Wave Rider 28 vs FuelCell Propel 5

The Wave Rider 28 is Mizuno's long-running neutral daily trainer, and version 28 keeps doing what this line has always done: give you a smooth, dependable road running shoe you can lace up every day without a second thought. It is not the softest or the lightest daily trainer out there. At 280g and with a traditional 12mm drop, it leans firmer and more old-school than the tall, bouncy foam trainers filling shelves right now. That is the point. You get a settled, planted ride that rewards steady mileage and a natural heel-to-toe roll rather than a springy pop. We rate it as a workhorse for runners who want structure and longevity over trend. If you have run in Wave Riders before and liked them, the 28 will feel like home. If you want maximum softness, look elsewhere. For an honest daily miles shoe at RRP 140 pounds, it earns its keep. The newer Wave Rider 29 refines the same recipe if you want the latest version.

The FuelCell Propel 5 is New Balance at its most sensible: an affordable neutral daily running shoe built to soak up easy miles without emptying your wallet. At around £120 it sits at the value end of the daily trainer market, and it plays that role honestly. The FuelCell foam gives you a firm, stable, dependable ride rather than a soft bouncy one, so this is a shoe for logging steady mileage, easing into a training habit, or keeping your knees happy on recovery days. At 280g it is on the heavier side for a modern daily trainer, and it is not going to make you feel fast. That is fine. If you want more pop for tempo days, New Balance's own FuelCell Rebel 5 is the livelier sibling, and the Nike Pegasus 42 is the obvious workhorse rival. But as a first proper running shoe or a rugged easy-day option, the Propel 5 earns its keep.