I Tested Them All, and These Are the 8 Best Brooks Sneakers for Women

I may never walk my pup, Lacey, laced into another pair of sneakers again. My pup loves long (think: 5+ mile) walks, but my propensity for plantar fasciitis does not, which is why I appreciate the extra support the Glycerin 20s provide.

The Brooks Glycerin 20 sneakers aren’t just for us dog lovers with inflamed footies. Cushy, comfortable, and cute, the Brooks Glycerin 20 is the perfect walking and running shoe for travelers, traverses, and trekkers, too.

This footwear features Brooks’ patented Guiderail technology that’s designed to keep the foot, ankle, and knee stable while you move and groove. The way this option marries stability and comfort, without adding heft or hulk, makes it the optimal option for people who have a job that requires that they’re on their feet all day long—for instance, teachers and those in the food industry.

Lastly? There are 18 different color options available, that range from subtle to snazzy. Actually, the shades this running shoe comes in convinced me, an all-black-everything girlie, to spice it up.

Sizes available: 5.0 – 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 10mm
Weight: 9.1 ounces
Colors: 18

As far as the Brooks women’s running shoes are concerned, no shoe offers a better bang for your buck. Ringing up at just $100, Brooks Revel 6 are a fraction of the cost of competitor options.

The lower price tag, however, doesn’t signal that this running shoe skimps on comfort—it doesn’t. Sporting a breathable knit upper and silica soles, these runners keep your feet cool while hugging them.

Personally, I prefer a cushier option for my hot girl walks and a lighter-weight option for long runs. But these have become my go-to for 5K and 10K training days. I also like this option for CrossFit workouts that include the curved treadmill, but no weight lifting.

I wear these when I’m using an assault runner, too. For the uninitiated, assault runners—manual, non-motorized treadmills—use your own bodyweight and momentum to power the belt. Here, being able to really feel the tread beneath your feet is helpful for finding a pace that works well for you. The reduced cushion in the Brooks Revel 6 allows me to feel the tread better than more cushiony, cloud-like options (like Hokas).

Sizes available: 5.0 to 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 10mm
Weight: 8.1 ounces
Colors: 6

In the Brooks Catamount 2, the trail becomes your runway. A sleek shoe with a streamlined design, these trail runners are here to add a little extra spring and speed to every step and stride.

What sets the Catamount 2 apart from other trail runners and hiking sneakers—besides the sexiness of its design, of course—is the outsole. A TrailTrack rubber outsole is designed to grip gravel and clasp cliffs in dry or wet conditions.

As wanna-be rom com lead as it may sound, I find precipitation energetically cleansing. So, I’m a sucker for a rainy day hike. Each of the three coastal excursions I went on while wearing these bad boys, I was impressed by how connected I was to the mud, muck, and marshes. Despite being clumsier than a clown, I didn’t slip even once while laced up in these beauts.

In case you were wondering: My wet walks left my Catamount 2 slick with sludge—a quick rinse in the sick got them clean.

Other features I liked about these trail runners include the bounce-back return from the midsole, the textured, no-slip laces, and tear-resistant upper. Truly, I feel like I could use and abuse these babies for months and months without having to worry about wear. As such, the $170 price tag feels reasonable to me.

Sizes available: 5.0- 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 6 mm
Weight: 8.6 ounces
Colors: 2

Long distance zealots, this running shoe is for you. Thanks to the DNA Loft foam technology that makes up the mid and out sole, the Ghost 15 is able to marry squish with stability, light with luxury. Indeed, while there’s enough cushion to cradle the under-belly of your foot, the shoe is lightweight (it weighs just 9 ounces).

While these are marketed as a classic fit shoe, they felt slightly more narrow on my feet compared to other brooks running shoes. As a person who likes feeling extra secure in my sneakers, I appreciated the tighter fit. But, if you have a history of bunions or prefer a wider toe box for whatever reason, keep scrolling.

Some reviewers noted that they liked wearing the Ghost 15 during fitness classes and regular gym work, too. But personally, I did not—the shoe was too bulky to comfortably fit into rowing straps or indoor cycling toe cages. And while comfortable, the midsole was too cushy to allow my feet to ~feel~ the ground, as I can with zero-drop sneaks.

All in all, I recommend the Ghost 15 for everyday runners. Y’know, the folks logging mad miles in preparation of a marathon or ultra. (That said, one Well & Good writer likes them for Orangetheory classes, too).

Sizes available: 5.0 to 13.0
Head-to-toe offset: 12mm
Weight: 9.0 ounces
Colors: 15

The Brooks Levitate 6 fit nearly-perfect, at no point during my runs did I feel heat-spots pop up the way I do with other shoes. Plus? They’re sleek AF. If (nay, when) running shoes ever get an exhibit in the MoMa, the Levitate 6 will be featured. Yep, IMHO they are that good-looking.

It’s more than just a pretty shoe, though—this pair can perform under pressure. The DNA AMP v2 foam that makes up this shoe’s midsole is light-light-light. With each stride, this technology will allow you to feel like you’re literally springing off the pavement. It’s almost like you’re, levitating…

The upper of the Levitate 6 is stretchy, which allows your foot to move unencumbered when you run. It also allows you to cinch the laces for an even tighter fit, should you need it.

As for how these held up in the weight room and gym? I grade them a B. While I felt well-supported while doing movements like box jumps, burpees, and pull-ups, the midsole was softer than I like for deadlifts, squats, and lunges.

Sizes available: 5.0 to 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 8mm
Weight: 9.5 ounces
Colors: 5

The Levitate Stealth Fit 6 is advertised as a road runner shoe. No doubt, with springy midsoles, sleek upper, and shock-absorbent outsoles they will support you while you pound the pavement. However, I personally prefer to wear this pair while running errands than while running.

Why? Honestly, because they are sexy and I am nothing if not an athleisure girlie. The Stealthfit 6 sports an integrated tongue and stretchy sock-like upper make for a sleek, streamlined aesthetic. Actually, these days I’m more likely to grab my white Levitate Stealthfit 6s than my Nike Blazers, which is saying something!

Don’t read it wrong: I may prefer to wear these in Trader Joe’s than on the treadmill, but not all runners do.

The Levitate Stealthfit 6s are constructed with the same DNA AMP v2 foam that make the Levitate 6s so stinkin’ springy. Plus, the outsole features an arrow-point pattern that allows your foot to strike heel-to-toe even more quickly.

Sizes available: 5.0 to 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 8mm
Weight: 9.1 ounces
Colors: 4

Just two-thirds the weight of other sprint shoes on the market, they are the opposite of bulky. It’s all thanks to the midsole which is configured with nitrogen-infused, DNA FLASH cushioning. For the non-engineers, that means the shoe is as springy as it is lightweight.

I ran in the Brooks Hyperion Max multiple times, both on the streets and on a manual treadmill. On the roads, I legit felt like a galloping gazelle—rather than striding through my town, I felt like I was gliding.

These shoes were even better on the treadmill, though. Since getting them, I’ve had the pleasure (truly, a pleasure!) of wearing these during five interval running workouts on the manual treadmill. In my opinion, proper heel-to-toe form is even more important on a manual treadmill than it is any other surface. That’s because your strides, rather than the machine, control the speed of the tread. The uniquely curved heel of the Hyperion Max helps your foot roll forward into your toes with each strike. The result? You’re able to go faster without working as hard.

The one con is that, while I love wearing these while I run, the heel design took some getting used to while I walk. I wore these during one run-walk training piece and the first 10 minutes were a little unbalanced-feeling. This could be just a “me” problem though—I’m not very coordinated, like I mentioned before.

Sizes available: 5.0 to 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 8mm
Weight: 6.7 ounces
Colors: 3

As a general rule, I think if you’re going to shell out money on workout gear, it should be on workout shoes. (After being ~influenced~ into buying legging and bra dupes on Amazon, I no longer think $100+ leggings are worth it.)

That said, I was super impressed with the quality, durability, and function of the Brook Launch 9. Ringing up at just $110, these are one of the most affordable Brooks running shoes.

The shoe itself manages to be both padded, and light. It features a layer of Brooks’ signature BioMoGo DNA cushioning underfoot, which makes them a comfortable pick for indoor and outdoor training runs. Thanks to their mesh upper, you also get a breathable shoe that keeps your feet dry while you ride. Given that calluses are more likely to form when your socks are wet, this feature shouldn’t be overlooked.

For the sake of this article, I wore these puppies to two CrossFit classes. While they are OK for cross-training, as a person who has long lifted in shoes specifically made for lifting, I won’t be switching to the Launch 9’s anytime soon. That said, I can see them being good for fitness classes that incorporate a treadmill, like Barry’s Bootcamp or Orange Theory.

Sizes available: 5.0 to 12.0
Head-to-toe offset: 10mm
Weight: 7.1 ounces
Colors: 15