Adizero Distancestar 1 vs FuelCell SuperComp LD-X 3

The Adizero Distancestar is a track distance spike built to cover everything from the 1500m up to the 10,000m, which makes it one of the more versatile racing spikes you can buy. It sits below the specialist end of the Adizero range, so if you want a single spike for a whole season of track efforts rather than one event, this is the honest pick. A glassfibre plate underfoot gives you a firm, snappy platform without the aggressive geometry of a pure middle distance spike, so it stays comfortable across longer reps. At £90 it is one of the more accessible spikes on the market, which matters if you are a club runner buying your own kit. If you want something sharper for pure 1500m to 3000m work, the Adizero Avanti is the more aggressive sibling. For most distance track athletes, though, the Distancestar does the lot.

The FuelCell SuperComp LD-X 3 is New Balance's long-distance track spike, built for the 5,000m, 10,000m and steeplechase rather than the road. It sits at the sharp end of New Balance's racing line, a full-length carbon spike aimed at runners who live for the last lap. If your events are shorter and sharper, the SuperComp MD-X 3 is the middle-distance sibling, but for the long stuff this is the one. This is a running shoe in the loosest sense. It is a track weapon, stripped down and firm, with just enough FuelCell foam under a rigid carbon plate to give you propulsion without slowing the transition. At GBP 160 it is priced with the premium spikes it competes against. We rate it as a genuine championship-level option for distance track racing, and the steeplechase-ready build widens its appeal beyond the flat. If you race on the track and want carbon propulsion through every stride, it belongs on your shortlist. Just know it is single-minded: this is race day only.