Winflo 12

This is an easy-pace shoe. Reviewers agree it's smooth and steady at relaxed effort and starts to feel sluggish when you push on, which fits the weight and a ride without much bounce. One lab did measure more energy return than on the previous version, so it has a bit more life than the Winflo 11, though nobody would call it springy. Keep it for easy days and long runs.

Soft, especially at the heel. One lab measured the midsole well below average firmness, and another rated heel protection excellent at every impact level it tested. The forefoot gives you less. That second lab found it protective for lighter runners at easy pace but less so under heavier loads, so heavier forefoot strikers may find it thinner than the stack numbers suggest.

It's stable, mostly because it's big. The midsole is wide at both ends, which gives a planted feel even though one lab found it fairly easy to twist. Nike doesn't sell it as a stability shoe, but neutral runners who wobble in soft trainers may find it more settled than they expect.

The upper is padded and fairly structured, which reviewers liked for comfort. Breathability splits them: one lab gave it a good ventilation score, while one UK reviewer found the thicker upper warm on hotter runs. The weak spot is up front. One lab rated toe-box durability poor, so if your big toe tends to wear through mesh, expect it to happen here well before the heel, which held up well.