Torin 9 vs Wave Rider 30

Altra made the Torin lower and cheaper for version 9. It stands 25.8mm at the heel and 25.5mm at the forefoot, down from 30mm flat on the Torin 8, it weighs 264g against 278g, and the RRP has come down from £150 to £135. The result is a flatter, more planted zero-drop daily training shoe than the soft Torin that many Altra fans are used to. Reviewers agree the Vibram outsole grips very well on wet roads and that the shoe is steadier than before. How it feels underfoot splits them. Canadian Running found it soft and bouncy, while Run To The Finish called it much firmer than the Torin 8 and short on life, and lab testing measured very little energy return. We rate it a good road running shoe for easy miles if you're already used to zero drop. Try it on before you buy, though, because the toe box doesn't suit every Altra foot this time.

For years the Wave Rider was the firm, slightly old-fashioned daily trainer that Mizuno fans loved and everyone else walked past. Version 30 is built to change that. Heel stack climbs from 37.5mm on the Wave Rider 29 to 42.8mm, the foam is much softer, and weight only creeps up to 266g. Most of the reviews we read call it a big step up. Fordy Runs rates it above the latest Saucony Ride and Pegasus. RTINGS is the cooler voice: its lab found plenty of protection and stability but little energy coming back, and it scored the shoe well below the others. Both readings hold up. It's a soft, stable daily training shoe for easy miles and long runs. It copes with steadier efforts, though it won't feel quick. At £140 RRP it sits beside the Ghost and Cumulus. Loyal Rider fans who liked the old ground feel may miss it.