Glycerin GTS 22 vs Hurricane 26

The Brooks Glycerin GTS 22 is the softest, most cushioned shoe in the Brooks stability line, a plush daily running shoe that adds gentle support to a max-cushion ride. GTS stands for Go To Support, and here it means Brooks GuideRails: no medial post digging into your arch, just guardrails that quietly hold your knees and ankles in line when your form starts to fade. In our view this is the shoe for the runner who wants a premium, cosseting cushion but knows their stride rolls in a little, especially late in a long run. It is not fast and it is not trying to be. It is heavy on comfort and light on correction, which is exactly the point. If you loved the neutral Glycerin 22 but wanted a touch more stability underfoot, this is that shoe. At an RRP of 155 pounds it sits at the top of the daily-trainer market, so it needs to earn its place with sheer plushness and all-day comfort. It mostly does.

Saucony took weight out of the Hurricane this year and added some bounce, and reviewers noticed. On our spec sheet the 26 is lighter than the Hurricane 25 with an almost identical stack and a low 5.9mm drop, and most reviews say it rides livelier too. The 25 could feel a bit flat underfoot. This one keeps getting called bouncy, which you don't often hear about a max-stability shoe. It's a daily training shoe for overpronators who want plenty of cushioning for easy miles and marathon training. The support comes from a very wide base and a raised edge on the inside of the foot rather than a hard post, and The Run Testers found neutral runners could get on with it as well. What you give up is agility: the platform is huge, it isn't built for speed, and a couple of reviews felt it's a little less stable than the 25. RTINGS was the least enthusiastic source we read, mainly because it's no shoe for quick running. RRP is £170, £10 above the 25's, so check the price table before you buy.