Neo Zen 1 vs Velocity Nitro 4

The Mizuno Neo Zen 1 is a soft, springy daily training shoe that shows Mizuno moving on from its old firm reputation. This is a plush, bouncy road running shoe built for the everyday miles that make up most of your week, from easy recovery jogs to steady long runs. At 235g it is genuinely light for a cushioned daily trainer, so it never feels like a chore underfoot. It sits above the Wave Rider as the more premium, more energetic option in Mizuno's line, and at RRP 150 pounds it lands in the same bracket as the plush daily trainers from the big brands. We rate it as a versatile one-shoe answer for a runner who wants comfort without a heavy, dead feel. It is a neutral shoe with a natural 6mm drop, so it rewards a fairly efficient, grounded stride.

The Velocity Nitro 4 is Puma at its most sensible: a do-everything daily training shoe built to soak up mile after mile without asking much of your legs or your wallet. At 245g with a 9.7mm drop it sits in the sweet spot for a road workhorse, light enough to pick up the pace but cushioned enough for a two-hour long run. Nitro foam gives it a lively, slightly springy feel that flatters easy running, and at an RRP of £110 it undercuts most of the daily trainers it competes with. This is not a carbon racer and it does not pretend to be. It is the shoe you reach for on ordinary days, the one that quietly logs most of your weekly volume. If you want a single, honest running shoe that handles easy runs, steady miles and the occasional tempo without fuss, the Velocity Nitro 4 is one of the safest picks in its class. Runners who want the extra pop of a plate should look at the Deviate Nitro 4 instead.