Pegasus Trail 5 vs Ultra Glide 4

The Pegasus Trail 5 is Nike's door-to-trail running shoe: a cushioned, do-everything trail shoe built to carry you from the pavement onto gravel, light singletrack and mixed paths without missing a beat. It is not a technical mountain racer and it does not pretend to be. With a soft, forgiving ride and a 9.5mm drop, it feels close to a road trainer with extra grip and protection, which is exactly the point. If your local running mixes a road warm-up with woodland trail and the odd muddy patch, this is one of the most versatile options out there. At 300g it is on the heavier side, so it will not win you a fast trail race, and the moderate lugs give up traction in deep mud and on greasy rock. But as a comfortable, durable trail running shoe for everyday miles, the Pegasus Trail 5 nails the brief. We rate it as a buy-it-and-forget-it daily trail shoe rather than a specialist.

The Ultra Glide 4 is Salomon's soft, high-stack trail runner built for one thing above all: keeping your legs fresh over long, rolling miles. With 38.6mm of heel stack and a moderate 7.5mm drop, it sits firmly in the cushioned trail shoe camp, closer to a plush daily trail cruiser than a nimble racer. At 295g it is not the lightest option out there, but that weight buys you a genuinely comfortable, protective ride that soaks up rocky, uneven ground on the way home from a big day out. This is a shoe for runners who value comfort and easy-going stability over sharp, aggressive handling. It thrives on smoother, non-technical trails, gravel, forest paths and long ultra efforts where fatigue is the enemy. If you want a running shoe that lets you switch off and just log the distance, the Ultra Glide 4 makes a strong case at its £130 price.