Glideride Max 2 vs Ghost Max 4

The Glideride Max 2 is Asics at its most protective: a max-cushion road running shoe with a big 46mm heel and an aggressive rocker built to roll you through easy miles when your legs have nothing left to give. At 261g it is not light for the class, and it never pretends to be a speed tool. What it does is soak up impact and keep you moving with minimal effort, which is exactly what you want on a recovery day or the back half of a long run. The 6mm drop and tall stack put you high off the ground, so the ride feels smooth and floaty rather than snappy. At £225 it sits at the premium end of the daily-trainer market, and you are paying for maximum protection over versatility. We rate it as a specialist. If you run high mileage and want one shoe to guard your joints, this earns its place. If you want a do-everything trainer, look lower down the range or at the Superblast 3.

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.