Ghost 16 vs Ride 18

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 Saucony Ride 18 is a do-everything daily training shoe, the kind of neutral road runner you buy once and reach for on most days of the week. It is not trying to be fast, plated or exotic. It is trying to soak up your easy miles, your commute jogs and your steady long runs without drama, and it does that well. At 266g in a UK men's sample with an 8mm drop, it sits right in the middle of the daily-trainer class: cushioned enough to feel protective, not so soft that it wallows. The ride is smooth and predictable rather than exciting, with a rocker that keeps you rolling forward at conversational pace. At £130 RRP it is priced fairly for the category. If you want one honest, comfortable neutral trainer for the bulk of your week, the Ride 18 is an easy shoe to recommend. For genuine pace work you will want something snappier, like the Nike Pegasus 42 or a dedicated tempo shoe.