Brooks Glycerin Max 2 Evaluation | Why Distance Runners Love this Extremely-Cushioned Coach

Brooks Glycerin Max 2 Overview

When Brooks says “stacked to the max,” they imply it! This shoe sits at 45 mm within the heel, has a 6mm drop, with the forefoot at 39 mm, identical as the primary Glycerin Max.

Because the unique model dropped, max cushion sneakers have change into increasingly more standard, so it wasn’t a shock to open the field and see it – we knew what to anticipate – however the sleeker design of the midsole was a pleasing shock.

The best way the Nitrogen-infused DNA TUNED foam is constructed – one layer with huge cells within the heel and small ones within the forefoot – permits the shoe to soak up every touchdown, makes use of the GlideRoll rocker to match a step’s pure ahead movement, then the small cells within the entrance purpose to provide a fast bounce up and ahead really feel.

For me, this stored the pure momentum of choosing up my toes, even when it doesn’t present a lot ahead propulsion (as a result of once more, propulsion isn’t the primary aim with this shoe). It’s extra like clean transitions, as an alternative of highly effective toe-offs.I believe it’s necessary to notice that this shoe may really feel completely different relying in your foot strike – whether or not you land extra in your heel, midfoot, or forefoot. A forefoot striker may really feel that GlideRoll rocker and highly effective toe-off a bit extra, since they land a bit extra ahead on their toes and the place the shoe’s curve up begins.

It’s roomy within the toebox with out it being too extensive, and the tongue has some cushion however sits flush on prime of your foot with out poking out on prime of the laces.

The heel tab is extra inflexible than most different sneakers and it creates a narrow-looking heel area, however what it does is present nice heel lock. This hasn’t modified from the primary model.The Glycerin Max 2 is on the heavier aspect, like its predecessor, however that’s not one thing I seen whereas sporting it! It’s such a fantastic pair of trainers for straightforward runs, you gained’t really feel the load of the shoe dragging your toes. It does really feel like rather a lot when doing velocity intervals, however that’s not what the shoe was designed for, anyway.

Carrying the sneakers to face or stroll, the GlideRoll rocker is AWESOME and fairly accentuated – every step is so seamless! Working is a distinct story.

I didn’t really feel the rocking movement a lot throughout my runs, however that’s to not say it isn’t there. I used to be anticipating extra of a forceful glide into the following stride (primarily based on how the rocker felt simply standing), however on this case I believe the mix of rocker plus max cushion is a part of what stored my legs feeling recent mile after mile.

One thing I cherished is how my toes didn’t sink an excessive amount of into the insole with every step. (For comparability, when you’ve worn latest variations of the Asics Gel-Nimbusthat’s a shoe that I really feel I sink down a bit extra.) As I wore it extra, the within did soften and my foot sunk in deeper – nonetheless not as a lot as different max cushion sneakers.

I’ve run brief restoration runs of about 4 miles and lengthy runs of as much as 15 miles in them (strides on the finish and a few shorter velocity intervals), and in simply two weeks I’ve totaled over 40 miles in them. Whereas I didn’t love to choose up the tempo in these, I completed each single run feeling like my legs may hold going.

Coach Amanda: I’ve put in 4 to five straightforward run days in these already and might inform you they’re going in my constant rotation. It takes rather a lot for a shoe to enter that realm, however from the primary mile these felt nice.

Completely not designed to be quick, they’re only a shoe that feels actually snug for straightforward efforts. I’d in all probability cap my runs in them round 10 miles and go for one thing else lighter with longer days, however that’s to not say they wouldn’t work for all the best way as much as the marathon distance.

The seems to be are positively an enchancment to the already-loved Glycerin Max.

I really like a neutral-colored shoe with a slight pop of shade within the particulars, and Brooks did a fantastic job making these wearable with any outfit – a shoe you’ll be able to simply attain for and placed on with out fascinated with what you’re sporting first! One males’s shade out there is a shiny orange, however all three ladies’s colours are impartial.

Whereas it retains that huge, cumbersome shoe look from the primary model, the Glycerin Max 2 manages to look fairly a bit sleeker. The midsole design of the colour portion tapering ahead and upward positively helps with this!

Brooks Glycerin Max 2 Match

Regular dimension for Brooks and different manufacturers, no have to dimension up or down for size.

That is in all probability one among my favourite heel lock feels of any shoe – yay! It secures your foot but it surely doesn’t limit it. The higher has some cushion on the within of the heel and ankle areas that may be a nice mixture for permitting motion whereas maintaining your foot in place.

The heel tab makes this a straightforward shoe to placed on, and whereas the laces don’t have any seen grip expertise on it, it does keep securely tied.

I all the time discover this with Brooks sneakers, however the laces aren’t tremendous lengthy. They labored simply wonderful with a double knot, however something extra intricate would want completely different, longer laces.

There may be loads of room aspect to aspect within the toebox, though it appears a tiny bit smaller than the unique Glycerin Max, and the highest of my toes did rub on the higher at first. I used to be fearful about having that fixed rubbing or strain throughout my runs, however no points there.

I do normally desire thinner socks for working, so hold that in thoughts the doable toebox space when you go for thicker socks.

One other characteristic I cherished was the tongue. It has simply sufficient padding to sit down comfortably in your foot, however not an excessive amount of that it pushes out by means of the laces. Brooks adjusted the form of the highest of the tongue and it added to the sleeker look as nicely.

Glycerin Max 2 Vs Authentic

Much like the primary mannequin, the Glycerin Max 2 is a shoe that makes me wish to hold working – the kind of run the place I wish to let my thoughts wander, soak within the sunshine, or hearken to a whole audiobook. It made my legs really feel recent on days the place I usually would’ve dragged on these restoration runs.

Its largest distinction from the unique is that you simply don’t sink as deeply into the insole and midsole with every step.

It is a characteristic I personally like, as a result of whereas the cushion remains to be there, I don’t really feel like I lose an excessive amount of of my vitality sinking right down to then push off once more.The treads are similar to the unique Glycerin Max, and the midsole – one massive layer of Nitrogen-infused DNA TUNED foam – is decently uncovered. I’ve already seen some put on on mine, however this can differ from individual to individual relying on foot strike.

I additionally cherished the identify “Glycerin Max 2” off-center and smaller on the tongue – an enormous change from Brooks’ signature design down the middle of the tongue. There may be additionally a tiny Brooks brand beneath the ankle on the inside a part of the shoe. These are the small modifications that made the shoe extra for on a regular basis put on to me.

I really like the extra accentuated GlideRoll rocker, though in such a max cushion shoe it’s extra for the seamless heel-to-toe transition than for highly effective toe-offs. I didn’t essentially really feel the rocker when working, like I do in some race day sneakers (Asics MetaSpeed or Nike Alphaflyfor instance) – and that’s okay as a result of the aim of this shoe isn’t racing or velocity.

Brooks Glycerin Max 2 Really feel

The shoe is a secure journey even with the stack top, identical as the primary model.

It’s chunky and also you get that max cushion, but it surely doesn’t really feel fluffy like stepping on marshmallows.

Whereas the unique Glycerin Max nonetheless wasn’t essentially the most marshmallow-y shoe, this one is even much less. Some individuals gained’t love the much less comfortable feeling, however I believe it was a great change to make the shoe what I believe Brooks desires it to be – a extra responsive max cushion shoe.

My ankles had been completely happy for all of the miles. They’re safe within the shoe, however nonetheless have some room to regulate as you run.

The higher seems like a comfortable embrace – however I may also see that being a bit heat within the peak summer season months.

One thing to remember: the midsole does have to get better in between runs, in my view. Once I wore these two days in a row, I did really feel much less of that easy transition. The cushion was there however the responsiveness was very low.

So when you’re constructing a base with largely straightforward effort miles and love these, I’d counsel snagging two pairs to alternate – though the value is perhaps on the upper finish of what most individuals wish to spend with one shoe, not to mention two.

General, I do love this shoe and can hold reaching for it on straightforward days and restoration runs. On any days the place my legs really feel drained, these would be the sneakers I’ll placed on.

Comparable Footwear to the Brooks Glycerin Max 2

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