Brooks Glycerin Max Review
The Brooks Glycerin Max road running shoe is a highly cushioned running shoe designed for easy, recovery, and long runs. It reduces the stress of running on lighter workout days, helping you recover and train harder in interval sessions, hill repetitions, and track sessions. While compacted earth roads in Kenya are soft and provide relief to runners’ legs, the Brooks Glycerin Max aims to make the tarmac feel just as forgiving.
Creating a max-cushioned road running shoe is challenging. Originally designed to help runners tackle ultra distances without excessive leg damage, shoes in this category have gained popularity. Many max-cushioned shoes have very soft cushioning, which absorbs impact but can feel sluggish, especially on up-hills, where the softness hinders forward progress, and downhills, where they often “bottom out.” Some are firmer and stiffer, making them harder to cruise in over long distances. Runners vary in their strides, impact forces, and postures, so brands have struggled to design max-cushioned shoes that work universally.
Personally, I’m not a fan of max cushioning; I prefer a closer-to-the-ground feel, allowing my feet to function naturally and strengthen with each step. However, on early mornings after a previous evening’s 15-mile steady run, I could be convinced to use a shoe like this to ease the strain. This type of shoe is ideal for those days when you don’t need speed—just a chance to recover and cruise comfortably. I expected the Brooks Glycerin Max to be another overly cushioned shoe that might feel slow but would spare me sore legs. My experience, however, was different. The initial impact felt cushioned yet smooth, allowing me to cruise almost effortlessly.
The shoe’s stack height is 45mm in the heel and 39mm in the forefoot. While the midsole is not overly soft, the height gives a tall feel. The toe line is straight, and the toe box has ample space, making it roomy and comfortable. The heel cup and cuff are well-padded, as is the tongue, and the soft mesh upper adds to the shoe’s luxurious feel.
A plastic insert in the heel cup adds stability, helping to keep your foot securely inside the midsole. Unlike other max-cushioned shoes, this feature ensures your foot stays guided through the gait cycle, promoting good posture—a big plus when running on tired legs. The heel tab also curves away from the Achilles to prevent irritation.
The non-gusseted tongue has a loop through which the laces thread, keeping it secure during runs. The shoe features Brooks’ new DNA Tuned midsole, a nitrogen-infused design that seals out air and dirt for a bouncier, longer-lasting feel. Unlike other Brooks midsoles, DNA Tuned has softer foam in the heel and firmer foam in the forefoot. This combination provides a soft landing at the heel and some propulsion when rolling onto the forefoot.
The midsole’s rocker shape, called the Glide Roller Rocker, allows for a smooth transition. The soft heel absorbs shock, while the rocker shape reduces braking force, letting you roll onto the firmer forefoot for an efficient push-off. A 6mm drop encourages a midfoot landing, promoting a more centered, energy-efficient stride.
In terms of performance, the shoe feels exceptionally cushioned and comfortable. I felt pampered, able to cruise along effortlessly. The cushioning doesn’t bottom out on downhills but instead guides you smoothly. On up-hills, the lack of flexibility due to the stack height made things slightly more challenging but did not detract from the ease of the recovery run.
For me, the lack of ground feel in high-stack shoes feels slightly insecure on downhills since you can’t fully sense the road beneath. However, the Brooks Glycerin Max offered good traction, even on wet tarmac, boosting my confidence and easing my downhill concerns.
Brooks sizing is comparable to Saucony, VJ Sports, 361, Topo, and Altra. However, if you typically wear New Balance, Hoka, Inov-8, Walsh, or Karhu, you might want to try half a UK size smaller in Brooks for a similar fit.
A men’s UK8 weighs 298g, which is light for such a cushioned shoe. The rocker design and cushioning create a smooth, guided gait cycle, making the shoe feel lighter than its actual weight. While you can pick up the pace somewhat, the shoes are ideally suited for slower, easy runs where they shine.
Other Considerations
New Balance Fresh Foam X More v5: Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. A softer ride. They are less smooth and do a bit less work for the body than the Brooks Glycerin Max. The Fresh Foam X midsole won’t be as durable as DNA Tuned but the Move v5 is cheaper than the Glycerin Max.
https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-fresh-foam-x-more-v5-review/
Brooks Ghost Max 2: These are not as plush and cushioned as the Glycerin Max which makes them a mre versatile shoe that could also be used for steadier runs. Available in two width men’s and women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-ghost-max-2-review/
Altra Olympus 2: A firmer ride than the Glycerin Max with a broad more rounded forefoot and a zero drop. These are designed to allow your feet to function inside the shoes. Although they offer a high cushioning level they don’t do the running for you like other Max Cushioned shoes that have a noticeable rocker for propulsion and a level of cushioning that take away all feel for the floor. Which means that the feet don’t get stimulated to function. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-via-olympus-2-review/
Karhu Mestari: The Mestari has Karhu Fulcrum system and a rocker to give a good level of propulsion. This allows them to be used for some faster running as well as easy, recovery and long runs. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/karhu-mestari-run-1-0-review/
Hoka Bondi 8: A firmer feel to the ride with a more noticeable rocker. The Toe box doesn’t have as much space but, the Bondi is available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-bondi-8-review/
Topo Athletic Atmos: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet the room to spread on impact and function in the shoes. The midsole is firmer than the Glycerin Max which allows more feel for the ground but the Topo Atmos does have a rocker to help guide the foot through the gait cycle. So, they don’t have as natural a ride as the Altra Olympus 2. Available in two width men’s and one width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-atmos-review/
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