Mizuno Neo Lumina vs Nike Wildhorse 10

Mizuno calls the Neo Lumina "perfect for entry-level runners, especially trail runners", and it is the most approachable shoe in the brand's off-road line. Where the high-stacked Neo Accera is Mizuno's "super trail" shoe with a rock plate and Vibram rubber, the Lumina is a simpler daily trainer for forest tracks, gravel and light trails, sharing its Enerzy foam family with road shoes such as the Wave Rider 30.

The midsole is Mizuno Enerzy, a foam the brand says is designed for softness and rebound, with no plate. The outsole combines Mizuno's W-Grip pattern for traction on forest and gravel paths with X10 carbon rubber in high-wear areas such as the heel. The sole uses Smooth Speed Assist geometry, and the insock is removable. It weighs 290 g, has a 6 mm drop and a 32 mm heel, and a GORE-TEX version is sold for wet conditions.

Specs and features from emea.mizuno.com, sportsshoes.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.

Nike skipped a ninth version, so the Wildhorse 10 follows the Wildhorse 8 as the brand's cushioned everyday trail shoe for easy-to-moderate trails, gravel and long runs. Other options in Nike's trail range include the road-to-trail ACG Pegasus Trail and the lower-drop ACG Zegama Trail.

ReactX foam replaces React in the midsole, with a taller heel and forefoot stack, more midsole curvature and a much wider forefoot platform than before. A forefoot plate, which Nike calls Rock Shield, adds underfoot protection, and the outsole uses Nike's All Terrain Compound rubber in two zones, with Y-shaped lugs in alternating directions and an exposed foam channel from heel to midfoot. The engineered mesh upper has punched ventilation holes and toe-cap reinforcements. Despite the extra stack, it is slightly lighter than its predecessor, at 311 g in a men's UK 8.5, with a 9.5 mm drop.

Specs and features from runrepeat.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.