Pegasus Premium 1 vs Zoom Fly 6

The Pegasus Premium is Nike's biggest, boldest daily running shoe: a maximalist super trainer that stacks a full-length visible Air Zoom unit between two layers of foam for a bounce you can feel from the first stride. This is not the plain Pegasus with a fancy badge. It sits a tier above, closer in spirit to a plush cushioned trainer you save for the runs you want to enjoy. At 42.8mm in the heel with a 10mm drop it is tall and heavily cushioned, and at 308g it is a genuinely hefty shoe, so this is about protection and fun rather than speed. In our view it shines on easy miles, long runs and recovery days, where the springy Air unit rewards a relaxed rhythm. If you want one shoe that makes junk miles feel special, the Pegasus Premium delivers. The catch is the price, at £190 it is premium in cost as well as name, and the Pegasus 42 does the everyday job for a lot less.

The Nike Zoom Fly 6 is the carbon plate experience for everyone who is not racing. It sits in the super trainer slot: a plated, well cushioned road shoe built to handle tempo work, long runs and the odd race without the price or the fragility of a true marathon flat. At 265g it is no featherweight, and that is the point. Nike has traded the raw speed of its race line for durability and a more forgiving daily ride, so you get the snap of a full length carbon plate stacked on a soft, bouncy midsole that holds up over the miles. If you want the actual race rocket the Vaporfly 4 is lighter and faster, but the Zoom Fly 6 is the one you can train in week after week. We rate it as one of the best value carbon trainers around for runners who want one shoe to cover their faster days.