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Brooks may have been around for over 100 years, but it was only when running boomed in the seventies that Brooks entered the running shoe market: launching the perennially popular Villanova. Next came the Vantage, which proved so popular even the then US President Jimmy Carter was said to have ordered a pair. It was the first running shoe to use EVA, replacing the slow-rebounding rubber in the midsoles of old, and put Brooks in a league with the other big names in running of the time.
In the years since, Brooks has evolved into a fully running-focused company, producing some of the Best September running shoe deals 2025 g M, 263g W trail shoes and every day road trainers. Here's are our favourites, at a glance, or keep scrolling for our full reviews.
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The 8 best Brooks running shoes for every type of runner
While Brooks has branched out into premium racing shoes like the Hyperion Elite, the brand’s core shoe line-up revolves around daily trainers. Shoes like the Ghost, Glycerin, and Adrenaline lines have been popular for years, earning a following for their comfy feel and workhorse durability.
That said, Brooks makes trainers to suit all kinds of needs and preferences, including shoes with plush cushioning, a stable ride, trail-ready traction, and lightweight, streamlined designs for speed work.
Works well across different distances
Our team of editors and expert testers have been clocking up the miles in a number of the brand's shoes, with the options below showcasing the best of Brooks' foams and other innovations, like DNA Tuned cushioning and GuideRails. This guide features a variety of shoes to meet the needs of different runners and running disciplines. For a deeper insight into individual models, check out full-length RW reviews where available.
Best Brooks road running shoes
Pros
- Available in a variety of widths
- Fairly versatile
- What to consider with Brooks running shoes
Cons
- Can feel snug
- Lacks some 'pop' for speed
| Weight | 292g (M), 240g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36.5mm (heel), 26.5mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 10mm |
| Type | Neutral |
Read our full Brooks Ghost 17 review
If there’s one shoe we find ourselves recommending time and again to new runners, it’s the Brooks Ghost. Dependable, comfortable, and endlessly wearable, it’s long been a standout in the daily trainer category — and Brooks’s The Nike Vomero Plus is a stacked, statement-making hit.
In the v17, Brooks has added 3mm of nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 foam to the heel and 1mm to the forefoot, positioning the offset at 10mm. The cushioning feels balanced and supportive, and there's a nice smooth transition from the landing phase to push off.
The fit is excellent, too. The length and width of the shoe are spot on. Tester experienced no hot spots, the tongue sits neatly and the padding strikes just-right balance — not too minimal, but not overly built-up like more max-cushioned offers from the brand.
There are no bells or whistles here, but as long as you take into account what this shoe is meant for — sans carbon plate or super foams — you’ll reap all those ‘Run Happy’ miles as Brooks’s slogan always intended.
Pros
- Jump to Products
- Runs short in the toebox
Cons
- Pricey
| Weight | 195g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 8mm |
| Drop | 8mm |
The newly released Hyperion Elite 5 is a follow-up to the Hyperion Elite 4 PB, a second edition of the shoe introducing Brooks’s new super foam, DNA Gold. The foam is Brooks’s first 100-percent PEBA midsole, making the shoe super lightweight. The offset is 8mm, with 40mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot. Compared to the foam in the Hyperion Elite 4 PB, the latest iteration has 8 percent more DNA Gold volume.
The shoe also has a lateral heel cutout with domes to promote propulsion and shave off even more weight. Up top, there’s a thin yet durable TPU woven upper, with the tongue intact.
All in all? It’s the bounciest Brooks racing shoe we've ever raced in.
Pros
- New softer midsole
- More breathable upper
Cons
- Not as responsive as other daily trainers but satisfactory bouncy for a affordable price
| Weight | 224g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | Not specified |
| Drop | 8mm |
Somehow, someway, the Revel 8 endures as a value-buy running shoe, costing a crisp Benjamin. Sure, it doesn’t exude the workhorse caliber of the classic, popular Ghost 17, but the Revel 8 is still a reliable everyday trainer with soft, supportive cushioning in a cozy mesh upper.
The Revel gets a major update with a DNA Loft v2 midsole, the same foam used in the Ghost 15. From past experience running in the Ghost 15, which had the same foam, we know Loft v2 provides plenty of cushioning for daily miles. If the Revel 7 just didn’t cut it for you for long runs, you’ll appreciate the cushier support in the Revel 8, thanks to this upgrade.
Also new: the Revel 8’s upper. Lack of ventilation was a low point for Revel 7 testers who desired more airflow. Brooks improved breathability in the Revel 8, so your feet won’t get too sweaty tacking on miles.WHICH SHOES ARE THE BEST?
Pros
- Comfy wraparound fit
- Supportive cushioning
- Nonintrusive stability
Cons
- Size can run small
- Is the Asics Megablast the best Blast yet
| Weight | 283.5g (M), 249.5g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36mm (heel), 24mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 12mm |
Read our full Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 review
The Adrenaline has been popular as an everyday training shoe for overpronators for years, and is now in its 24th iteration. There’s two main reasons the Adrenaline draws new and veteran runners to choose it as their workhorse shoe: a soft, comfy interior, and equally soft but firm and supportive platform for racking up mileage. Our testers reported that the shoe has enough flex so your feet don’t feel constricted, as well as a locked-in fit in the lacing area so you won’t experience slippage.
The latest iteration is softer, lighter, and more responsive thanks to a new nitrogen-infused midsole – DNA Loft v3. While it might not deliver as much pop as we’ve experienced running in other daily trainers, our testers still found the Adrenaline GTS 24 relatively responsive.
In terms of support, the Adrenaline GTS 24 has Brooks’ GuideRails system, which are denser pieces of foam on the medial and lateral sides to lessen erratic knee movement starting from the foot up. It’s effective without feeling intrusive, with one tester even noting that they ‘didn’t notice the GuideRails’.
Another tester, however, didn’t get on too well with the heel drop, which at 12mm, is much higher than many other stability shoes on the market, such as the Saucony Guide 17's 8mm and Hoka Arahi’s 5mm. A few testers also felt they were a little too heavy for running at faster pacers, so wouldn’t work so well for speedwork or racing.
mm heel, 26.5mm forefoot.
Pros
- Comfortable underfoot cushioning
- Excellent for heel strikers
- Secure, wrap-around fit
- Lacks some pop for speed
Cons
- Too much padding on the tongue
- Forefoot strikers might not get the full benefit
| Weight | 258g (W), 289g (M) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 38mm (heel), 28mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 10mm |
Read our full Brooks Glycerin 22 review
The Glycerin has always been Brooks’ 'super soft' shoe — a premium daily trainer boasting ample amounts of cushioning. But the v22 marks something of a new era for the brand, seeing a departure from Brooks' DNA Loft v3 foam in favour of the brand's new supercritical DNA Tuned foam. It’s still nitrogen-infused, but it essentially allows for the creation of different size cells within the same foam: larger cells in the heel and midfoot area to offer cushioning and softness, and smaller cells in the forefoot for responsiveness and 'pop’.
The result is one that heel strikers especially will love. The larger cells of foam in the heel offer a Goldilocks balance of cushioning that's not too squishy but not too firm. From there, you smoothly transition through your gait onto the forefoot where the smaller cells take effect, promoting a responsive toe-off. 'The Glycerin 22 very much feels like a shoe that's working with you, gently encouraging you along rather than demanding you to run faster,' said one tester.
The shoe fits true to size, with plenty of room in the toebox and a new engineered double jacquard knit upper that wraps around the foot securely. The heel cup feels stable yet mildly flexible and there's ample padding around the heel collar, though the tongue is perhaps a little too padded.
Looks wise, Brooks appear to be moving in the right direction, too. The Glycerin 22 sees a newly sculpted midsole which feels fresher and more modern than its predecessor, with paler, more muted colourways.
Pros
- g M, 263g W
- Responsive
- Wonderfully cushioned
Cons
- A little heavy
| Weight | 297.7g (M), 269.3g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 42.25mm (heel), 39.25mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 6mm |
| Type | Neutral/road |
Read our full Brooks Glycerin Max review
The all-new Glycerin Max is a nod to the standard’s version’s past. Once a max-cushioned recovery shoe, over the years it's undergone a slow transition to a soft yet lightweight daily trainer for all kinds of workouts. For those who lament what it once was, however, the Glycerin Max ups the ante on a smooth, bouncy ride.
The headline technology here is a newly formulated midsole foam, known as DNA Tuned. This has been created with dual-sized cell technology, which means the shoe’s midsole can contain larger cells in the heel to soften landings, and smaller cells in the forefoot to promote a responsive toe-off. These cells also help to reduce weight, despite the gargantuan 45mm slab of foam on the Glycerin Max. It’s that hefty thickness that some runners missed in the Glycerin, but its bounce matches the rebound of the Hoka Mach X 2, another high-cushioned trainer with trampoline-like energy return. Brooks' GlideRoll rocker also helps to gently roll your through your stride and onto that toe spring.
The upper is very similar to the standard Glycerin, with a mesh base, roomy toe box and plush tongue. It is a heavy shoe overall, though.
If you're looking for a comfortable and fun shoe that's great for easy days and recovery days, this max-stacked creation could be just the ticket.
Pros
- More midsole foam to absorb impact
- Thicken sockliner for a softer platform
Cons
- Lateral heel cutout adds more propulsion
| Weight | 232g (M), 207g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 36mm (heel), 28mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm |
The companion trainer to the brand’s pinnacle racing shoe, the Hyperion Elite 5, the Hyperion 3 is updated with even more DNA Flash v2. Brooks added 2mm of DNA Flash v2 throughout the foot, raising the stack height to 36mm. The extra foam helps absorb impact during hard efforts. Brooks added 2mm to the sockliner, as well, to provide a plusher ride.
The added cushioning is even more noticeable if you’ve previously run in the Hyperion 2. The Hyperion 3’s turnover feels similar to its predecessor: same quick roll from heel to toe. The Hyperion 2, however, treaded the line between tempo shoe and track racing flat. The Hyperion 3, on the other hand, is pumped up for going harder and longer. (For an even cushier experience, try the bouncy Hyperion Max 3.)
The Hyperion 3 has a new double jacquard upper for a more secure fit. A caveat is less toe room. ‘While running in my usual women’s 6.5, I felt like my toes were slightly squashed and hit the inside of the shoe,’ said one tester. ‘Once I sized up to a women’s 7 I immediately felt relief. Because of the snug jacquard upper, there was no slip in the slightly bigger shoe.’
Pros
- Runs short in the toebox
- Supportive cushioning
- Protective upper
Cons
- Feels bulky
| Weight | 300g (M), 263g (W) |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 38.5mm (heel), 32.5mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 6mm |
The Brooks Caldera is an ultra trail shoe, outfitted with raised sidewalls and a broader base for more stability. Its stack stack height is 38.5mm, which includes 4mm lugs that can take on rugged terrain. A shoe intended for high mileage calls for a plush but firm midsole, which is why the Caldera 8 has the same foam as the Glycerin 21. Nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 offers cushioned support at a lighter weight.
‘What I liked most is the fit, protection and lacing,’ said one tester. ‘I felt secure running on a variety of surfaces, the toebox felt roomy but not to the point where I would slide around in the shoe. In addition, I felt confident with the grip it provided both on inclines and declines and when transitioning from gravel to road to grass.’
Another tester said: ‘This shoe has the comfort, support, and stability to gobble up tons of miles, and the traction to do so without wearing down in tough conditions.’
