Adizero EVO SL 1 vs Mach 6

Few running shoes of the last couple of years got talked about as much as the EVO SL, and the reason is simple. adidas took the Lightstrike Pro foam from its race shoes, left out the carbon rods, and sold it at a daily-trainer price. At 224g with a 39mm heel, it's a light, bouncy tempo shoe that reviewers keep calling a bargain.

It shines when you pick up the pace. Tempo runs, intervals and goal-pace work are its home, and plenty of runners race half marathons in it. It's less happy at a slow shuffle, and it isn't a stable shoe, so it won't suit everyone as a do-everything trainer.

If you want a plate for race day, the Adios Pro 5 is the step up. As an unplated speed trainer, though, this is the one others in the category get measured against, and the few flaws people mention (laces, tongue, some early outsole wear) are small ones.

The Hoka Mach 6 is one of the best value do-it-all trainers going, a lightweight road shoe that punches well above its £140 price. It sits in that useful middle ground between a soft daily trainer and a firm racer, so it can handle your easy miles in the week and still come alive when you pick up the pace on tempo day. At 232g with a 5mm drop it feels quick and unfussy underfoot, and the bouncy supercritical foam gives you a lively toe-off without the harshness of a plated racing shoe. There is no carbon plate here, which keeps the ride natural and forgiving. We rate it as a genuine one-shoe solution for runners who want a single pair for most of their training. If you are chasing a marathon PB you will want a plated shoe on race day, but for everything in the build up the Mach 6 is hard to beat. The Mach 7 refines the formula, though the 6 is often the smarter buy on price.