The Brooks Glycerin was as soon as essentially the most snug working shoe out there, with its stack of cushioning making it stand out. Now, nonetheless, lots of the finest cushioned trainers have greater stacks and softer foams than the Glycerin—and the Brooks Glycerin 21 is comparatively light-weight and low-stack for a cushioned shoe. This makes it a extra versatile every day coaching possibility than many cushioned footwear, and I price the Glycerin 21 among the many finest trainers for these searching for a protecting shoe that has pop for quicker runs.
Brooks Glycerin 21: Value And Availability
The Brooks Glycerin 21 launched in February 2024 and prices $160 within the US and £165 within the UK. That’s the identical worth because the Glycerin 20 now, although the older shoe initially launched with a UK worth of £155. It’s removed from low-cost, and though lots of the finest cushioned footwear now price an analogous quantity, there are cheaper choices just like the Puma Enlarge Nitro 2 and Saucony Trip 17.
How I Examined This Working Shoe
I ran 32 miles within the Glycerin 21, utilizing it principally for simple runs throughout my marathon coaching, together with one longer run of about 13 miles. I’ve additionally examined every of the earlier six variations of the Brooks Glycerin line, together with the Brooks Ghost Max and Ghost 15, and lots of different cushioned footwear from different manufacturers.
Design And Match
The brand new Glycerin has had its higher, midsole and outsole up to date. Of those I’d say an important is the 2mm enhance in stack peak. The Glycerin 21 is 36mm tall on the heel and 26mm on the forefoot for a 10mm drop, and whereas it’s solely 2mm the additional cushioning is notable whereas working.
The froth used is Brooks’ DNA Loft v3, a nitrogen-infused EVA that provides a very good steadiness of softness and responsiveness. It’s not as squishy as most foams used on cushioned footwear, however nonetheless protects the legs nicely, whereas being secure and giving a bit again whenever you run at quicker paces.Â
Regardless of including extra foam Brooks has been capable of scale back the shoe’s weight. The Glycerin 21 weighs 10.2oz/290g in my UK measurement 9, whereas the Glycerin 20 is 11oz/314g in the identical measurement. A part of that is because of the redesigned higher, which Brooks describes as extra streamlined, however it nonetheless has loads of padding across the tongue and collar to offer the excessive degree step-in consolation you count on from the Glycerin line. The shoe fitted nicely in my traditional working shoe measurement, the identical one I’ve used for earlier variations of the Glycerin.
There’s a new RoadTack rubber outsole on the shoe, which has extra uncovered foam on the underside than the Glycerin 20, however all the important thing impression areas are coated with a thick layer of this rubber and it gripped nicely for me in moist situations.
Working Efficiency
I’ve lengthy been a fan of the Glycerin as a cushty shoe for straightforward runs, and the Glycerin 20 went past that because of the introduction of the nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 foam, which made the shoe extra versatile and pleasant for quicker working. The Glycerin 21 continues alongside that street by being lighter than the 20 whereas including extra foam, which will increase its consolation. The experience isn’t notably bouncy or as mushy as different cushioned footwear, however it’s nicely balanced and works for a vary of working.
It’s nonetheless a shoe that’s finest for straightforward runs and it excels on lengthy runs particularly. As with the Glycerin 20, my favourite runs within the Glycerin 21 had been my longest ones, when the froth supplied a resilient and protecting base to work towards. The 10mm drop and lack of an enormous rocker imply the experience is conventional and fewer easy than extra rockered footwear, however the transition from heel to toe isn’t so snappy that your forefoot slaps the bottom. The Ghost Max is a extra rockered possibility within the Brooks vary that feels smoother, which some runners could choose.
Once I ran quicker within the Glycerin 21 it nonetheless felt cumbersome to me so I’d use it in a working shoe rotation with quicker footwear, however if you happen to choose a cushioned shoe for all of your runs then it’s a very good every day coaching possibility. Nearly all my runs within the shoe had been in moist situations and the grip from the outsole was dependable even when pounding down hills streaming with water. The thick layer of rubber can even be sturdy and the DNA Loft v3 foam has a well-earned popularity for retaining its bounce over a whole bunch of miles, so you possibly can count on the Glycerin 21 to be a long-lasting shoe.
Is The Brooks Glycerin 21 Value It?
When you like a cushioned every day coach, the Glycerin 21 is without doubt one of the finest choices. It’s additionally an awesome decide for marathon coaching, and working the race itself if you happen to’re not capturing for as quick a time as attainable, due to the way in which the froth retains bounce and luxury throughout lengthy runs.
If you need as mushy a experience as attainable, try the New Steadiness Recent Foam X 1080v13 or Asics Gel-Nimbus 26, though these aren’t as versatile because the Glycerin 21 and I choose its really feel for lengthy runs even at simple paces. There are cheaper alternate options that do the identical job, just like the Puma Enlarge Nitro 2 and Saucony Trip 17, that are cushioned however nonetheless versatile footwear. The Puma Velocity Nitro 3 additionally has an analogous degree of cushioning to the Glycerin 21 and is lighter and cheaper, although it’s not as snug because the Brooks shoe.
For me, the Glycerin 21 is a extra pleasant shoe to run in at any tempo than Brooks’s Ghost 15, which lacks the pop you get from the DNA Loft v3 foam (which shall be used within the forthcoming Ghost 16). Nevertheless, the Ghost Max is an efficient different to the Glycerin 21 if you happen to choose a smoother, extra rockered experience.
