Brooks Glycerin 20 vs 19 Comparison Running Shoe Review
The main difference between the Brooks Glycerin 20 running shoes and the Brooks Glycerin 19 is the Brooks Glycerin 20 is upgraded with the new nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 midsole while the Brooks Glycerin 19 features the heavier and firmer original DNA Loft midsole.
As Sportitude Running's shoe expert Josh Willoughby explains in his Brooks Glycerin 20 review, from one generation to the next Brooks have consistently improved the comfort underfoot – putting softer, springier and more cushioned miles in your future. Providing a snappy pop compared to its max cushioned competitors and cradling your feet in shock-absorbing protection from heel-to-toe, the Brooks Glycerin 20 is a versatile running shoe for neutral foot types, from heel strikers to midfoot strikers to forefoot runners.
For the same plush experience that also caters to overpronators with the addition of GuideRails support technology, the Brooks Glycerin 20's look-alike and family member the Brooks Glycerin 20 GTS is your ideal fit.
Heel slippage is history with the secure and solid heel counter design you’ve come to rely on from Brooks, and the Brooks Glycerin 20 is no different – keeping your feet locked-in on the platform while hugging to your ankle with a lightweight and plush foam. The fit feels fractionally more precise than its predecessor, and according to Josh’s subjective opinion, it’s the best upper from Brooks in recent years.
Brooks have increased the surface area of the outsole while make the outsole material thinner to complement the performance of the midsole, allowing you to enjoy long road sessions, daily training, easy-going recovery runs or extra protection underfoot when you set a snappier pace.
Check out the review with full transcript below.
Hi guys, welcome to Sportitude Running. My name is Josh and today I have a very exciting shoe review for you. Right in front of me I have the Brooks Glycerin 20 and on my other side I have the Brooks Glycerin 19.
In today's review we’ll go through all the key aspects of what makes this shoe great regarding the outsole, midsole and upper. We’ll compare it to where it was last year with the Brooks Glycerin 19 and give you all the information that you need at home to potentially make this your next shoe purchase. Without further ado let's get stuck in.
Runner Profile
The Brooks Glycerin franchise has been and will always be a really cushioned neutral running shoe. Not to confuse you at home, but there’s a Brooks Glycerin and there's a Brooks Glycerin 20 GTS. The Brooks Glycerin GTS is a shoe that's engineered for mild overpronators, someone who's requiring a little bit of arch support as they transition through midstance.
The Brooks Glycerin 20 is designed for a neutral to mildly supinated foot type. For those of you that don't know what that is check out What Type Of Running Shoe Is Best For Me? and we'll take you through to a video which will help you identify different foot types and what your foot type might be.
The Brooks Glycerin 20 is designed with cushioning in mind. It's a shoe that you'll be purchasing for plenty of kilometres out the road. It could be a shoe that you'll be wearing for most of your miles. If you're looking to take your training to the next level and you already have a lightweight shoe to complement your short tempo runs and quicker runs, the Brooks Glycerin 20 is certainly one that you could consider to provide ultimate comfort on your easy days.
Upper
Let's jump into the fun part of this review and let's start talking about what makes this shoe great. First things first, I'm going to talk about the upper. The Brooks family over the last couple of years have made fantastic uppers and I haven’t shirked away from that point. I love what they do with their upper technology.
I feel that they're one brand that's becoming really consistent with executing a really good conformed fit up top. Let’s look at the key aspects and dial in to the heel counter. You get a really good solid heel counter at the back of this shoe. The heel counter's purpose is to provide plenty of support for that heel when you contact the ground. Whether you’re heel striking or midfoot striking, you want to make sure that heel stays nice and locked in and this running shoe does a great job at the back.
To complement the amount of support you get, Brooks do a fantastic job. The collar of their shoes are elite. I've said that time and time again and nothing has changed with the Brooks Glycerin 20. There’s a really good amount of memory foam so you get a conformed, comfortable fit around the back of your heel. This soft touch material is really light and plush. I love it, it’s a really good heel counter.
Coming through to the midpart of this shoe, I feel the shoe has been ever so slightly reduced potentially in overall depth. It’s not a huge amount but especially across the arch I find that it’s a little bit more secure. I didn't mind the fit of the Brooks Glycerin 19 at all but they have the Brooks Glycerin 20 really dialled in.
The other great thing about the Brooks Glycerin 20 is the amount of technology we have on the medial side. While it is designed for a neutral foot type there is obviously a tendency to pull towards that medial side and the weave on top of this shoe is really dialled in a little bit more, conforming to what we found in last year's Brooks Glycerin 19.
As you come through to the forefoot there’s a relatively roomy toe box. It’s not excessively roomy like the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 for example, but there’s a good amount of wriggle room through that front half. That's more due to the 3D Fit Print which is a technology they've used since the Brooks Glycerin 18, Brooks Glycerin 19 and now in the Brooks Glycerin 20.
Every single year they just take it to the next level and I really do think this is the best upper they've produced over the last couple of years.
Outsole
Let's talk all things outsole with the Brooks Glycerin 20. First things first, there is plenty of surface area underneath the foot. They have increased the amount of shoe underneath the body with the Brooks Glycerin 20 in comparison to last year's Brooks Glycerin 19.
The other noticeable change is the thickness of outsole. It's a little bit thinner on this year's Brooks Glycerin 20 in comparison to last year and the reason Brooks have done that is more due to the fact the technology in the midsole has changed quite a bit which we'll get to that in two ticks.
Dialling into those key features we have a little bit more of a change in the flex grooves in the forefoot. There’s more of a vertical slit in that front half in comparison to last year where Brooks used the horizontal flex grooves through the front half. Again, that's more due to the performance of the midsole.
Midsole
Let's jump to the midsole. The Brooks Glycerin is a very cushioned shoe. That is why this shoe has been so popular now for two decades and that's probably why it's going to be popular for another two decades. First thing we'll talk about is the statistics of this shoe. It's on a 10mm heel-to-toe drop and it’s exactly the same as last year with 26mm in the heel and 16mm in the forefoot. It's the same for both the men's and women's model.
However, the biggest change is in the foam we have underneath the body. Brooks have rolled out a new technology in their midsoles for a couple of seasons. We've seen a little bit of a change with the Brooks Hyperion Tempo, the Brooks Hyperion Elite and roughly about 12 months ago they launched a shoe called the Brooks Aurora.
That shoe was not going to have a long shelf life. It was there to make a big impact to introduce you to their new midsoles before the Brooks Glycerin landed. COVID-19 got in the way with some production issues and that whole story in handover wasn't quite executed as well as Brooks would have planned.
The DNA Loft v3 midsole is a nitrogen-infused midsole. What does that mean in comparison to last year? It's a lighter construction so it’s not quite as heavy on the foot. It's a little bit softer and it's most certainly springier through the forefoot.
When you're looking at a shoe like this you definitely want it to be cushioned. That's why you're buying a Brooks Glycerin, you want to protect your joints and you want to protect your body when you're landing on the ground. However, to have a shoe that has a little bit of pop in a mileage shoe is like a cherry on top which is a really good value-add.
The Brooks Glycerin 19 had a really good exit. I liked it a lot and customers downstairs liked it, however when you take it to the next level the Brooks Glycerin 20 has a really nice release. The whole midsole from entry to midstance to toe-off is ticking a lot of boxes. It's a very stable shoe due to the extra surface area. It’s cushioned enough and it's also nice and responsive through the forefoot.
Similar Running Shoes To The Brooks Glycerin 20
To give you some context around where the Brooks Glycerin 20 sits, if you're a runner that's used the Asics Gel Nimbus franchise, wearing either the Asics Gel Nimbus 23 or the current Asics Gel Nimbus 24, the Saucony Triumph 18, Saucony Triumph 19 or the new Saucony Triumph 20, I would certainly say you could have a look at the Brooks Glycerin 20.
Of course, if you come from the Brooks Glycerin 19, I'm fairly confident that you're going to like what Brooks are doing with the Brooks Glycerin 20. It's a bit of a different fit and feel on the foot, but I think you'll really enjoy what Brooks have done. It's a lighter weight and a really snappy feel through toe-off.
Just to throw another shoe in the mix, I would even consider the New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v12. If you've used that previously or currently and you're looking for something a little bit lighter underneath the foot and with more spring on toe-off, you should have a look at the Brooks Glycerin 20.
The Wrap Up
In summary, the Brooks Glycerin 20 is a very cushioned and stable shoe. It’s targeting neutral runners or mild supinators. Whether you hit the ground on your heel, midfoot or your forefoot, this is an incredibly versatile and cushioned shoe.
If you're someone that likes to use slightly heavier shoes for your progressive runs or a couple of your speed workouts you can still use the Brooks Glycerin 20. I feel that now more than ever because of that new DNA Loft v3 or that new nitrogen-infused midsole which does have a nice snappy feel on toe-off.
If you're an orthotic wearer and you have slipped your orthotics into the Brooks Glycerin in the past, you can do that quite comfortably too in the Brooks Glycerin 20.
If you have any questions about this shoe or any other shoes in this category please contact our Sportitude running shoe experts. Subscribe to the Sportitude YouTube channel and hit the bell to stay notified and we'll keep knocking out these shoe reviews for you the running community all over the world.
Until next time stay safe, be kind to one another, happy running and we'll see you on the road. Take care.
FEATURES
- Support: Neutral
- Upper: Mesh
- Midsole: Brooks DNA Loft v3
- Heel Height: 26mm
- Forefoot Height: 16mm
- Offset / Drop: 10mm
Men
- Weight: 286g / 10.1oz
- Width: D (standard) and 2E (wide)
Women
- Weight: 258g / 9.1oz
- Width: B (standard) and D (wide)
Brooks Glycerin 19
For a more in-depth shoe fitting experience, you can book a free 15 minute video chat in a Live Fit session or make an appointment to discover your RunDNA at Sportitude Running@Hindmarsh.
Happy running!
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