protective off-road shoe with a tough upper, and you don’t run a lot on mud, it’s fine.In short The Gel Eagle Trail is in the New Balance mould of heavyish, protective trail shoes. It has a tough upper and a nice low-profile midsole, but because it doesn

Weight 336gEvaluation The Adrenaline has always been a firmer-feeling choice for runners in the market for a well-balanced £70 stability shoe like the Asics GT-2060, the Nike Air Structure Triax or the Saucony GRID Omni. It has all the key

’t be too surprised: it’s a great shoe. Its appeal is mostly due to its well-balanced midsole. The rearfoot provides a good cushioning balance (not so soft that it bottoms out on impact; not so firm that it feels hard); and the forefoot is springy, smooth

, soft ride, but some of the weartesters didn’t feel it was stable enough. It’s also a shoe that’s likely to be best for heel-strikers, who place a disproportionate amount of pressure on the rear of their shoes – more balanced runners might find that

’s new shoes are tending to be nicely balanced, smooth-riding and – especially at this high-value price point – at least as good as their competitors.The Complete Extol is a typically understated yet pleasing shoe. It’s an everyday training model

Weight 338gEvaluation Good news! Trail shoes in general are starting to get really good. Like the quick, responsive New Balance 904, the GRID Harrier has an emphasis on traction and speed. It too places the foot low to the ground for a positive feel

in common with running shoes than with ‘outdoor’ shoes. It’s flexible enough to run naturally in, and no heavier than, say, a heavy New Balance trail shoe.If you want real running speed and excellent grip (and speed often requires grip), a shoe like

programme successful is to get the right balance between the work (volume and effort levels) and opportunity for recovery (sleep, relaxation, easy/rest days etc). The ideal balance will differ for individuals, but lifestyle and age are important factors

Weight 336gEvaluation The nicely-balanced and very agreeable GRID Omni was doing well for Saucony in this country, so it’s a shame that they seem to have ripped up the blueprint and started again. Not that the new version doesn’t have its own

and trails the Wildwood performs well on the road, too. So it should suit those who do a balanced mix of road and off-road running. In short An off-road shoe that comes from a road background. It isn’t an aggressive off-road shoe but it’s stable and well