Fresh Foam X 860 15 vs Hurricane 25

New Balance made the 860 bigger for version 15. Our spec sheet has it at 332g against 309g for the 860 v14, with more foam under the heel, and it now rides like a cushioned daily training shoe with support built in rather than a stability shoe with a bit of softness added. Reviewers like the comfort, and they like that the support runs along the whole inner edge instead of sitting in one post under the arch. Weight is the complaint that turns up in almost every review, and one detailed review found the heel counter stiff enough to rub. Our take: it's a good stability running shoe for easy miles and long days on your feet, but you pay for that if you want one shoe that also handles quicker sessions. It's aimed at mild to moderate overpronators. If you need firm correction, or you count grams, there are better picks at this price.

Heavy and bulky it may be, but the Hurricane 25 scored higher with independent reviewers than most stability shoes we track. RunRepeat's lab review put it in its top band, and the other two reviews we read liked the ride just as much. It's Saucony's most cushioned support shoe: 38mm of stack under the heel, a 6mm drop and a wide base that keeps an inward-rolling foot in line without a hard medial post. At 283g it isn't built for intervals, and nobody we read tried to use it that way. It earns its £160 RRP on slow miles, recovery days and the back half of long runs, when your form starts to fade. Reviewers disagree on how much it moved on from the 24. Believe in the Run found it bouncier and less plodding, while a UK panel called it a mild update to a similar shoe. Neutral runners who like a big, planted shoe get on with it too.