Weight 361gEvaluation You’re spoilt for choice if you’re after a decent trail shoe with an Asics label attached. There’s the good value Gel Guts, the top-of-the-range Eagle Trail 2 and the latest addition to the range, the Mesa Trail. The Mesa Trail

Weight 344gEvaluation The Jazz 8 delivers what you’d expect of a shoe bearing the Jazz name. Soft cushioning, a wide, comfortable upper and probably the best grip you’ll find on a road shoe. There’s some added stability compared with the outgoing

's deliberations were announced in New York on November 1, the night before the New York City Marathon. And the winners are... International Editor's Choice: Asics Gel Kayano 14 The overall Editor's Choice award is given to a shoe introduced

, then it’s not a bad choice. Thanks to reasonably sized lugs, grip is decent enough on soggy earth, and the rearfoot lugs face the opposite way to those in the forefoot to add traction when descending. But, as with most shoes of this type, the thick, road

(performance) £55 SalomonXA Pro (off-road) £70 Saucony3D Grid Trigon (cushioned) £70 EDITOR'S CHOICE

Wave Rider 9 (cushioning) £75 NikeAir Zoom Vomero (cushioning) £85Structure Triax 9 (stability) £75 EDITOR'S CHOICE Air Zoom Skylon (performance) £65Pearl IzumisyncroPace (stability) £70 ReebokPremier 3D Lite Trainer (performance) £55 SauconyHurricane 8

Last year the Wave Mercury received quite a hefty update with the addition of carbon fibre to its double fan-shaped wave. That meant extra stability in this light, smooth and responsive shoe. All that Mizuno have done for 2004 is improve the upper

is that it now gives more choice to heavier, stability-oriented runners who want a plush, luxurious shoe.The head-to-head will be between the Asics Gel Kayano, with its firmer, more supportive cushioning, and the Air Kantara, with its deeper, softer ride. They

control shoes while still retaining plenty of support, making it a good choice for the stability-oriented, lighter runner. At 368g the fourth incarnation, the GRID Stabil MC is comparable in weight to some stability shoes, but as supportive as a

HRC. The cushioning and ride is smooth, with a rearfoot GRID unit and rubberised foam cushioning pads in the rear- and forefoot, and a split outsole in the forefoot.The reality is that your choice between the three shoes comes down to your personal