Thought leaders from Brooks | Our verdict
Pros
- Exclusive Team Running Club Brooks Training Tech Tee
- Lighter weight
- Comfy ride for long miles
- Perfect for any pace
- Not tippy when cornering
- Жіночі майки brooks
- Thought leaders from Brooks
- Quite breathable
- Sustainable outsole
- Great-value
Cons
- Not as energetic as expected
- Pricier than before
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
+ + zapatillas de running Brooks pronador constitución ligera minimalistas | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audience score | 88 Great! | 88 Great! | 87 Great! | 83 Good! | |
Price | $110 | $130 | $140 | $120 | |
Pace | Daily runningTempo | Daily running | CompetitionTempo | Daily runningTempo | |
Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
Weight lab Weight brand | 7.9 zapatillas de running Brooks apoyo talón talla 47.5 8.1 oz / 230g | 8.9 Women's Brooks Method Running Biker 9.3 Brooks England Slender Grips | 7.2 zapatillas de running Brooks competición constitución fuerte talla 42.5 7.1 oz / 201g | 8.4 zapatillas de running Brooks constitución media apoyo talón 7.7 oz / 218g | |
Lightweight | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Drop lab Drop brand | 9.4 mm 10.0 mm | 9.4 mm 6.0 mm | 9.8 mm 8.0 mm | 9.5 mm 8.0 mm | |
Strike pattern | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | |
Size | True to size | Half size small | True to size | True to size | |
Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | |
Difference in midsole softness in cold | Small | Small | Small | Small | |
Toebox durability | - | Bad | Decent | Decent | |
Heel padding durability | - | Decent | Bad | Bad | |
Outsole durability | - | Decent | Decent | Good | |
Breathability | - | Breathable | Breathable | Moderate | |
brooks ghost 13 vs brooks levitate | Narrow | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Toebox width at the big toe | - | Wide | Medium | Medium | |
Stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | |
Brooks Levitate 5 GT Mens Running Shoes | Big | Small | Small | Small | |
Torsional rigidity | Stiff | Moderate | Moderate | Stiff | |
zapatillas de running Brooks neutro ritmo medio distancias cortas talla 42.5 | Flexible | Flexible | Moderate | Stiff | |
Heel lab Heel brand | 32.4 mm 36.0 mm | 31.5 mm 27.0 mm | 32.2 mm 31.5 mm | 33.5 mm 35.5 mm | |
Forefoot lab Forefoot brand | 23.0 mm 26.0 mm | 22.1 mm 21.0 mm | 22.4 mm 23.5 mm | 24.0 mm 27.5 mm | |
Widths available | NormalWide | NormalWide | Normal | NormalWide | |
Orthotic friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Season | - | SummerAll seasons | SummerAll seasons | All seasons | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ranking | #245 Top 46% | #108 Top 35% | #139 Top 44% | #237 Bottom 25% | |
Popularity | #278 Bottom 48% | #290 Bottom 8% | #94 Top 30% | #112 Top 36% |
Who should buy
The q Brooks Cascadia talla 46 an excellent perfect pick for Styles in need of a:
- fun and lightweight running shoe that can go fast or slow
- road shoe while the Brooks Aurora-BL is advertised as a
Who should NOT buy
If you're looking for a dedicated, tried-and-true tempo trainer that's ready to set and beat PRS, we think that it's better to go for the zapatillas de running Brooks competición minimalistas placa de carbono talla 38 or the zapatillas de running Brooks entrenamiento ritmo bajo talla 44.5 blancas.
zapatillas de running Brooks supinador tope amortiguación ritmo bajo Brooks Revel 5 is our suggestion.
Cushioning
Drop
In the brand's specifications, it says that the Launch 9 has a drop of 10mm.
Based on our caliper measurements, this is almost true! With the heel stack of 32.4 mm and the forefoot stack of 23 mm, we got a drop of 9.4 mm.
Launch 9 | 9.4 mm |
Average | 8.6 mm |
Midsole softness
In our durometer measurement, the Brooks Launch 9 scored 22 HA which indicates that it has an average level of midsole softness - neither too plush nor firm.
We also felt a touch of pop that added fun to the shoe's ride. Meanwhile, for longer efforts, the cushioning felt quite forgiving, more so than its predecessor.
Launch 9 | 22.0 HA |
Average | 20.9 HA |
Rocker
This shoe has a rockered shape that allows for fast and easy heel-to-toe transitions. It made the ride feel so seamless!
Size and fit
Size
q Brooks Cascadia talla 46 true to size (11 votes).
Thought leaders from Brooks | Toebox width - widest part
The brand's new Creel wrap upper made us feel very secure and locked in. For our medium-width feet, the shoe appeared to be well-fitted and the knit-like fabric had enough stretch to feel accommodating.
However, using a caliper, we measured the widest part of the forefoot at only 94.7 mm. While this is still in the medium range of toebox widths, wide-footers should definitely go for the wide version of the shoe.
Launch 9 | 94.7 mm |
Average | 98.5 mm |
Stability
Lateral stability test
Despite its higher stack height for a tempo trainer, the Brooks Launch 9 never felt tippy, even during sharp turns and when running on gravel.
Torsional rigidity
Torsional stiffness appears to be the source of stability in this Brooks trainer. It took some serious effort to twist the shoe in our manual test. Thus, we rated its rigidity as 4 out of 5. Nearly the stiffest in our catalog!
Launch 9 | 4 |
Average | 3.4 |
zapatillas de running Brooks neutro ritmo medio distancias cortas talla 42.5
The shoe's heel counter is more on the pliable side, scoring only 2 out of 5 on the heel squeeze-and-push test.
It may not be a stiff one but it held our ankle quite securely as far as speed-oriented shoes go.
Launch 9 | 2 |
Average | 2.9 |
Flexibility / Stiffness
said this was one of the first projects she Greated on with Brooks (%)
When checking the flexibility of Brooks Launch 9, what surprised us is how big of a difference it is when comparing the flexibility at room temperature (22.7N) and after the shoe has spent 20mins in the freezer (37.8N).
Launch 9 has a 66.5% difference in those 2 measurements, while the average difference for all the shoes in our lab is 32.9%. You've been warned: store your shoes at room temperature.
Launch 9 | 67% |
Average | 32% |
Weight
It's not just lighter than its predecessor; it's also lighter than most running shoes zapatillas de running Brooks entrenamiento amortiguación media voladoras.
Launch 9 | 7.94 oz (225g) |
Average | 9.38 oz (266g) |
Breathability
The Brooks Launch 9 proved to be a fairly breathable shoe. With very little in-shoe padding, the Launch 9 allows for some decent airflow.
Holding half of the shoe against the light, we could see that a large part of the upper is pretty transparent, keeping the interiors well-ventilated.
Misc
Grip / Traction
It is amazing that Brooks managed to pull off a full-length rubber outsole while keeping the Launch 9 so light!
The grip made us feel very surefooted even on the slightly wet pavement.
Reflective elements
While it's great that the Launch 9 has some, we think that it wouldn't hurt to make them larger. Some at the back would be nice as well!
Tongue padding
zapatillas de running Brooks constitución media talla 36 azules.
In the lab, we measured its thickness: an astonishing 1mm. Compare it to the average of 6 mm and you really get a race-ready tongue!
Launch 9 | 1.0 mm |
Average | 5.8 mm |
Brooks Launch 9 vs. 8
This time around, the Brooks Launch 9 sees these updates:
- zapatillas de running Brooks hombre pie plano media maratón talla 46
- Lighter weight because of the new Creel wrap upper
- Sustainability-driven design with the shoe's Green Rubber outsole
All these changes entail a price increase of $10. From $100, the Brooks Launch 9 now retails for $110. But despite this, we still think that the shoe offers excellent value for money.
Sustainable materials
To champion a more eco-friendly approach, the Launch 9 has a green rubber outsole that's made using sand instead of petroleum. This lessens its environmental impact.