Gel Nimbus 28 vs Ghost Max 4

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.

The Ghost Max 4 is Brooks at its most protective: a max-stack cushioned running shoe built for comfort over speed. With 40mm of foam under the heel and a 6mm drop, it stacks up plenty of protection for easy miles, recovery days and long, steady efforts when your legs want to be looked after. The star of the show is the GlideRoll rocker, a curved sole that rolls you forward so each stride feels smooth rather than clunky, which matters a lot in a shoe this tall. At 292g it is not light, and it is not trying to be. This is a daily training shoe for runners who value a soft, planted, easy ride over pop or pace. If you like the idea of the same rockered comfort with even more foam, the Hoka Bondi 9 is the obvious rival. We rate the Ghost Max 4 as one of the easiest max-cushion trainers to just put on and run.