Weight 400gEvaluation Salomon’s shoes are a familiar sight at its two-day adventure races, and at longer raids. They have a strong emphasis on protection, and they’re packed with innovation: the kevlar lacing system designed to tighten the upper

Weight 206gEvaluation The Complete Finisher continues Puma’s tradition of turning out good racing shoes and spikes. It’s a simple, no-frills shoe that’s best suited to distances of 10K or less. It’s built on a narrow, curved last, and only efficient

felt much more natural for faster runners than slower ones. At 225g it’s not the lightest short-distance racing shoe around – very light runners would often be looking nearer 200g – but the Pro Plate makes a noticeable difference. It helps your running

) and those that are spike-friendly – or if you’re a big guy who needs a sturdy but very grippy shoe for cross-country races – the Extrano could work for you.Even without the spike feature, the Extrano is a decent – if slightly heavy – trail shoe. Its rubber

Weight 222gEvaluation This shoe couldn’t be more aptly named – it’s 40g lighter than an average cross-country spike, and little over the weight of a good 10K road racing shoe. If you want to feel as though you’re floating on air in a moderate

Weight 250gEvaluation With the Wave Precision Mizuno already has one of the best performance trainers on the market. The lighter Aero fits nicely in between that and the firm's racing shoes. Despite its weight, the Aero still offers sufficient

AdidasAdistar Competition (racing) £80 Climacool Rotterdam (performance) £65 Response Competition (racing) £55 AsicsGel Empire (stability) £95 Gel Evolution (motion control) £90 Gel Nimbus (cushioned) £90 Gel Cumulus (cushioned) £65 Gel Flash DS

Q. How do I elastic-band my shoes and where do I attach them?A. Elastic-banding of bike shoes is an excellent way to save a little time (and seconds can be crucial) in your race because you can get going quickly rather than fiddling around with your

Weight 360gEvaluation Salomon has carved itself a healthy niche in the adventure-racing market with a range of shoes that are wonderfully protective, if a little hefty and rigid for those who just want to run in them. That has changed with its new

, but the Preside is certainly not a shoe for anyone who’s heavy or who has biomechanical problems.Not everyone who buys the Preside would be able to use it as an everyday trainer. If you want to run 26.2 miles in something that falls between a racing shoe and a