Hurricane 25 vs Hurricane 26

Heavy and bulky it may be, but the Hurricane 25 scored higher with independent reviewers than most stability shoes we track. RunRepeat's lab review put it in its top band, and the other two reviews we read liked the ride just as much. It's Saucony's most cushioned support shoe: 38mm of stack under the heel, a 6mm drop and a wide base that keeps an inward-rolling foot in line without a hard medial post. At 283g it isn't built for intervals, and nobody we read tried to use it that way. It earns its £160 RRP on slow miles, recovery days and the back half of long runs, when your form starts to fade. Reviewers disagree on how much it moved on from the 24. Believe in the Run found it bouncier and less plodding, while a UK panel called it a mild update to a similar shoe. Neutral runners who like a big, planted shoe get on with it too.

Saucony took weight out of the Hurricane this year and added some bounce, and reviewers noticed. On our spec sheet the 26 is lighter than the Hurricane 25 with an almost identical stack and a low 5.9mm drop, and most reviews say it rides livelier too. The 25 could feel a bit flat underfoot. This one keeps getting called bouncy, which you don't often hear about a max-stability shoe. It's a daily training shoe for overpronators who want plenty of cushioning for easy miles and marathon training. The support comes from a very wide base and a raised edge on the inside of the foot rather than a hard post, and The Run Testers found neutral runners could get on with it as well. What you give up is agility: the platform is huge, it isn't built for speed, and a couple of reviews felt it's a little less stable than the 25. RTINGS was the least enthusiastic source we read, mainly because it's no shoe for quick running. RRP is £170, £10 above the 25's, so check the price table before you buy.