Zoom Fly 6 vs Endorphin Trainer 1

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.

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.