Ghost 16 vs Clifton Pro 1

The Brooks Ghost 16 is a neutral daily training shoe built to do one job well: soak up the miles without asking anything of you. It is the running shoe you reach for on an easy day, a steady midweek run or your first proper training block, and it rarely puts a foot wrong. The ride is soft but composed, with a tall 12mm drop that rolls you forward gently and takes some load off the calves and Achilles. At 269g it is not light and it is not built for speed, so do not expect it to snap back when you push the pace. That is not the point. What you get instead is a reliable, cushioned, forgiving running shoe that suits new runners and high-mileage regulars alike. In our view it is one of the safest daily trainers you can buy, and the newer Ghost 17 only sharpens the same recipe.

The Clifton Pro is Hoka taking its most famous daily training shoe upmarket. Where the standard Clifton is the safe, do-everything running shoe, the Pro swaps in a supercritical ProGlide+ midsole to chase more bounce and energy return from the same easy-day brief. With a tall 42mm heel, a moderate 8mm drop and a max-cushion feel underfoot, it is built for soaking up easy miles, long runs and recovery days rather than chasing pace. In our view it sits in the premium daily training shoe bracket, priced accordingly at £155. At 298g it is not light, so this is not a shoe you buy for speed. What you get instead is a plush, protective ride that stays comfortable deep into a long run. If you already love the Clifton 11 and want a bouncier, more energetic version of the same idea, this is the one to try.