Adizero Avanti 2 vs Air Zoom Victory 2

The Adizero Avanti 2 is adidas at its most single-minded: a long-distance track spike built for the 5000m and 10,000m, and not much else. This is a race-day tool, not a training shoe. At 170g with a stiff full-length spike plate and Lightstrike Pro foam underfoot, it aims to give you a touch more cushion and return than a stripped bare spike, so your legs survive 25 laps and still have a kick left. On the track it feels fast and direct, with the pins biting hard through the bend. We rate it as one of the more forgiving distance spikes out there, which matters when the gun goes on lap 20 and not lap 2. It sits mid-pack on price for an elite spike at an RRP of 150 pounds. If you race longer track events and want a spike that protects you late, it earns a place in the bag. Shorter, sharper efforts want a different tool, and the Adizero Ambition 2 covers the middle distances better.

The Nike Air Zoom Victory 2 is a middle-distance track spike built for one job: turning a fast 800m to 5000m into a faster one. This is Nike's plated distance racer, and it sits at the sharp end of the market at £200. A full-length carbon Flyplate runs under a forefoot Air Zoom unit, so instead of the dead, bare feel of an old-school spike you get a real pop off the plate and a hint of bounce as you load the front of the foot. At 135g it is featherlight, and the 19.9mm heel and 19.3mm forefoot stack keep you low and connected to the track. In our view this is a racing tool, not a session shoe. If you run anything from the 1500m to the 5000m and want the most return per stride at the line, the Victory 2 belongs on your shortlist. For pure distance reps the lighter, plate-free Nike Dragonfly 2 is the calmer option.