Adizero EVO SL 1

Reviewers describe a springy, quick ride with a sharp forefoot rocker that rolls you onto your toes. It feels best from steady pace upwards. Fordy Runs found it flat and less enjoyable at slow easy paces, and livelier once the speed came up. Another review reported the foam feeling better after the first few runs. There's no plate, so the toe-off is snappy rather than stiff and propulsive, which makes it an easier shoe to run in for long stretches than a full racer.

The whole midsole is Lightstrike Pro, and with 39mm under the heel and 33mm under the forefoot there's plenty of foam for a shoe this light. Reviewers find it soft enough for the easy parts of a progression run and responsive enough to finish fast. It's not a plush, sink-in shoe, though. If you want maximum softness for slow long runs, a max-cushion trainer will look after your legs better.

This is a neutral shoe, and reviewers are clear that it's not a stable one. The heel is narrow and the foam is lively, so on long easy runs, when your form gets sloppy, it can feel a bit unsettled. One review points to a plastic shank in the midfoot, which gives it some torsional stiffness, but that's not the same as support. Overpronators and heavy heel strikers should look elsewhere.

The mesh upper is thin, light and breathable, with more padding around the ankle than the Boston 13. The weak points are small but they come up in almost every review. The laces are thin and fiddly, and the tongue is short and not gusseted, so it can slide about. Lab testing also rated the toe box fabric poorly for durability. None of these ruin the shoe, but spend a minute getting the lacing right before a session.