By Paul Freary
Part of Brooks’ popularity and success has always been their range of models and ability to create a shoe that fits every type of runner and foot type.
In recent years, their range has developed to a point where they have suitable options for every runner at various price points.
The Glycerin has always been considered the brand’s premium cushioned model. First, we simply had the Glycerin, a plush, neutral cushioned daily training shoe. Then came the Glycerin GTS, a supportive version and last year, the Glycerin Max, an ultra-high stacked version of the model.
2026 sees the launch of a new Glycerin family member, the Glycerin Flex, to extend the range of options. With something for everyone, we now have a light, flexible shoe, a stable model and a highly cushioned option.
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Stats
Running Shoes | Glycerin 23 | Glycerin GTS 23 | Glycerin Max 2 | Glycerin FLEX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best for | Daily training, responsive cushioning, everyday miles | Daily training for those requiring support and control | Plush, max cushioned feel, everyday easy miles | Daily training, responsive and supportive, everyday miles |
Support | Neutral | Support type shoe | Neutral | Neutral |
Cushion | Maximum cushioning | Maximum cushioning | Maximum cushioning | Maximum cushioning |
Stack Height | 38mm Heel 30mm Forefoot | 38mm Heel 30mm Forefoot | 45mm Heel 39mm Forefoot | 36mm Heel 30mm Forefoot |
Drop | 8mm | 8mm | 6mm | 6mm |
Weight | Men 300g (10.6oz), Women 272g (9.6oz) | Men 306g (10.7oz), Women 277g (9.7oz) | Men 311g (11oz), Women 283g (10oz) | Men 258g (9.1oz), Women 227g (8.0oz) |
Suggested Retail Price | $165 | $165 | $200 | $165 |
Fit | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size |
Rating | 9.5/ 10 | 9.5/ 10 | 9.5/ 10 | 9.5/ 10 |
1. Brooks Glycerin Max 2
The Glycerin Max 2 sits at the top end of cushioning and plushness in the 2026 lineup. It expands on what made the original Glycerin Max successful, DNA TUNED foam, with a super-high stack and a rockered GlideRoll midsole, and adds an updated engineered mesh upper for a more comfortable and adaptable fit.
The Glycerin Max 2 is all about maximising cushioning, protection, and a smooth transition through the gait cycle from landing to toe-off.
Key Features
Who’s it for?
The Glycerin Max 2 is perfect for those who want the ultimate in impact protection alongside a softer, more buoyant feel. Perfect for longer and easy runs, it makes a great shoe for those covering high weekly miles as well as easy recovery runs.
On the run
The cushioning in the Glycerin Max 2 is unparalleled. I find it simply soaks up the impact and often tell friends “After some long runs, it makes me feel like I haven’t even been for a run!” – Its shock absorbing quality is really amazing.
Even with a high stack and being a little bit heavier than many shoes, the fit helps it feel less bulky than it appears once on the foot. It also feels as good to run in at sub-6-minute miles as it does at 8-minute miles.
The GlideRoll rockered forefoot and responsive toe-off help the shoes massively and it’s a smooth training model that most people should find a space for in their weekly rotation of shoes.
2. Brooks Glycerin 23
The Glycerin 23 continues the core Glycerin legacy: a premium neutral trainer with a luxuriously soft, responsive ride. For 2026, Brooks has refined the midsole geometry with 2mm more forefoot cushioning, reducing the drop to 8 mm, giving a balanced, distraction-free ride with plush landings and dynamic toe-offs. Paired with a triple jacquard mesh upper, it remains one of the most comfortable neutral trainers for daily road training and long distances.
Key Features
Who’s it for?
The Glycerin 23 is perfect for those who want a very plush cushioned neutral trainer for daily training, recovery runs, and endurance sessions. It’s built to go the distance, but is versatile enough to handle a variety of paces.
The ride is plush enough to protect the legs but still engaging underfoot, allowing you to pick up the pace should you want to.
On the Run
A little lighter and with a lower stack than the Glycerin Max 2, the Glycerin 23 remains the sweet spot as a great all-round daily neutral training shoe.
The soft, nitrogen-injected cushioning feels welcoming without compromising responsiveness. The smooth transition from heel to forefoot feels natural and gives the shoe the ability to cope with most sessions throughout the week.
It’s a highly versatile model, and I think one of the best neutral, daily training shoes on the market right now.
3. Brooks Glycerin GTS 23
The Glycerin GTS 23 takes the plushness of the regular Glycerin and adds structured support via GuideRails technology. This system gently limits excessive motion without feeling intrusive, helping runners maintain a neutral alignment, especially when fatigue sets in. It retains the plush cushioning and smooth transitions that define the Glycerin family, with support that works within the runner’s natural motion path.
The GuideRail Technology System (GTS) is a small extension of the midsole cushioning that runs up around the rearfoot of the shoe. This creates a cradle that cups the heel and helps keep it in the neutral position. Should the foot supinate, the GuideRails will prevent it, and should the foot overpronate, the GuideRails will again help the foot remain neutrally positioned.
Key Features
Who’s it for?
Just like the Glycerin 23, the Glycerin GTS 23 is perfect for those who want a very plush cushioned trainer for daily training, recovery runs, and endurance sessions. It’s built to go the distance, but is versatile enough to handle a variety of paces. The addition of the GuideRails means the shoe offers additional support and control, primarily for overpronators, but it is also effective in helping reduce supination.
The ride is plush enough to protect the legs but still engaging underfoot, allowing you to pick up the pace should you want to.
If you like a plush, cushioned ride but need support, particularly if you pronate mildly or want guidance in stride without maximum correction, the Glycerin GTS 23 makes a great choice.
On the Run
The structured support is evident from the word go, but it is never intrusive or overbearing. The Glycerin GTS 23 feels stable, balanced and natural, providing great cushioning and control.
It’s a smooth, stable ride; the additional forefoot cushioning enhances flow during transitions while the plush underfoot feel protects joints.
The shoes prove great for daily miles at any speed and would be a great, highly cushioned option for those requiring support but wanting a durable and responsive daily training shoe.
4. Glycerin Flex
The Glycerin Flex is the newest member of the Glycerin family. It introduces a unique combination of flexibility with Brooks’ plush cushioning. Rather than purely emphasising cushioning or a rocker-driven transition, the Flex focuses on encouraging a more natural foot motion while still delivering a soft, protective ride. Its standout feature is the midfoot and forefoot flex grooves, which cut deep into the midsole and work with the runner’s gait to allow the foot to move more freely through the gait cycle.
Key Features
Who’s it for?
The Glycerin Flex is ideal for runners who prefer a more natural foot motion rather than rigid guidance. If you like a smooth, distraction-free ride but want flexibility and softness, it’s a great option.
This said, I have found the shoe to provide a very stable ride. This is perhaps a great example of a flexible shoe working with the foot rather than against it, resulting in the foot working to remain stable rather than the shoe reducing the foot’s function.
On the Run
When in your hands, your first instinct is to feel how flexible the shoe is, and this is something that’s spread across social media. But think about your foot, and that doesn’t ever bend and flex to this extent, so in that respect, this is really a marketing play.
That said, the Glycerin Flex does allow a high degree of NATURAL movement from the foot and actually feels great when on the foot.
What it also does is allow the foot to function freely rather than restrict it in any respect. For me, this meant my foot felt very balanced, natural and very stable. It was a running sensation I haven’t actually felt for a while, but one which I am growing to appreciate more and more, with the Glycerin Flex now being my shoe of choice for speed sessions.
My feet feel connected and less controlled in these shoes. The cushioning moves on to a different level, being ultra-responsive and encouraging a smooth toe-off.
Common Features of the Glycerin Shoes
All four Glycerin shoes use Brooks’ signature DNA TUNED foam to combine comfort and performance. The Max 2 emphasises maximum cushioning and assisted transitions with its GlideRoll shape, while the Glycerin 23 provides balanced softness for all-around training. The Flex brings flexibility into the mix, and the GTS 23 adds structured support perfect for runners needing gentle guidance.
Only the Glycerin GTS 23 incorporates Brooks’ GuideRails system, which offers subtle but effective support without intruding on neutral runners’ feel. The others remain natural trainers, with the Max 2’s geometry offering inherent stability due to its high stack and broad base.
Across the range, Brooks has upgraded mesh uppers for 2026, focusing on breathability, comfort, and a secure fit for longer durations, particularly in the Max 2 and Glycerin 23/GTS 23 with triple jacquard knit construction.
Brooks Glycerin Family 2026
The 2026 Brooks Glycerin family offers something for every runner looking for premium cushioning.
Thank you for your comparison, especially with competitive options. Just what I was looking for.