GT-2100 (stability) £80 Asics Gel 1100 (stability) £65 Asics Gel DS Trainer X (performance) £80 Asics Gel Landreth (performance) £75 Asics Gel DS Racer (racing) £75 Asics Gel Kanji (racing) £55 Asics Gel Eagle Trail Gore-Tex (off-road) £90 Brooks

between Asics’s Gel Lyte DS and Asics DS Trainer in terms of its protection – or stability. That’s not a problem for the lighter, faster, more efficient off-road runners it’s designed for, though you wouldn’t want to run far over stones in them. You also

slightly firm forefoot lets it down.Try it on if you liked Asics Gel DS Trainer £80; Nike Air Zoom Elite £80

has slightly more protection in the upper than the very light, breezy mesh the 730 provided. How does it compare with other shoes that straddle the line between performance trainer and racer? The most obvious alternative is the £65 Asics Gel Verdict

AdidasadiStar Control 4 (motion control) £100 Response Cushion (cushioned) £65 Supernova Cushion 6 (cushioned) £75 AsicsGel Kayano XIII (stability) £115 Gel-DS Trainer 12 (performance) £85 Gel-Foundation 7 (motion control) £75 BrooksGlycerin 5

’s already smooth, responsive feel. At 312g, you could think of it as a budget alternative not just to the 2070, but to the DS Trainer too. It also comes in width options this year.Apart from the cushioning and the weight, the other differences between

Precision (£60); Adidas Cairo (old version, £65); Asics Gel DS Trainer (£80)

, it’s not a daily trainer, but it’s bound to be on a few marathon runners’ feet or end up as a second shoe for speedwork.Try it on if you liked Asics Gel DS Trainer (£80); Mizuno Wave Precision (£60)

AdidasSupernova Cushion (cushioned) £70 Universal (cushioned) £80 AsicsGel-DS Trainer (performance) £80 Gel Trail Attack (off-road) £60 Gel Kayano (stability) £110 BrooksRadius (cushioned) £65 EtonicDelta (cushioned) £70 PRO 5 MC2 (motion control

of the best shoes of this type available.Try it on if you liked Reebok Premier Lite (£50); Nike Air Skylon (£60); Asics Gel Verdict DS (£65)