Mach X 2 vs SC Rebel 1

Heel rub is the first thing to know about the Mach X 2. Nearly every review mentions it: the heel collar is thin and unpadded, several testers got blisters in the first few runs, and another found it dug into the Achilles. Get past that and the ride is why people put up with it. It's a rockered, snappy super trainer that reviewers took from easy runs to track reps, and Believe in the Run graded its performance an A.

Doctors of Running were less convinced, finding it heavy for fast running and unstable for one of their testers. Hoka has since released the Mach X 3, which reviewers rate more highly, so the 2 makes most sense as a discounted buy. At £180 RRP it's hard to choose over its successor, but check the price table, because an older super trainer at a good discount is a different proposition.

The SC Rebel is New Balance's carbon-plated super trainer: a running shoe built to handle your long runs and faster sessions during the week, then line up with you on race day. It pairs Infinion foam with a carbon plate on a 40mm heel and 36mm forefoot with a 4mm drop, and at a listed 218g it is light for a shoe with this much underfoot. Put the numbers next to the SC Elite 4, New Balance's marathon racer, and they read almost identically: same stack, same drop, and the Rebel is listed lighter. At £180 against £280, that is the story. In our view it suits runners who want one plated shoe for tempo work, marathon-pace long runs and the race itself, rather than an expensive racer saved for a handful of days a year. It is not an easy-day shoe or a stability shoe, and the low drop asks a lot of your calves.