Hyperion Elite 6 vs Endorphin Pro 5

Brooks rebuilt the Hyperion Elite for version 6, with new DNA Gold foam, a stiff SpeedVault+ carbon plate and a wider midfoot, and the early reviews are the warmest the line has had. This is a carbon racing shoe for the half and the full marathon, and at 192g on our spec sheet it's properly light. Fordy Runs rates it the best Hyperion Elite so far and a shoe built for 26.2 miles. RTINGS likes it for marathon racing too, and less so for 5k and 10k. Two complaints come up again and again. The forefoot is so stiff it barely bends, and the heel collar is lined with separate pads that can rub your Achilles. It lines up against the SC Elite v5 and the other big-name marathon shoes, and £240 is a lot of money, so check the price table before you pay RRP.

Most carbon racers ask for a steady foot. Saucony built the Endorphin Pro 5 for runners who find them a bit wobbly. It's a carbon racing shoe with a slotted plate and PWRRUN PB foam, and at a listed 206g it isn't among the lightest super shoes. In return you get a planted, guided ride. Reviewers rate it most highly between 5K and half marathon pace, and plenty of club runners will happily take it through a marathon. Fordy Runs sees it as a race shoe for everyday runners rather than elites. Believe in the Run was cooler: it found the shoe barely changed from the Endorphin Pro 4 and missing the pop of the best race shoes. The two views don't really clash. If you want Saucony's most aggressive racer, that's the Endorphin Elite 3. If you'd rather have a stable, hard-wearing race shoe you can also train in, the Pro 5 is one of the easier ones to get along with.