Hyperboost Edge 1 vs Gel Nimbus 28

The Hyperboost Edge is adidas going all in on soft, high-stack comfort for everyday miles. It is a max-cushion road running shoe built for one job: soaking up impact and keeping your legs fresh over long, steady distances. With a 44.6mm heel and a moderate 6.5mm drop, there is a lot of foam underfoot, yet at 247g it stays lighter than most shoes this tall, so it never feels like lugging bricks. There is no plate here, and adidas has not tried to make it a do-everything trainer. It is a cushioned cruiser, plain and simple. If you want the plush, protected feel of adidas's classic Ultraboost but with a taller, more modern stack, this is the natural step up. We rate it as a genuine long-run and recovery-day tool rather than a daily quiver of one. Firm-ride fans and anyone chasing turnover will want something snappier, but for eating up easy volume in comfort, it delivers.

The Gel Nimbus 28 is ASICS at its plushest: a max-cushion neutral daily training shoe built to soak up the miles and protect your legs, not to chase pace. This is the shoe you reach for on easy days, recovery jogs and long steady runs when comfort matters more than speed. At 278g it is on the heavier side, and with a tall 39.5mm heel and a moderate 5.2mm drop the ride is soft, planted and forgiving rather than quick. If you loved the Gel Nimbus 27, the 28 keeps the same brief and refines the feel. We rate it as one of the most dependable premium daily trainers for higher-mileage runners who want a cushioned running shoe that simply gets out of the way. It is not a do-everything shoe and it is not cheap, but for what it sets out to do it is very good.