Zoom Fly 6 vs Deviate Nitro 4

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.

Puma cut the Deviate Nitro 4's RRP to £150, £10 under version 3, and made it a friendlier shoe while it was at it. Reviewers agree it's the best-fitting Deviate so far: the upper has more give, and the midsole feels softer on easy runs yet still picks up when you push. Think of it as a carbon-plated daily training shoe and tempo shoe rather than a marathon racer. It sits lower than most super trainers, and on paper its 7mm drop is lower than the old model's too. What it lacks is a bit of excitement. One UK review panel liked it but felt rivals such as the Adizero EVO SL are springier, and lab testing found the heel much less lively than the forefoot. We rate it a very good all-rounder, a step behind the best in its class.