Wave Sky 8 vs Aero Glide 3

The Wave Sky 8 is Mizuno's plush, max-cushion daily trainer, and it plays that role with real conviction. This is a soft, protective road running shoe built for piling on easy miles in comfort, not for chasing splits. At 310g it is a hefty shoe, so you feel every gram if you try to pick up the pace, but that weight buys you a deep, forgiving platform that shrugs off long runs and keeps your legs fresher on recovery days. The 8mm drop sits in familiar daily-trainer territory and suits heel and midfoot strikers alike. In our view it is best thought of as a cruiser: a neutral shoe for runners who value cushioning and durability over pop and speed. If your priority is a soft, dependable trainer for long slow distance, it earns its place. Runners after something lighter and livelier, like the Hoka Bondi 9, should look elsewhere.

The Salomon Aero Glide 3 is a road-focused, max-cushioned daily training shoe from a brand better known for trail. It is a soft, protective cruiser built for easy miles and long runs rather than chasing pace. At 275g it is not a light shoe, and the 8mm drop plus deep stack put comfort and leg protection first. What you get is a stable, planted ride that keeps your legs fresh when the run drags on past an hour. This is a versatile running shoe for the runner who wants one dependable trainer for the bulk of their week, not a race-day tool. If you already know Salomon from the trails, the road manners here will surprise you. It sits in a crowded max-cushion daily market, and the Aero Glide 4 has since arrived, so at RRP the 3 is best bought on a deal.