Adizero EVO SL 1 vs Zoom Fly 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 Nike Zoom Fly 6 is the carbon plate experience for everyone who is not racing. It sits in the super trainer slot: a plated, well cushioned road shoe built to handle tempo work, long runs and the odd race without the price or the fragility of a true marathon flat. At 265g it is no featherweight, and that is the point. Nike has traded the raw speed of its race line for durability and a more forgiving daily ride, so you get the snap of a full length carbon plate stacked on a soft, bouncy midsole that holds up over the miles. If you want the actual race rocket the Vaporfly 4 is lighter and faster, but the Zoom Fly 6 is the one you can train in week after week. We rate it as one of the best value carbon trainers around for runners who want one shoe to cover their faster days.