Pegasus Plus 2 vs Deviate Nitro 3

Nike sells the Pegasus Plus 2 as an up-tempo trainer, and that's the claim reviewers push back on hardest. What you actually get is a comfortable, well-built daily running shoe, with full-length ZoomX foam, an Air Zoom unit under the forefoot and a far roomier fit than the first Pegasus Plus, which reviewers found firm and flat. It doesn't like going fast. At 252g on our spec sheet it's heavy for the category, and the forefoot pod adds stiffness without much obvious spring. Ben Parkes was blunt about it and put several rivals ahead of it for anything quicker than easy running. Run To The Finish was far warmer, rating it as a daily trainer that copes with moderate efforts. We lean towards the second view, with a caveat: for easy and steady miles with the odd marathon-pace block it's a good shoe, but if you want a tempo shoe, the Adizero Evo SL or SC Rebel will serve you better.

The Puma Deviate Nitro 3 is a carbon-plated do-it-all running shoe: enough pop to handle tempo work and race day, enough cushioning and rubber underfoot to survive your everyday miles. That dual-purpose brief is what sets it apart from a pure racer. Think of it as one shoe for the runner who wants a single versatile trainer rather than a rotation. With a 10mm drop and a firm-but-lively ride, it rewards you when you get on your toes and press the pace, while staying stable enough for steady runs. At 250g it is not the lightest plated shoe out there, and you notice that on the fastest reps, so treat it as a workhorse tempo and long-run trainer rather than a featherweight 5k weapon. For the £160 RRP you get real durability and a genuinely versatile ride. If you want one carbon shoe that does a bit of everything, it earns its place.