Catamount 3 vs Ultrafly 1

The Brooks Catamount 3 is a lightweight trail running shoe built to be raced, not just run. At 269g with a 6mm drop, it sits at the fast end of Brooks' trail range: a nimble, propulsive shoe for runners who want to hold a hard effort over technical ground. This is not a plush ultra cruiser and it is not a rugged tank. It is a trail racer, tuned for tempo efforts, short-to-medium trail races and fast days on rolling singletrack. You get an energetic, connected ride that rewards a quick cadence, with enough underfoot protection to keep the sharp stuff at bay without deadening the trail. It is a neutral shoe at a race-day price, so it asks something of your legs and your wallet. In our view the Catamount 3 earns its keep if you actually race trails or push the pace on them. If you mostly plod easy miles, a softer, cheaper daily trail shoe will serve you better. As a fast trail shoe, we rate it highly.

The Nike Ultrafly 1 is Nike's first proper carbon trail racer, and it plays like a road super-shoe that has been sent to the mountains. A full-length ZoomX midsole gives you that soft, springy super-foam return, a carbon plate stiffens the ride for the climbs, and a Vibram Megagrip outsole handles the wet rock and mud that would leave a road plate helpless. This is a running shoe built for one job: going fast on trail race day. At £225 it sits at the very top of the market, up against the Hoka Tecton X 3 and Salomon's S/Lab racers, and it is best kept for hard efforts rather than daily miles. On smooth, rolling and moderately technical trail it feels quick and protective. On steep, rooty, gnarly ground the tall stack and stiff plate ask for confident, committed footwork. Buy it as a specialist trail marathon and ultra weapon, not an everyday trail trainer.