Escalante 5 vs 880 14

The Escalante 5 is heavier than the shoe it replaces. Our spec sheet has it at 275g against 240g for the Escalante 4, with a touch more stack and a 2.2mm drop, which is still close to the zero-drop idea Altra builds everything around. In return you get a tougher outsole and a better-fitting knit upper, and most reviewers found the foam a little bouncier than before. It remains a low, flexible daily running shoe with a wide toe box, aimed at runners already used to zero or near-zero drop who want to feel the road and let their toes spread. The ride divides opinion. Run To The Finish liked the springy, grounded feel and rated it the best Escalante so far, while RTINGS found the cushioning harsh and too thin for long runs. We land in the middle. It's a good shoe for short and steady runs, but we wouldn't take it into marathon training, and if you've never run in low-drop trainers it's the wrong place to start.

The New Balance 880v14 is the definition of a do-everything neutral daily trainer, and that is exactly the point. This is the shoe you reach for on Monday when you just want to run, not think about your shoes. It is not light at 304g and it is not flashy, but it gives you a dependable, cushioned running shoe that soaks up easy miles, marathon-block base runs and the daily commute-jog without complaint. New Balance pitches it against the neutral-daily benchmarks, and it holds its own next to the Brooks Ghost 17 and the Pegasus. The 8mm drop and generous cushioning suit heel and midfoot strikers who want protection over pop. If you want a softer, more premium ride from the same brand, the Fresh Foam X 1080v14 sits a tier up. But for a no-drama workhorse at £140, the 880v14 is an easy shoe to recommend.