Dragonfly 2 vs evoSPEED Long Distance Nitro Elite 2

The Nike Dragonfly 2 is a distance track spike, built for the 1500m up to the 10,000m rather than the flat-out sprints. Underfoot you get a slab of ZoomX foam paired with a Pebax propulsion plate, so it feels far closer to a super racing shoe than the bare, punishing spikes of a decade ago. That is the whole idea. You keep the light, locked-in, aggressive feel of a track spike, but the ZoomX gives you a little forgiveness so your legs are not shredded over a longer effort. At 145g it is genuinely light, and the 0mm drop with a low 19mm stack keeps you right down on the track for a fast, connected feel. This is a race-day tool, not a training shoe. If your event is 1500m and longer and you want a distance spike that lets you hold pace when it hurts, the Dragonfly 2 is one of the most trusted options out there. Sprinters and 800m specialists will want Nike's more aggressive Air Zoom Victory 2 instead.

The Puma evoSPEED Long Distance Nitro Elite 2 is a purpose-built track racing spike for the longer end of the programme, the 5000m and 10000m, where you want propulsion that lasts and a plate that stays snappy lap after lap. This is not a road shoe you can jog to the start line in. It is a lightweight, aggressive distance spike with Nitro foam underfoot and a full-length Pebax plate driving you onto your toes. In our view Puma has aimed this squarely at the club and elite track runner who has moved past pure middle-distance and needs a spike that rewards a smooth, sustained turnover rather than a raw 800m kick. If you race the track regularly and want a genuine alternative to the usual Nike Dragonfly and adidas options, it belongs on your shortlist. For road racing or any training mileage, look elsewhere: this is a race-day spike and nothing else.