In a world with many running shoe brands, it can be hard to know the good from the bad. This sort of skepticism is healthy, but what we really want to know is if the company Brooks makes good running shoes.
Brooks is one of the highest quality running shoe brands on the market, and they provide a plethora of shoe options to fit nearly everyone’s needs.
From neutral, stability, or motion control shoes, you can be sure that Brooks will have something that fits your foot and gait cycle. From a durability perspective, you should expect to get over 300 miles per pair of Brooks running shoes.
Now that we have the obvious out of the way, let’s dig into why and what makes Brooks shoes so great for running.
Why Brooks Shoes Are Good For Running
Brooks: Exclusively a Running Company
One of the main reasons why Brooks shoes are good For running is because they are an exclusive running shoe company.
In 2001, Brooks became a company dedicated to running and creating the best running shoes possible.
Since then, they have only grown in popularity as they have created some of the most iconic and beloved shoe models in running shoe history, Adrenaline GTS and Ghost.
Working exclusively as a running shoe brand has some distinct advantages. First, it allows Brooks to dedicate all of its resources to developing the best shoes possible.
This includes getting user feedback from every runner from the weekend jogger all the way up to the elite professionals racing in their shoes.
With all of the resources that Brooks dedicates to perfecting its craft, it’s no wonder why they have some of the most popular shoe models on the market.
Secondly, Brooks does not have any other sports or market niches to distract them from creating the best running products possible. They can understand the market they want to tap into and understand how to best serve this community.
Finally, Brooks can invest in developing their running community without worrying too much about going in other directions. This means more events, giveaways, and giving back to the running community in particular.
Although this bit is not directly related to Brooks running shoes being good for runners, it shows the company’s dedication to being the best it can be for its market, which does mean better running shoes overall!
But you probably want to know what actually makes Brooks running shoes good for runners. Let’s dive into the design features.
The Upper Design
Brooks makes some of the best fitting and feeling upper materials on the market.
As someone who’s worked in a specialty running store for over 4 years, I can tell you from personal experience that the number one most comfortable uppers at first instep are the brooks shoes, and it does not matter what model!
The new and improved 3D mesh uppers enhance the fit and feeling even more.
Brooks shoes fit your foot like a sock, but it's more protective and has just enough give to provide optimal space. The lockdown over the top of the foot is often perfect if you wear the correct shoe size, and the breathability is near perfect in most models.
Finally, the lacing seems to always feel just right in most of the brooks shoes. The plush laces offer an effective and comfortable lockdown, and they will rarely come untied if laced correctly.
Most Brooks running shoes also come with a sturdy heel counter for some added support in your heel area so you do not slip out or irritate your Achilles with any rubbing.
The Cushioning!
The DNA midsole technology is absolutely iconic nowadays, as it provides an adaptive cushioning system that forms to your individual foot the more you wear it.
Even though Hoka One One pulls the most airtime for its cushioning, Brooks also provides a luxurious amount of cushioning in some of its running shoes.
Brooks also offers plenty of more responsive shoes as well, but those even still provide protection that you’d expect from your running shoes.
The Brooks DNA midsole foam is something unlike any other shoe brand on the market because it forms to your foot the more you use it.
It may be one of the only midsole foams on the market that feels just as good (if not better) at 100 miles as it did at 20 miles.
The way it caters to your personal foot imprint takes place over the course of the shoe’s lifespan, but I will admit that there are diminishing returns after around 120-140 miles, then it begins to feel fairly similar to other running shoes at that mileage.
Brooks shoes provide an excellent inherent stability system through many of its shoes with guide rails.
The great thing about these guide rails is that any runner can wear them whether you are a neutral runner or overpronated. They do make more dedicated motion control shoes for those who overpronate severely too.
Quick Tip: If you are someone who looks for stability within a running shoe, Brooks labels all of its stability shoe models with GTS, which stands for “Go-To-Shoe”. This is a great way to differentiate between the neutral models from the stability models.
These GTS models have those guide rails and act as bumpers on both sides of your foot to slow the rate of pronation or supination.
This is particularly great because it finally offers an effective solution for inherent comprehensive stability, which seems to work better than just putting a thicker midsole foam into the medial side of the shoe to stop over pronation altogether.
Furthermore, Brooks is popular for having a higher heel-to-toe offset, which usually protects your ankles, calves, and Achilles from getting over irritated.
If you are someone who constantly suffers from Achilles tendonitis or sore calves, then you might particularly enjoy Brooks running shoes (specifically the Ghost, Glycerin, and Adrenaline).
The bottom line for the cushioning is that Brooks has some of the best midsole designs and technology in the industry, and that makes Brooks good for runners!
Running Happy
What might be the best part about Brooks is that they want to help the greater running community find joy within their runs, which is why it has launched a Run Happy slogan!
Brooks has a mission to make every runner worry-free and focus on enjoying the sport.
You can even see it in their Run Happy Promise, which reads “Our goal is to make each run better than the last. The gear we offer should improve your miles. So if you’re not happy with a product, then we’re not happy either.”
Brooks wants you to try their product to see just how great it is for runners, but they do not want you to worry, so they offer a 90-day window to return the product for free with no questions asked (except they do love to get your feedback to know what they can improve upon in the next iteration of the shoe model).
It is little details like this that allow runners to find the exact footwear that works for them, and being able to work through a range of products without worrying about an unfavorable return policy.
This might seem unrelated to running shoes yet again, but Brooks goes above just providing good running shoes (and they definitely make good running shoes).
Brooks fosters a healthy relationship with its community and the running community as a whole. I think that is worth an extra thumbs up!
Why Brooks Shoes Are Good For Running Wrap-Up
Brooks has proven to be an incredible ally for the sport of running and all of its participants.
By listening to feedback from its customers, creating great shoes, and encouraging the community that wears them, Brooks may very well be the poster child for what a running shoe company should strive to be.
Without losing sight of the real question here, YES! Brooks makes shoes that are great for running.
It makes models for just about every foot and running gait, so all you need to do is hop over to the Brooks Website to check out the range of options that might best fit your needs!
In the words of Brooks, Run Happy!
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Hi, Jeremy Here,
I am the the guy behind Train for a 5K. On this site, I share everything that learned along my running journey. The content I create is the running training I wish I had before we started this journey. About Me.