Clifton 10 vs Ride 19

The Clifton 10 is Hoka doubling down on comfort. This is a neutral daily training shoe built to make easy miles feel soft and forgiving, and it does that better than almost anything at the price. The big change over the Clifton 9 is the ride: the drop rises to 8mm and there is more foam underfoot, so you sink in a little more and the landing feels plusher and more protective. At 278g it is not the light, nimble Clifton of old. It has grown into a proper cushioned cruiser. We rate it as one of the safest picks for a runner who wants one dependable shoe for steady mileage, recovery days and the long run. If you value soft comfort and a smooth roll over speed and ground feel, this running shoe belongs on your shortlist. At £140 it is priced with the premium daily trainers, so judge it on the ride, not the badge.

The Saucony Ride 19 is a do-everything neutral daily trainer, the kind of running shoe you reach for on most days of the week without thinking twice. It is not a max-cushion cruiser and it is not a speed shoe. It sits right in the middle, and that is the point. PWRRUN+ foam gives you a lively, slightly bouncy ride that soaks up easy miles but still has enough life to pick up the pace when you want to. With a 36mm heel stack and an 8mm drop it is protective without feeling tall or vague underfoot, and at 255g it stays light enough that it never feels like a chore. In our view this is one of the safest recommendations in the daily training shoe category: versatile, durable and honest about what it is. If you want a single shoe that covers easy runs, steady runs and the odd long run, the Ride 19 earns its place. It is a natural step on from the Ride 18.