Fresh Foam X 1080 14 vs Velocity Nitro 5

The Fresh Foam X 1080v14 is New Balance at its most dependable: a soft, high-mileage daily training shoe built to swallow easy miles and long runs without drama. It is a neutral road running shoe with a 6mm drop, and at 298g it is not featherweight, but that heft buys you a plush, protective ride that holds up rep after rep. This is the shoe you reach for on tired legs, on recovery days, and on the slow half of a marathon build. It will not fight you for pace, but it does not pretend to be a tempo shoe either. Think of it as the comfortable, do-it-all workhorse in your rotation. In our view it sits right alongside the Nike Pegasus 42 and Brooks Ghost as a safe, cushioned pick, though the 1080 leans softer and plusher than either. If you want maximum comfort for steady mileage and value a knit upper that feels premium, the 1080v14 earns its place.

At £110, the Velocity Nitro 5 is one of the cheaper daily trainers from a major brand, and that price is a big part of its appeal. It's a neutral running shoe for everyday miles: easy runs, steady efforts and the odd pickup in pace. Puma has dropped the heel-to-toe drop to 8mm from the 9.7mm of the Velocity Nitro 4 and added a little stack, but reviewers mostly describe it as a modest update rather than a new shoe.

Grip and stability are where testers agree. The PumaGrip outsole holds on wet roads and towpaths better than most trainers, and the ride stays planted. Cushioning is where they split. One reviewer found the Nitrofoam soft and forgiving, others felt the forefoot went thin on longer runs. If you want more bounce for faster days, Puma's Deviate Pure Nitro costs £40 more. As a dependable, grippy daily training shoe at a fair price, we'd call it a good buy, not a class leader.