Glycerin 21 vs Wave Sky 9

The Brooks Glycerin 21 is a max-cushion daily training shoe built for one job: making your everyday miles feel soft, calm and comfortable. This is the plush end of the Brooks range, a neutral running shoe that leans into cushioning rather than speed. At 280g it is not light, and it will not snap you through a fast finish, but that was never the point. What you get is a deep, forgiving underfoot feel that holds up well over long easy runs and recovery days, and a 10mm drop that suits heel and midfoot strikers alike. We rate it as a dependable cruiser for runners who want protection and a smooth, quiet ride over anything sharp or racy. If the £165 price gives you pause, the cheaper Brooks Ghost 16 covers similar daily duty with a touch less plush. But if soft comfort is what you are after, the Glycerin delivers it honestly.

The Wave Sky 9 is Mizuno's plush, max-cushion daily trainer, a soft running shoe built to soak up easy miles and long runs rather than chase pace. With 44.3mm of stack under the heel and a moderate 6.2mm drop, it plants a deep, protective platform between your legs and the road, and that is exactly where it does its best work. At 295g it is a substantial shoe, so nobody will mistake it for a tempo tool. That heft is the trade-off for the comfort. If you want a neutral cushioned trainer to protect tired legs across a marathon build, or a plush recovery-day cruiser, it earns its place. If you already run in the Asics Gel Nimbus 28 or another pillowy daily trainer, the Wave Sky 9 sits squarely in that same comfort-first bracket, and we rate it as an honest, dependable option rather than a flashy one.