Adizero EVO SL 1 vs Mach 7

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 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.