While the $1+\mathrm{log}$ slicing condition has been extremely successful in numerous numerical relativity simulations, it is also known to develop ``gauge shocks'' in some examples. Alternative ``shock-avoiding'' slicing conditions suggested by Alcubierre prevent these pathologies in those examples, but have not yet been explored and tested very broadly. In this paper we compare the performance of shock-avoiding slicing conditions with those of 1+log slicing for a number of ``text-book'' problems, including black holes and relativistic stars. While, in some simulations, the shock-avoiding slicing conditions feature some unusual properties and lead to more ``gauge dynamics'' than the $1+\mathrm{log}$ slicing condition, we find that they perform quite similarly in terms of stability and accuracy, and hence provide a very viable alternative to $1+\mathrm{log}$ slicing.