Pegasus Premium 1 vs Endorphin Trainer 1

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 Endorphin Trainer 1 is Saucony's take on the super trainer: a tall, cushioned daily running shoe with a carbon plate, built to soak up big weekly mileage and still turn over when you want to press. It sits above the tempo-focused Endorphin Speed in protection, and it is aimed at the runner who wants one do-everything trainer for easy days, long runs and the odd faster session. At 285g it is not the lightest plated shoe out there, and the £200 price puts it firmly in premium territory, so it is a considered buy rather than an impulse one. What you get for that is a shoe that shields your legs on long efforts and keeps rolling forward thanks to the plate. We rate it as a cushioned workhorse first and a speed tool second. If you want a lighter, snappier ride, the Superblast 2 is worth a look. If you want plush daily miles with a bit of pop, this delivers.