Deviate Nitro Elite 4 vs Endorphin Pro 5

At 170g, the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 now weighs the same as Puma's more aggressive Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, and that shifts who it's for. It keeps the steadier, heel-strike-friendly shape the Elite line has always had, but most reviewers found the midsole livelier than the Elite 3's and the outsole better too. One long-term tester said it was the first Deviate Elite they'd enjoyed since the original, and Believe in the Run went further, calling it Puma's best race shoe so far. We see it as a carbon racing shoe for 10K and half marathon, and a marathon shoe for runners who find the Fast-R too twitchy. The catches are a narrow midfoot, thin forefoot rubber and early wear reports from a couple of testers. At £215 RRP it's priced alongside the big names, so check the price table before paying full whack.

Most carbon racers ask for a steady foot. Saucony built the Endorphin Pro 5 for runners who find them a bit wobbly. It's a carbon racing shoe with a slotted plate and PWRRUN PB foam, and at a listed 206g it isn't among the lightest super shoes. In return you get a planted, guided ride. Reviewers rate it most highly between 5K and half marathon pace, and plenty of club runners will happily take it through a marathon. Fordy Runs sees it as a race shoe for everyday runners rather than elites. Believe in the Run was cooler: it found the shoe barely changed from the Endorphin Pro 4 and missing the pop of the best race shoes. The two views don't really clash. If you want Saucony's most aggressive racer, that's the Endorphin Elite 3. If you'd rather have a stable, hard-wearing race shoe you can also train in, the Pro 5 is one of the easier ones to get along with.