FuelCell SuperComp MD-X 3 vs Air Zoom Victory 2

The FuelCell SuperComp MD-X v3 is New Balance at full send: a carbon-plated middle-distance track spike built for the 800m through the mile and into 3000m. This is not a road shoe you can jog in. It is a racing spike, all pins and plate and pop, meant for hard efforts on the track and nothing else. At around 170g it is light without feeling flimsy, and the FuelCell foam under the carbon plate gives you more bounce underfoot than a traditional bladed spike, so you get some cushioning to hold form on the back half of a longer rep. New Balance sits it above their long-distance sibling, the SuperComp LD-X, which is tuned for 5000m and 10000m. In our view the MD-X is one of the sharper middle-distance super-spikes going, and a serious option if you race on the track and want plate-and-foam propulsion under a spike plate. Just know exactly what you are buying.

The Nike Air Zoom Victory 2 is a middle-distance track spike built for one job: turning a fast 800m to 5000m into a faster one. This is Nike's plated distance racer, and it sits at the sharp end of the market at £200. A full-length carbon Flyplate runs under a forefoot Air Zoom unit, so instead of the dead, bare feel of an old-school spike you get a real pop off the plate and a hint of bounce as you load the front of the foot. At 135g it is featherlight, and the 19.9mm heel and 19.3mm forefoot stack keep you low and connected to the track. In our view this is a racing tool, not a session shoe. If you run anything from the 1500m to the 5000m and want the most return per stride at the line, the Victory 2 belongs on your shortlist. For pure distance reps the lighter, plate-free Nike Dragonfly 2 is the calmer option.