Catamount 4 vs Tecton X 3

Reviewers split hard on the Catamount 4, and the spec sheet shows why. Brooks raised the drop to 8.4mm from the 6mm of the Catamount 3 and stiffened the SkyVault plate, so this fast trail running shoe now rolls you through the stride instead of bending with the ground. Some testers liked that a lot. iRunFar found it nimble enough for training, workouts and races up to 50K, and one lab review rated its stability among the best on the trail market. The Believe in the Run team went the other way: a harsh midsole, a heel that wouldn't lock down, and a step back from version 3. We land between them. It weighs 270g, almost exactly what the Catamount 3 did, and nearly everyone liked the grip. If you land on your heel and want a steady platform at speed, it makes sense. If the old shoe's flex was the reason you bought it, try this one on before you commit.

The Tecton X 3 is Hoka's carbon-plated trail racing shoe, built for runners who want road-race pop on rough ground. At 252g it is remarkably light for a shoe with this much cushion under the foot, and the carbon plate gives you a real snap through toe-off when you are moving well. With a 5mm drop and an RRP of £220 it sits at the sharp, premium end of the trail market, squarely aimed at long-distance and ultra racing rather than everyday miles. This is a specialist. It rewards a runner who wants to hold pace over technical terrain and carry that efficiency deep into a race, when tired legs need every bit of help they can get. If you race trail ultras or fast half and full marathon distances off-road, it belongs on your shortlist. The nearest rival in our catalogue is the Nike Ultrafly, another plated trail racer chasing the same runner.