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The final few days of summer 2024 sees the launch of the brand new Brooks Glycerin Max Running Shoes. Arguably Brooks’ most exciting and innovative running shoes to date. Featuring the next generation of nitrogen infused foam - DNA Tuned - the Glycerin Max are set to provide one of the best cushioning experiences yet.
Brooks supplied Run4It with a pair for testing. In this article, we’ll cover the tech, how they feel to run in, the fit, and what they’re best suited to.
The Brooks Glycerin Max will be available to buy at Run4It from 1st October 2024.
Brooks Glycerin Max Tech
Key Stats
- Men’s approximate weight: 298 grams
- Women’s approximate weight: 269 grams
- Forefoot stack height: 39 mm
- Rearfoot stack height: 45 mm
- Drop: 6 mm
- Midsole: DNA Tuned
- Upper: Triple jacquard engineered air mesh
Midsole construction
As detailed above, the Glycerin Max Running Shoes feature a brand new supercritical midsole foam called DNA Tuned. The white section of the midsole consists of larger cells - the greater displacement offers a soft and plush feel. In contrast, the coloured section has smaller cells that offer higher energy return. And therefore feel more responsive.
Essentially, the Glycerin Max midsole has two materials that are connected together to make one mould. An impressive piece of engineering to say the least - as this is an extremely complicated process. The result should be ultra-cushioned landings, followed by energetic take-offs.
Finally, the high-stacked midsole utilises Brooks’ GlideRoll rocker technology. The curved heel-to-toe geometry promotes smoother transitions from landing to take-off.
Upper construction
It’s evident that every element of the upper is designed to maximise comfort. For example, Brooks selected a triple jacquard engineered mesh, as it should offer a superior feel. There’s also a comfort collar design to improve the fit at the ankle area. With a linear last, the Brooks Glycerin Max should fit a range of foot shapes, but we’ll come to the fit point shortly.
Outsole construction
There’s a relatively high degree of outsole rubber on the bottom. Even though this adds some weight, it ensures they should offer great durability.
How does DNA Tuned cushioning feel?
Brooks DNA Tuned cushioning feels a bit like running on pillows with springs in them. It delivers an exceptionally plush and cushioned feel at impact, which is quickly followed by an energetic pop as you transition from landing to take-off. This is the outcome of having more of the larger cell foam in the rearfoot section, and more of the smaller cell foam in the forefoot area.
The two materials work perfectly together, as the cushioning feels seamless, and as if it’s one foam. It’s difficult to articulate how smooth and fluid the midsole feels as you move through the gait cycle. Obviously the curved midsole geometry is adding to this experience. But importantly, there’s no bottoming out. A common problem in max-cushioned running shoes, which diminishes the effectiveness of the rocker. As you can see from the image below, there's not a lot of midsole compression
With a 45 mm to 39 mm stack, it’s natural to assume the midsole might be unstable. However, this is not the case. Yes, the midsole feels ultra cushioned, but there’s an integrity to it that makes it feel very stable.
Overall, the level of comfort and performance on offer from Brooks DNA Tuned cushioning is quite outstanding. It feels completely different from anything Brooks has ever made.
What pace and distance are the Brooks Glycerin Max best suited to?
As these are maximum cushioned running shoes that feel very comfortable, they’re perfectly suited to slower paced runs and long distances. At the same time, the energetic nature of the cushioning, coupled with the rocker geometry, also feels brilliant as you pick up the pace.
I took them out on a 20 kilometre run straight away. The aim of the run was to stick to a controlled steady pace: ~4.30 minute/kilometre pace. However, I was having to actively slow down and apply the brakes. The cushioning felt deceptively propulsive and was making it very easy to run faster.
This means the Brooks Glycerin Max Running Shoes have a lot of end uses. For example, they should feel amazing when you’re running on tired legs, and you’re just trying to bank the miles. On the other hand, they feel very fun to run in when your legs feel good, and your aim is to hit a specific pace.
You can use them for anything from short recovery runs, all the way to long steady runs.
How do they fit?
Brooks is renowned for making running shoes that fit very well, and the Glycerin Max Running Shoes are no exception. The toe box feels spacious and comfortable, while the midfoot and ankle offer great lockdown. The tapered back heel design helps reduce pressure at the Achilles tendon, and makes it easier to slip them on and off.
The only point to note is that they potentially run slightly smaller than other Brooks models. I still found my normal running shoe size very comfortable, but you may wish to consider this if you’re in between sizes.
In short, the Glycerin Max should suit a lot of foot shapes. It’s almost impossible to find any flaws in the triple jacquard mesh, as it feels so soft and supportive.
How do they compare to other Brooks models?
As mentioned, the DNA Tuned cushioning in the Glycerin Max Running Shoes offers a completely different experience to anything Brooks has produced to this point. At the time of writing, there’s no model in Brooks’ range that even comes close to the Glycerin Max from a protection point of view. This includes the highly-cushioned Brooks Glycerin Running Shoes.
Simply put, if you’re looking for the most cushioned feeling Brooks Running Shoes, you have to choose the Brooks Glycerin Max Running Shoes.
Summary
It’s fair to say that Brooks has been behind the curve when it comes to max-cushioned running shoes. Well that’s not the case anymore. As you’ve probably gathered from this Journal article, the Brooks Glycerin Max Running Shoes feel pretty incredible. In fact, these may be the best max-cushioned running shoes around. They offer so much versatility, and have the potential to make a lot of your runs feel significantly easier.
If you’re looking for the highest level of cushioning and comfort, it’s very likely that you’ll find these amazing to run in. There’s also a high chance the Glycerin Max Running Shoes have the potential to help you significantly increase your mileage and weekly volume. This is one of the most effective ways to improve your running.
