Experience Flow 2 vs Pegasus 41

The Experience Flow 2 is Altra's answer to runners who love the brand's roomy, natural feel but want a bit more snap. It is a lightweight daily training shoe that trades Altra's signature zero drop for a low 4mm, which nudges you onto your forefoot and helps the ride feel quick. At 238g it is genuinely light for a cushioned trainer, so it handles easy miles and picks up the pace for a tempo or progression run without feeling like a chore. Think of it as a do-most-things road shoe rather than a specialist. It is not a max-cushion recovery slab and it is not a carbon racer, but for daily running, faster sessions and the odd 10k it hits a sweet spot. If you have been curious about Altra's foot-shaped fit but found true zero drop a step too far, this is the easiest way in. In our view it is one of the more versatile shoes in the range.

The Nike Pegasus 41 is the do-everything daily training shoe in Nike's range, and it plays that role well. This is not a carbon racing shoe or a plush recovery slipper. It is a dependable workhorse built to soak up easy miles, the odd faster session and the weekly long run without complaint. At 283g it is not the lightest daily trainer on the market, and the 10mm drop is firmly traditional, so heel-strikers will feel at home. What you get for your money is reassurance: a road shoe that handles commute runs, marathon-block mileage and parkrun duty with the same steady, predictable ride. If you want one running shoe that does most jobs and lasts, the Pegasus 41 earns its keep. We rate it as a safe, sensible buy rather than an exciting one, and for a lot of runners that is exactly the point. The successor Pegasus 42 is now out, which often makes the 41 the smarter value pick on discount.