NEW RELEASE SHOES

Treat your feet to a new pair of kicks this summer

BrookS Launch 8

£100|brooksrunning.com/en_gb|Tester Geri

I’ve loved running every mile in the Brooks Launch 8. They didn’t need breaking in; they were comfortable from the first step. They are a lightweight, neutral shoe with minimal cushioning, making them a no.1 choice for your speed sessions, although they’ll also work just as well for your everyday runs. Let’s look at first impressions; these shoes are lightweight with a sleek look and great cushioning. With a snug fit, the upper is breathable and there’s plenty of room in the toe box. Something about this shoe forced me to focus on my style and technique while running. To sum up, this is a lightweight shoe which offers energy return and a bouncy ride. I love Brooks and cannot fault them; as the slogan says, it’s all about running happy.

How we test

Our kit is tested by real runners: passionate women with diverse running experiences, from dedicated marathoners to happy plodders. We wear the clothes, run in the shoes and use the tech on our usual runs to see if they go the distance. We then give each piece of kit our star rating. Prices are RRP and correct at time of printing.

Our testers include:

Susan Bonnar Promotions and marketing manager, mum of three, discovered running in her mid 40s.

Laura McGoldrick From half marathon runner to keen trail runner, Laura’s taking on her first ultra this summer.

Caroline Trowbridge Actress, children’s author, reiki master and mum of two. Loves running for wellbeing.

Geraldine Perrier Wife and mum, travels the world for work, loves off-road running and discovering new trails.

Claire Kelson Photographer and mum of two, enjoys mixing gym with miles on and off road.

Louise Breckon-Richards Actress, writer and mum of two boys, runs three times a week in north London.

Asics GT-1000 10

£110|asics.com

Tester Geri

The GT-1000 is such a versatile and lightweight shoe, offering a comfortable and stable ride for both neutral and overpronating runners. This shoe is designed so that overpronators will get all the support they need, but if you’re a neutral runner looking for a more stable ride you too will love this model. The flight foam midsole makes the shoe responsive and reduces the impact on runs. What’s that you say? No more knee issues? Fingers crossed! I found the test pair to be a superb fit; comfortable straight out of the box and with just enough room in the toe box. I also thought these Asics had good traction on wet surfaces, whether it was grass or gravel. A good, supportive all-rounder.

Brooks Glycerin 19

£140|brooksrunning.com

Tester Caroline

Such a road running classic. If your main driver is a smooth comfortable ride, look no further. The impact you take pounding the pavements gets reduced with every stride. The super soft DNA loft cushioning fitted my high arches so beautifully that I instantly felt relaxed. Plus the inner sock liner makes these easy to slip on and off, which I love as there’s no faffing with laces for me! I think these are best suited to longer miles though I would recommend going up half a size as I found my normal size 5 slightly tight in the toe box. Nevertheless, these shoes have great stretch in the upper thanks to the breathable mesh 3D Fit. While they are responsive, I like more of a forward traction than these shoes provide but then I remember that it feels so good for the soul to run steady, take in the view and enjoy the ride.

Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra Trail

£140|adidas.co.uk

Tester Caroline

What an incredible pair of trail shoes! Sadly, the pretty Cloud White/Acid Mint/Screaming Pink colourway option was never going to stay that cool and clean on the trail paths near me. That didn’t stop me thinking I was running with much more agility and speed than normal, largely due to how highly responsive these trail shoes are. The features are impressive too. You instantly notice how light they feel at only 245g. They are not bulky, and the lugs look substantial but not too extreme for the streamline style of shoe. The mesh upper has abrasion-resistant weldings and my feet stayed dry. I liked the perforated tongue that aids the breathability and the reflective print is eye catching as well as functional. It’s the performance that keeps these gazelle-like shoes scoring high; thanks to the Boost midsole and Lightstrike cushioning, you get an amazing return on every stride. I would recommend going up a half a size on your normal shoe size as the toe box felt tight on my size 5. Pretty and powerful.