Brooks Neutral Running Range Shoe Review

Josh and Adam team up to shed light on the Brooks neutral running shoe family including the Ghost 9, Glycerin 14, Dyad 9 and Defyance 9.

The Brooks Ghost and Brooks Glycerin are amazing high mileage shoes that are perfect for tackling anything from 5 to 100km a week, with the Ghost weighing in slightly lighter. The Dyad delivers excellent stability, while the Defyance gives you the best of the Brooks Adrenaline in a neutral package.

Whether you have a standard or wider foot, Josh and Adam will help match you up with running shoes that’ll let you run in style and comfort. With special cushioning technology for an ultra-smooth transition, you’ll love racking up the miles in any of these running machines.

Check out the full review with transcript below.

Josh: Hello and welcome to Sportitude. My name is Josh and I’m here today with Adam to talk to you guys about the extensive Brooks neutral running range. The reason we are doing that today is because they have a lot of shoes in this category and we want to make sure you’re selecting the right one. In front of Adam we’ve got -

Adam: Brooks Glycerin and also the Brooks Ghost. This is the 14th model of the Brooks Glycerin and they’ve actually redesigned the whole sole by adding in an extra flex groove, making that bottom a little bit wider. That allows it to cater for a lot more body types whether it is a heavier runner like myself or the lighter runner like Josh.

I come down like an elephant and Josh is a bit of a fairy so regardless of body type the transition between heel to toe caters for whatever you require. Very similar to the Ghost they both have DNA technology in the back which makes it a really smooth cushion blow when you come down heavy on that heel and main impact zone. It allows that soft, smooth transition.

Both really good high mileage shoes whether you’re running 5ks a week, 50ks a week, right up to that 100k runners a week. Really good shoes.

Josh: Like Adam! So between the actual shoes themselves here Adam, slight weight reduction in the Ghost?

Adam: There’s probably about 35 grams between the Glycerin and the Ghost which makes it a really nice light shoe. Whether you’re doing tempo running or distance running, it’s just that little bit lighter.

The Ghost is that bit wider in the forefoot, giving more freedom. One of the best features about it is that reinforced toe box. I’ve probably busted through about 10 shoes with my big toe. That reinforcement is going to stop you busting through and it’s really good.

Josh: I’ve got two unique shoes in their neutral range and I’m going to talk about the Brooks Dyad 9 and also the Brooks Defyance 9. I’ll start off with the Dyad.

The Dyad is by far their most stable neutral shoe. The reason being is it has a very wide base so technically it's called a straight lasted shoe. 

What that essentially does is provide a wide foot bed for the runner and in some cases we sell a lot of shoes to walkers as well. If you want a light shoe and don’t like a walking shoe feel, this guy here is fantastic.

The other key feature of this shoe is that it is a slightly wider shoe. In the men’s category we are looking at a 2E and a 4E which is for an extra wide width. In the ladies range they offer three widths in this shoe, a standard B width, then they go to a D and there’s also an extra wide 2E for the ladies which is fantastic.

When we are talking about the Dyad again, the actual cushioning system is their Super DNA which Adam touched on through those two shoes. It is a lighter but more responsive cushioning system then they’ve done in the past.

I want to touch on the pods underneath the shoe. The medial pod and lateral pod allow a mild pronator to use the shoe as well. That pod will cradle the foot and won't allow it collapse as much as you would in a traditional neutral shoe or what we’d call a semi curved last.

I’ll compare the Defyance 9 and Dyad. You can see the structural difference underneath the foot, the Dyad has a wider foot bed and then we’re looking at the semi curved last in the Defyance.

Moving on to the Defyance. Probably the smartest thing Brooks have ever done. Globally their number 1 runners' shoes are Brooks Adrenaline. 

For the runners out there that know the Brooks Adrenaline, it’s a beautiful shoe. It’s light, it’s cushioned, it’s fantastic. Offered in varied width, it’s a cracker. It’s been around for a number of years now and will keep getting stronger.

The Defyance is a neutral version of that. When Brooks release a new Adrenaline, for example the Adrenaline 17 which is out now, they cut the new Defyance off the previous 16 model. 

The Defyance 9 is cut off the Adrenaline 15. Underneath the foot bed itself if I put the Adrenaline 15 next to the Defyance 9 it would look identical. The only difference is on the medial side there’s no Dual Density or PRB Roll Bar that Brooks use. 

Adam: Better.

Josh: Better! Exactly, same density the whole way around. The only thing with the Defyance which I need to bring up is that they only do it in the one width. You’ve got the D width men’s and a B width ladies.

Adam: Standard.

Josh: Exactly right, standard just like you and me.

Adam: Speak for yourself!

Josh: Thanks man. In terms of the running shoe itself we sell it very much against the Brooks Ghost. They're very similar shoes, very similar weight.

The only thing is we felt with the Defyance it does nudge out a few extra kilometres then what the Ghost does. The Ghost wears out ever so slightly faster than this little guy.

Adam: We’re talking 50, 100ks.

Josh: Not much at all. Two cracking shoes both of those. Hopefully we’ve given you some light on the Brooks neutral family. 

Happy running guys. See you next time.