Adizero EVO SL 1 vs Mach 7

The Adizero EVO SL is adidas taking its marathon race foam, stripping out the plate, and giving you a lightweight speed trainer you can actually run every day. At 224g it feels closer to a racer than a daily shoe, and that is the whole point. This is a running shoe for the runner who wants one pair for tempo sessions, strides, parkrun and the odd long run, without the rigid, all-or-nothing feel of a carbon racing shoe. You get lively, propulsive cushioning and a low 6mm drop that keeps you up on your forefoot. At an RRP of £150 it undercuts most super-trainers and plated tempo shoes, which is a big part of why it has been so popular. In our view it is one of the most versatile shoes adidas has made in years. If you want the plated race-day version, the Adizero Adios Pro 4 is the sibling to look at.

The Hoka Mach 7 is the brand's do-it-all tempo trainer, a lightweight road shoe that wants to cover almost everything between an easy jog and a genuine session. There is no carbon plate here and that is the point. Instead you get a supercritical EVA midsole that feels lively and quick without the aggressive, one-pace demands of a racer. With a low 5mm drop and a 37mm heel stack it sits in the sweet spot for runners who want one shoe for daily miles, tempo runs and the odd longer effort. It is a clear step on from the Mach 6, keeping the versatile, pick-up-and-go character that made the line popular. At £130 it is fairly priced for a modern lightweight trainer. We rate it as one of the smartest single-shoe buys for club runners who log steady mileage but still like to push the pace once or twice a week.