While this fetching metallic red MP3 player may look the part, it’s far too complicated for simple running needs. Getting music onto it from your computer is a technical nightmare. Though it fits snugly in your hand, the screen is too small to read on the move and there are too many extra buttons – you could easily press one by mistake. It does last for 40 hours on one AA battery, in case you feel like doing ten marathons back to back.

The same shape and size as a Zippo lighter, the Monolith Slide provides a timely reminder – as you’re gasping for breath mid-run – that you need to give up smoking. While it may look sleek and stylish, at twice the weight of the iPod Shuffle it’s far too heavy to fit unobtrusively in your pocket and the controls are so fiddly that it would be easier to tie your shoelace on the move than it would to select a specific track.

This no-frills addition to the iPod family is perfect for the recreational runner who’s not fussed about recording how far or fast he’s going. It’s absurdly easy to use – the only buttons it has are play/pause, volume up/down and track skip forward/back. It has no display screen, but who wants to search for a track in the middle of a run anyway? It’s slim and light, and it’s simple to charge direct from your computer. Best of all, it’s cheap as chips.

The Rio Forge is small and light and fits ergonomically into your palm. It has a rugged, rubberised shell that makes it easy to grip, with the volume control placed thoughtfully next to your thumb so you can boost your motivation easily in moments of pain and anguish. It’s easy to load up with music, though the screen and font are a bit small for track selection on the move. The ‘sports clip earbuds’ stayed on a lot better than some other headphones.

The Oregon Scientific is small and light enough to slip in your pocket without jangling about and ruining your run. It’s easy enough to work, though getting music onto it took a while, and the buttons are tiny and too delicate to be used effectively at pace. The radio reception is also not great on the move. It has less memory than the other players, just 128MB, though it does have an SD expansion slot for up to 512MB additional memory.

More of a portable personal trainer than a standard music player, the MP3 Run is designed for the hardcore runner. The sound quality is superb, especially for FM radio, and the display is clear and bright. However, its main selling point is a small clip that attaches to your shoelaces and communicates pace and distance information to the player via a wireless connection. It’ll even bark your progress at you through your headphones at pre-set intervals.

The Muvo Sport lacks style – it made us think of the stopwatches used by teachers at school sports day – but it fits comfortably in your hand or pocket and is easy to use. Getting music onto it is straightforward and it’s got a big screen, though the fonts could be a little larger for picking tracks at pace. It’s both rugged and splash-proof, making it perfect for running, and extra features include a stopwatch that does both lap times and splits.