We’re big fans of this US brand at MF, but this was not our favourite from the Brooks range. Although reassuringly stable, the sole was a little thin for MF’s taste. So it’s ideal if, in a running sense, you don’t like too much spring in your step.

This shoe came close to matching the Asics shoe’s all-round ability and feel. Supportive, particularly around the arches, and well cushioned around the heel, it’s also light, grippy and responsive when you want to up the pace.  

Stockists: 0800 328 0180

This shoe’s performance matched its looks. The springy two-part sole was good at speed and created a pleasant ‘rolling’ footfall. We found the inner a little coarse and the soles lacked traction in the wet until they’d been worn in thoroughly, but overall we were extremely impressed.

Stockists: 023 9282 3664

Air Pegasus? Led Zeppelin, more like. This shoe felt heavy and made MF look as if we were running in space boots. It may suit beginners who want a lot of support – it’ll give you that in spades – but as with all these shoes we recommend you try before you buy.

Stockists: 0800 056 1640

This shoe, from another of MF’s favourite running brands, offers plenty of support without being heavy or cumbersome. It didn’t do much to excite us when we upped the pace but that’s largely because it’s aimed at runners who want to cover a lot of miles in comfort, rather than a few miles in haste.

Stockists: 0800 389 1055

MF’s favourite shoe brand comes up trumps again. Asics have hit the nail on the head with a shoe that offers comfort and support with a sturdy yet flexible sole ideal for long runs yet still responsive when you want a burst of speed.

Stockists: 01925 243360

It doesn’t look like a running shoe – and it doesn’t feel entirely like one either. There’s something of the old-school trainer about the solid, chunky sole, which offers little feedback or flexibility. That said, the shoe is light yet sturdy, making it ideal for fashion-conscious beginners.

KFS stands for Kinetic Fit System. We’re wary of acronyms like this because they usually turn out to be Totally Irrelevant Toss Speak (TITS), but in this case we’re sold. The Trinity KFS is neck and neck with the Asics, offering fantastic support, traction and feel. Sadly, it just doesn’t look quite as good.

The brand favoured by our dads in the 1980s actually does a decent running shoe that sits somewhere in the middle of the pack. It’s not as heavy as some of its rivals, but equally it doesn’t offer quite the grip (especially in the wet) or acceleration of the best shoes here. Can we have a rest now please?

Stockists: 01702 541771