Clifton 9 vs More 5

The Clifton 9 is Hoka at its most crowd-pleasing: a tall-stacked, lightweight daily training shoe that feels far nimbler than its cushioning suggests. At 252g it is genuinely light for a max-cushion running shoe, and that low weight is the whole trick. You get a big pile of soft foam underfoot, but your legs never feel like they are dragging bricks around. The signature rockered sole rolls you forward smoothly, so easy miles and steady runs tick by with very little effort. This is not a shoe for chasing a personal best, and it is not built for pace work. Think of it as the everyday workhorse: the shoe you reach for on recovery days, long slow runs and the daily commute of base miles. In our view it remains one of the safest picks in the neutral cushioned category, especially if you want plush protection without the bulk. If you are new to the range, it is an easy first Hoka.

The New Balance Fresh Foam X More v5 is a max-cushion running shoe built for one job: soaking up the miles with as much soft, protective foam under your feet as New Balance can sensibly stack. This is not a speed shoe. At 309g it is a proper heavyweight, and the payoff is a tall, plush platform that keeps your legs fresh on easy days and long runs. With a low 4mm drop and a rockered shape, it rolls you forward smoothly once you settle into an easy rhythm. We rate it as one of the more genuinely comfortable daily training shoes on the market, and a strong pick if your priority is cushioning and leg protection over pace. If you want a plush max-cushion trainer for high-mileage weeks and recovery running, the More v5 is squarely aimed at you. Just go in knowing it trades away lightness and pop to get there. The lighter Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is the more versatile stablemate if you want a bit more range.