Streakfly 2 vs Endorphin Speed 5

The Streakfly 2 is Nike's short-distance specialist: a featherweight carbon racing shoe built to fly over 5K and 10K, not to baby your legs through a marathon. At 165g it is one of the lightest plated road racers you can buy, and that shows the moment you lift the pace. This is the rare super-shoe that stays nimble and low to the ground, so it turns and accelerates like a racing flat while still giving you the carbon snap you expect from a modern running shoe. Compared with the Vaporfly 4, which is built for the full and half, the Streakfly trades stack and long-haul cushioning for speed, agility and a more connected feel for the road. We rate it highly for parkrun PBs, track 5Ks and sharp interval sessions. At 170 pounds RRP it is a focused tool, and we would buy it knowing exactly what it is for.

The Endorphin Speed 5 is Saucony's do-it-all tempo trainer, and in our view it is one of the most useful running shoes you can own. It sits below the carbon race shoes and above the plush daily trainers: a springy, nylon-plated shoe built for the fast half of your week. At 155 pounds it costs less than a carbon racer, and the nylon plate means it flexes rather than dictating your stride, so it stays friendly across a range of paces. Push into a tempo and the PWRRUN PB foam gives you real bounce and rebound. Slow it down for a steady long run and it still feels smooth and protective. Plenty of runners will race a half or even a marathon in it. If you want one lightweight shoe to cover workouts, tempo days, progression runs and the odd race, this is the running shoe we would point you to first. The nearest rival is the adidas Adizero Boston 13.