Ranking the Daily Trainers from Each Running Shoe Brand
Below we are ranking the daily trainers from each running shoe brand based on the versatility and the quality of the options. We will take a look at the ASICS Megablast and Novablast 5, the Puma Magnify Nitro 3 and Velocity Nitro 4, the Nike Vomero 18 and Vomero Plus, the Adidas SL2 and EVO SL and more from Saucony, On, Hoka, Brooks, and New Balance.
We graded every shoe brand’s daily trainer lineup. Some brands are stacked with versatile options that cover everything from recovery miles to strides, while others still feel behind the curve. Puma, ASICS, and Mizuno are pushing modern foams and variety across their lineups, while On and New Balance land lower with limited choices. A strong rotation starts with daily trainers, and the differences between brands are bigger than you’d think.
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ASICS: A+
ASICS has the most stacked daily trainer lineup of any brand. Each option has a distinct strength and clearly-defined purpose. The Novablast 5 is a fun, bouncy daily trainer while the Dynablast 5 offers an-entry level version of the Novablast, reminding us a lot of the Novablast 3. If you like a more traditional daily trainer, the Gel-Cumulus 27 is a perfect option and if you need more stability in your daily trainer, the Gel-Kayano 32 is still a fun but traditional option. A lot of people, especially bigger runners or those who have stability needs, enjoy the Superblast 2 as a versatile daily trainer and as a long-run shoe. And the best of all of the daily trainers on this list is the Megablast—a premium, do-it-all daily trainer—because it is so lightweight and protective while being comfortable for slower paces and fun and responsive for faster miles. It would also be a great long run and marathon race shoe.
ASICS Gel-Kayano 32
ASICS Megablast
Asics Novablast 5
On: C+
Most of On's daily trainers still rely on firm and outdated standard EVA despite their premium price tags. The Cloudsurfer 2 and the Cloudmonster 2 are On's standard daily trainers and they are just not that exciting and feel a bit brick-ish. The Cloudmonster Hyper is a sold long run workhorse, though.
On Cloudsurfer 2
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New Balance: B-
Rumor has it that New Balance is making the switch to TPU following a disappointing generation of daily trainers. None of these shoes are outright bad, but they don't deliver the energy return runners expect in 2025. The 880v15 is New Balance's workhorse daily trainer, but if you are looking for a softer, more cushioned daily trainer, you might want to try the 1080v14 or the Balos, which also provides a bit of bounce. If you prefer a lighter-weightr daily trainer that works pretty well for uptempo paces as well, the Rebel v5 is the best pick from the New Balance daily trainer line-up.
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v15
New Balance Rebel v5
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Hoka: A-
Hoka might be behind the curve in the racing department, but they have a great daily trainer lineup, from the lively, fast Mach 6 for uptempo daily miles to the traditional and protective Clifton 10. The Skyflow is also a really solid firmer daily trainer with a smooth ride. You can forget the Rincon 4 all together, we don't recommend that one.
Hoka Clifton 10
Hoka Mach 6
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Hoka Skyflow
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Adidas: A
The EVO SL is arguably the most popular uptempo trainer of 2025, beloves for its bouncy race foam midsole and affordable price point. The SL2 delivers exceptional value at $130, and the Ultraboost 5X is a good (albeit overpriced) workhorse daily trainer. Quality control issues prevent Adidas from reaching an A+ grade. Our Adistar 4 was practically unrunnable due to foam inconsistencies and sizing issues, and many have reported similar problems across the brand's lineup.
Adidas Evo SL
Adidas Adizero SL2
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Saucony: B+
The Endorphin Speed 5 is the highlight of Saucony's daily trainer lineup, but PWRRUN PB isn't lighting up the world like it used to. The Tempus 2, a dual-foam stability-oriented shoe, and the Triumph 23, a cushioned and supportive daily trainer, once cornerstones of the performance daily trainer market, have fallen off in this generation. The Ride 18 is still a solid, normal feeling daily trainer, but again, there's nothing very exciting about it compared to the competition.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 5
Saucony Ride 18
Nike: B
The Vomero 18 and Vomero Plus are good highly-cushioned daily options with the Vomero Plus having even more cushioning and bounce to the foam and higher mileage capability than the Vomero 18. On the otherhand, the Pegasus line, including the Pegasus 41, their traidiontal daily trainer, is in desperate need of a refresh. It will be interesting to see how Nike finishes out the Structure silo with the release of the Structure Plus and Premium, but the Structure 26 is a pretty traditional, stability oriented daily trainer. Nike has recently shown willingness to bring new ideas to the table with releases such as the Pegasus Premium and the Vomero Premium. We hope to see this spirit of innovation trickle down to their daily trainers.
Nike Vomero 18
Nike Vomero Plus
Brooks: A
From the surprisingly versatile Ghost 17, to the Megablast-esque, uptempo daily trainer, Hyperion 3, to the workmanlike, lower-drop Ghost Max 3, Brooks has something for everyone in the daily trainer department. And if you need more stability in your daily trainer, the Adrenaline GTS 24 is Brooks' stability-oriented option. The Glycerin 22 is the only real miss in their daily trainer lineup.
Brooks Ghost 17
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Brooks Hyperion 3
Brooks Ghost Max 3
Mizuno: B+
Mizuno doesn't have as many performance daily trainers as other brands, but the Neo Zen, Wave Rider 29, and Wave Sky 9 are all great in their own right. The Neo Zen is a bouncy, soft, fun daily trainer, while the Wave Sky 9 is a more traditional max stack daily trainer. The Wave Rider 29 is the more reliable, durable daily trainer of the bunch.
Mizuno Neo Zen
Mizuno Wave Rider 29
Mizuno Wave Sky 9
Puma: A+
Other brands might be stuck in the past, but Puma has fully embraced modern midsole compounds in their training shoes. If you don't mind a higher drop feel and slightly narrow fit, Puma delivers some of the most bouncy, versatile, and fun daily trainers on the market. The Magnify 3 is a comfortable, protective, and cushioned daily trainer while the Velocity Nitro 4 is a lower-stack, more versatile option. The ForeverRun Nitro 2 is the best option if you have stability needs and the Deviate Nitro 3 is a really fun and versatile uptempo daily trainer.
Puma Magnify Nitro 3
Puma Velocity Nitro 4
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