We’re going to be covering a lot of different brands here in our shoe section (shoes… so many shoes!). We’re going to kick things off with a look at Brooks running shoes for women.
Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX trail shoe
Brooks is a company that is really passionate about their running shoes. They are a company that is all about running. That is pretty much all they do!
What have they got?
Brooks has an awesome website. Their running shoe advisor will help you pick the right shoes for you based on factors like
– your weight
– your foot width and how much your ankles roll
– distances you like to run
They have a big range of running shoes for all needs:
- Neutral (general running shoes, designed for a smooth ride. My road runners are neutral)
- Guidance (general running shoes, designed for those who tend to strike the road with their forefoot)
- Support (general running shoes, designed for those who tend to strike the road with their heel and have moderate ankle roll)
- Motion control (general running shoes, also for heel strikers, but with severe ankle roll)
- Lightweight (general running shoes, less depth in the sole)
- Trail
- Track
And there are still more, including shoes for girls, and a heritage collection. Basically, Brooks have all your bases covered. Most of their shoes are in the USD $100-150 range, and they come in a nice variety of colors.
Another thing I really like about Brooks is that each shoe is available in up to four different colors. I think that is awesome! I don’t know about you, but I feel sooo disappointed when I find a great shoe, but it’s a horrible color. Or the shoe gets its yearly update, and suddenly it looks like rainbow vomit. I know it doesn’t affect how the shoe works, but still… even running shoes should be a little bit pretty.
Top selling neutral shoe: Glycerin 13
What do women think of Brooks shoes?
I’ve done some research on reviews of Brooks shoes, so you don’t have to. I’ve taken some common comments that I came across for all Brooks shoes.
One comment I came across that is neither a pro nor a con, but definitely a FYI if you’re thinking about buying a pair of Brooks online: they tend to run smaller than other shoes, so you might need to get 1/2 size smaller than you were expecting.
I found that women had a lot more good things to say about Brooks than they did negative. You’ll see this for yourself if you head over to Amazon: more than 70% of the comments for Brooks products are positive.
Positive comments
“the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn”
“I’d definitely recommend them to a friend”
“feet feel very supported”
“feel like I’m running on air”
“good for running and walking
The flip side
“cushioning changes with updated models didn’t suit my feet”
“weren’t wide enough”
Ravenna 6 guidance shoe
To be honest, most of the negative comments seemed to be related to people purchasing from a third party retailer such as Amazon, and finding they were the wrong fit. Many felt they would have been better off if they had bought the shoes direct from Brooks.
Now I want some!
I haven’t tried any Brooks shoes myself yet, but after doing this research, I think I’m gonna have to get a pair and test them out! I’ll make sure to buy them direct from Brooks though, and use their running shoe advisor to help me choose the best.
Any excuse for new shoes, right?!
Your running buddy,
Em