Supernova Prima 1 vs Wave Sky 8

The Supernova Prima is adidas leaning all the way into soft, protective cushioning: a deeply padded max-cushion running shoe built for easy miles and long, gentle recovery days rather than speed. It sits above the daily Supernova Rise in the range, trading a little snap for a plusher, more forgiving ride underfoot. At 290g it is on the heavier side of the category, and with no plate and an 8mm drop this is a comfort trainer first and foremost, not a tempo tool. What you get for the £160 RRP is a smooth, cushioned road shoe that soaks up the pounding on higher-mileage weeks and keeps your legs feeling fresh. We rate it as a specialist rather than an all-rounder. If you want one shoe to do easy days and workouts, look elsewhere. If you want a dedicated cruiser for long, relaxed miles, it makes a strong case.

The Wave Sky 8 is Mizuno's plush, max-cushion daily trainer, and it plays that role with real conviction. This is a soft, protective road running shoe built for piling on easy miles in comfort, not for chasing splits. At 310g it is a hefty shoe, so you feel every gram if you try to pick up the pace, but that weight buys you a deep, forgiving platform that shrugs off long runs and keeps your legs fresher on recovery days. The 8mm drop sits in familiar daily-trainer territory and suits heel and midfoot strikers alike. In our view it is best thought of as a cruiser: a neutral shoe for runners who value cushioning and durability over pop and speed. If your priority is a soft, dependable trainer for long slow distance, it earns its place. Runners after something lighter and livelier, like the Hoka Bondi 9, should look elsewhere.