Brooks Glycerin Max Review – Brooks’ Biggest Innovation?

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

The Brooks Glycerin Max is the biggest stack shoe in the brand’s line up, dwarfing even the Brooks Ghost Max 2 with a whopping 45mm in the forefooty and 39mm in the heel for a 6mm drop. Technically that’s not race legal but don’t expect to see anyone – certainly not the elites – racing in these anytime soon.

The Brooks Glycerin Max weighs in at 11oz or 311g in my US size 9.5 test shoe. While this is a heavier shoe, that’s still around the same as the Brooks Ghost Max 2, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 and the HOKA Skyward X.

The Brooks Glycerin Max price at launch is $200 in the US. Cheaper than HOKA’s mega-stack Skyward X but a considerable bump up against other easy day rival shoes like the Nimbus and the New Balance 1080v14.

Design

This is arguably the most innovative shoe Brooks has produced. For a long time Brooks knew what it was good at – making shoes that offer comfort, protection and stability for a wide range of runners. That trademark reliability made it hugely popular, and it was happy updating shoes in and around that ballpark. The moon-boot-looking Brooks Glycerin Max takes one giant leap out of that comfort zone with a shoe that feels quite revolutionary for the brand.

The headline here is that huge stack of DNA Tuned foam. It uses a new foaming method that lets Brooks designers fine tune the density of the EVA blend, nitrogen-injected foam in different areas of the shoe. Larger cells at the heel cater for softer, more cushioned landings, while smaller cells at the forefoot return quicker to improve energy return and create snappier toes off.

There’s also a pronounced rocker – Brooks’ GuideRoll – to help create smooth transitions.

As you’d expect from a big, easy cruiser the uppers are all about plush comfort. There’s a nicely flexible, structured, triple-jacquard air mesh with big padded, roll-top heel collars, thick tongues and laces. Everything here screams saloon car comfort.

Flip them over, and the outsole features strategic rubber reinforcements, aimed at protecting where it’s needed but saving a bit of weight, too. This is also designed to add a bit of stiffness and less flexibility to help boost the stability and control. Which you need for that big stack.

Fit

When it comes to fit, I ran in my regular running shoe size in Brooks – a US 9.5 and overall, I found the fit really roomy. There's plenty of room across the toes, in length and across the top of the toes. The Glycerin Max has a really spacious toe box, nice and airy and flexible. Loads of wiggle room, super comfortable, a bit like the Brooks Hyperion Max 2. There’s no pinching on the toe knuckles and just the right amount of hold.

The heel collars look quite narrow when you first see the shoe, but actually there's quite a lot of room in the heels. They weren't quite as secure and snug as maybe I would like.

Overall, I found this to be a really nice, roomy fit, and I would recommend going to true to size, unless you have narrow feet or you prefer things more snug.

Performance

In testing I’ve run more than 35 miles in the Brooks Glycerin Max, the majority of those miles have been slow and easy, recovery-style miles. Though I’ve whacked in a few uptempo miles, just to see what happens when you for more from this max-stack beast. I ran mainly on the road.

I’m not one to choose a shoe on aesthetics over performance but I think this is one of Brooks’ best looking shoes to date. I love the neon detailing of the DNA Tuned foam peeking through. I like where they’re heading with the recent designs. The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 was a looker, too.

Beyond the looks, this shoe has surprised me. I don’t usually go in for the really, really big, massive midsole, maxed-out shoes. I wasn’t a big fan of the HOKA Skyward X, I kind of don’t mind the New Balance More V4 (I’ve not run in the V5). But I’d rarely reach for these types of super plush shoes even for my easy runs.

I’d usually reach for a lower stack shoe that’s still cushioned but lighter and perhaps more responsive, than pillowy soft.

However, I’m drawn to the Glycerin Max for a few reasons. They’ve got great, easy comfort. The step-in feel is lovely right from the get-go with those roomy mesh uppers, plush padding and overall an unfussy fit. I’ve got wider, higher feet so I fill the shoes out nicely. Some might find them a bit too roomy.

They’re by no means a light shoe but I think they run lighter on the foot than the whacking great profile – and the weight on the scales – suggests they might. They’re actually lighter than an ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 and a Ghost Max 2.

For me that new DNA Tuned midsole really delivers. That combo of the nitrogen foam and the rocker works well together, offering lots of road-impact reducing softness and oodles of protection, but with a smooth clip-along ride and some good forefoot responsiveness – what I call immediacy – in the return.

I think you get everything most runners want in an easy day shoe without feeling too soggy, too mushy, or too laboured. There’s a bit of energy to the new DNA Tuned foam, a resilience and a bit of spring, to make the easy miles feel a touch easier.

Despite the whacking great high stack, I also find the wide platform much more reliable and stable, than the out-of-control feeling I got in the Skyward X. That’s perhaps not surprising for Brooks who specialise in reliable stability. That stiffness added by the outsole rubber works well to bring some more control in the transitions. However, I still feel in control of the Glycerin Max, it doesn’t control me.

My Verdict

The Glycerin Max is a surprise hit for me. I thought I’d struggle with that whopping great midsole but I think it’s one of the better massive stack, max-cushioned running shoes I’ve tested. It’s a great option for easy day miles.

If you’re a heavier runner, this could certainly be a shoe to look at. If you’ve been looking for max stack cushioning but with a more reliable stability, this is also in that ballpark.

I’ve done a lot of miles in the Brooks Glycerin Max, often on very tired, beaten up legs and there’s a cocooned, protective comfort here that’s kind to fatigued feet.

You can get that from cheaper rivals but I feel some of the comparable heavier, soft shoes can feel like they’re dragging you down a bit. The Glycerin Max’s more responsive forefoot offers up some energy, when you roll onto that smaller cell DNA Tuned foam for a springy toe off.

Some runners might find they can pick up the pace in these shoes, too and I think many runners will be able to lace them up for longer mid-pace runs.

The Glycerin Max is the most innovative Brooks shoe I’ve seen for a long time. At $200, you are paying premium prices and you will still need to be a fan of mega stack shoes to get on with this wedge underfoot. But I’d say it’s definitely one to consider alongside shoes like the NB More V5 or the ASICS Gel Nimbus 26.

The Brooks DNA foam works and I’m intrigued to see which of Brooks shoes adopt DNA Tuned next. Can you get a similar ride out of less stack? I’m sure in the coming months we’ll get to find out.