Cielo X MD 3 vs Air Zoom Maxfly 2

The Cielo X MD 3 is Hoka's middle distance track spike, built for the sharp end of the 800m through the mile and up to 3000m. This is a specialist racing shoe, not a trainer, and it makes no apology for it. A PEBA midsole sits over a carbon plate on a low 19mm heel and 16mm forefoot stack, so you get a fast 2.7mm drop that keeps you up on the ball of the foot where a middle distance runner wants to be. Six removable pins bite the track and the plate snaps you through each stride when you are turning the legs over hard. At GBP 225 it is a serious investment aimed at competitive club and collegiate athletes, and it goes head to head with the New Balance SuperComp MD-X. If your races are longer, its sibling the long distance model suits you better.

The Nike Air Zoom Maxfly 2 is a pure sprint spike, built for one job: getting you down the track as fast as your legs allow. This is not a distance racer or a road shoe you loosen up in. It is a rigid, aggressive carbon racing spike aimed at 60m through 400m, the kind of tool you see under athletes on the world-record stage. The stiff FlyPlate and forefoot Zoom Air pods work together to fire you off your toes, and the whole shoe wants you up on the front of your foot and driving. In our view it is one of the most complete sprint spikes on the market, but it demands a lot in return. You need real forefoot strength, clean sprint mechanics and a track to use it on. Get all three and it is exceptional. If you are a distance runner, the Nike Air Zoom Victory 2 is the stablemate you actually want.