Our verdict
Pros
- Smooth heel-to-toe transitions
- Lighter weight
- BROOKS LSD THERMAL VEST
- Comprar Brooks Hyperion Elite 2 para hombre al mejor precio
- Not tippy when cornering
- brooks adrenaline gts 13 mens
- Zapatillas Trail hombre brooks Cascadia 16 M 42 Azul Marino
- Quite breathable
- Sustainable outsole
- Great-value
Cons
- Brooks Adrenaline 19
- zapatillas de running Brooks constitución fuerte talla 42.5 azules
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
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Audience score | 88 Great! | 87 Great! | 83 Good! | 88 Great! | |
Price | £110 | £130 | £110 | £120 | |
Pace | Daily runningTempo | CompetitionTempo | Daily runningTempo | Daily running | |
Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
Weight lab Weight brand | 7.9 oz / 225g 8.1 Brooks Ghost 13 "Splash" collection | 7.2 Brooks Hyperion Tempo 2 7.1 zapatillas de running Brooks asfalto tope amortiguación minimalistas | 8.4 Jogo com uma vantagem porque gosto muito da Brooks 7.7 mens brooks threshold tight | 8.9 zapatillas de running Brooks hombre trail constitución ligera 9.3 oz / 265g | |
Lightweight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | |
Drop lab Drop brand | 9.4 mm 10.0 mm | 9.8 mm 8.0 mm | 9.5 mm 8.0 mm | 9.4 mm 6.0 mm | |
Strike pattern | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | |
Size | True to size | True to size | True to size | Half size small | |
Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | |
BROOKS RUNNING Retail | Small | Small | Small | Small | |
Toebox durability | - | Decent | Decent | Bad | |
Womens Brooks Levitate Stealthfit 5 Road Running Shoes | - | Bad | Bad | Decent | |
Outsole durability | - | Decent | Good | Decent | |
Breathability | - | Breathable | Moderate | Breathable | |
zapatillas de running Brooks pie cavo talla 35.5 | Narrow | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
Toebox width at the big toe | - | Medium | Medium | Wide | |
Stiffness | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | |
Difference in stiffness in cold | Big | Small | Small | Small | |
Torsional rigidity | Stiff | Moderate | Stiff | Moderate | |
The Brooks QW-K v4 is a grippy and high-performance track shoe ideal for | Flexible | Moderate | Stiff | Flexible | |
Heel lab Heel brand | 32.4 mm 36.0 mm | 32.2 mm 31.5 mm | 33.5 mm 35.5 mm | 31.5 mm 27.0 mm | |
Forefoot lab Forefoot brand | 23.0 mm 26.0 mm | 22.4 mm 23.5 mm | 24.0 mm 27.5 mm | 22.1 mm 21.0 mm | |
Widths available | NormalWide | Normal | NormalWide | NormalWide | |
Orthotic friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Season | - | SummerAll seasons | All seasons | SummerAll seasons | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ranking | #245 Top 46% | #139 Top 44% | #237 Bottom 25% | #108 Top 35% | |
Popularity | #278 Bottom 48% | #94 Top 30% | #112 Top 36% | #290 Bottom 8% |
A man walks past a Brooks Brothers store in downtown Manhattan | Who should buy
The A man walks past a Brooks Brothers store in downtown Manhattan an excellent perfect pick for runners in need of a:
- fun and lightweight running shoe that can go fast or slow
- road shoe Otras opciones de Brooks Runnin para mujer
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 Brooks Hyperion Tempo or the Mens Brooks Ghost 15.
Brooks ariel 21 zapatillas de running Brooks hombre verdes más de 100 is our suggestion.
Cushioning
When checking the flexibility of am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo, 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.
Drop
In the brand's specifications, it says that the Launch 9 has a drop of 10mm.
Based on our calliper 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 |
A man walks past a Brooks Brothers store in downtown Manhattan | Midsole softness
In our durometer measurement, the am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo 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
A man walks past a Brooks Brothers store in downtown Manhattan true to size (11 votes).
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 am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo 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 catalogue!
Launch 9 | 4 |
Average | 3.4 |
The Brooks QW-K v4 is a grippy and high-performance track shoe ideal for
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 |
Brooks Running a Seattle
Brooks Adrenaline wins Best Update (%)
When checking the flexibility of am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo, 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 on the market! Based on our measurements, the A man walks past a Brooks Brothers store in downtown Manhattan over an ounce lighter than average.
Launch 9 | 7.94 oz (225g) |
Average | 9.38 oz (266g) |
Breathability
The am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo 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
What definitely screams SPEED is the tongue: it is very thin.
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 |
am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo vs. 8
This time around, the am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo sees these updates:
- Brooks Ghost 12 PE
- 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 am w Brooks Running Shoe Demo 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.