Adizero Boston 12 vs Spectur 2

The Adizero Boston 12 is adidas at its most versatile: a £160 tempo running shoe built to be the one trainer that handles almost everything bar your easy days. It is the rod-equipped middle child of the Adizero family, sitting below the Adios Pro racers but with enough snap to make threshold sessions and long runs feel purposeful. At 267g with a 7mm drop it is not feather-light, and the ride leans firm and direct rather than soft and forgiving. That is the point. Push the pace and the Boston rewards you with a propulsive, slightly aggressive roll through toe-off. Jog it slowly and it can feel stiff and a touch dead underfoot. In our view this is a do-it-all daily trainer for committed runners who like a firmer, faster shoe, and a genuinely capable marathon training partner. The newer Adizero Boston 13 softens and lightens the formula if this version reads too stiff for you.

The Salomon Spectur 2 is the brand's road running shoe for runners who spend most of their week on tarmac but want that unmistakable Salomon security underfoot. It is a cushioned, do-most-things trainer rather than a stripped-back racer. At 250g it is on the heavier side for a shoe Salomon files under tempo, so treat it as a versatile daily training shoe that can lift to a steady effort rather than a featherweight speed tool. What you get for that weight is a planted, confident ride and a grippy outsole that shrugs off wet British pavements and the odd gravel path. The 8mm drop keeps you connected to the road. At £170 RRP it sits at the premium end, and there is no carbon plate here, so you are paying for build and grip rather than propulsion. We rate it as a reassuring everyday miles shoe for road runners who value durability and stability over snap. If you want a lighter Salomon road option, the Aero Glide 4 is the softer, bouncier stablemate.