree of energy return, after 200 miles in our test pair, the shoe doesn’t show any signs of giving up soon!
For those seeking a soft, responsive ride for long miles on the roads, it’s a great option.
VEJA – Condor 3 – £160.00
The latest version of the Condor takes on a slightly more door-to-trail styling with the addition of a new outsole that offers extra traction that’s perfect for the summer trails.
Elsewhere the shoe retains the same Amazonian rubber and sugarcane-based midsole for cushioning but with a more responsive overall feel that lifts the shoe in this update.
A rigid EVA plate gives more stability over the previous version, making this shoe a versatile model for any type of runner on various surfaces, with its hard-wearing upper making it a one-stop shoe solution for the summer.
Altra – Torin 8 GTX - £145.00
Packing in an improved 30mm of cushioning with a zero-drop heel and a waterproof upper, the new Torin takes the brand’s top-selling road shoe and transforms it into a weatherproof model for crushing daily miles.
The new Altra EGO Max midsole foam adds a little extra bounce to the ride and with the classic, foot-shaped fit and roomy toe box, the shoe has a natural and balanced ride.
The Gore-Tex, waterproof upper is perfect for those wet days or for those who may venture to a variety of surfaces be it road or light trail, always with the confidence of keeping your feet dry!
