Mach X 2 vs Endorphin Trainer 1

The Mach X 2 is Hoka's do-it-all super trainer: a carbon-plated running shoe that is light enough to race a half in but cushioned enough to soak up your midweek miles. It sits a rung above the simpler Hoka Mach 7, adding a snappy plate and a bouncier foam so it can push into tempo and race territory. At 260g with a low 5mm drop, it wants you to run through the whole foot and roll off the toes. That plate gives you real pop when you lift the pace, yet the ride stays forgiving enough for a two-hour long run. In our view this is one of the more versatile daily-and-fast trainers going, and the sort of shoe that quietly becomes the one you reach for most. It is not cheap at £180, but as a single shoe that covers easy days, workouts and shorter races, it earns the spot.

The Endorphin Trainer 1 is Saucony's take on the super trainer: a tall, cushioned daily running shoe with a carbon plate, built to soak up big weekly mileage and still turn over when you want to press. It sits above the tempo-focused Endorphin Speed in protection, and it is aimed at the runner who wants one do-everything trainer for easy days, long runs and the odd faster session. At 285g it is not the lightest plated shoe out there, and the £200 price puts it firmly in premium territory, so it is a considered buy rather than an impulse one. What you get for that is a shoe that shields your legs on long efforts and keeps rolling forward thanks to the plate. We rate it as a cushioned workhorse first and a speed tool second. If you want a lighter, snappier ride, the Superblast 2 is worth a look. If you want plush daily miles with a bit of pop, this delivers.