Outdoor Retailer Summer 15: The Brooks Neuro A Very Unusual and Innovative Light Trainer/Racer. Launch 3. Stride Signature a New Segmentation of Products by Feel and Use.

Brooks, usually a conservative brand in terms of shoe design,  surprised with a very unusual, brand new, light trainer racer called the Neuro. Weight approximately 9 oz. On sale 3/1. 

Heavily podded with pods of blown rubber filled with BioMogo DNDA, it has an unusual deep flex at the back of the mid foot to release the sub talar joint  Brooks calls this a gearing mechanism allowing forefoot and heel to move independently. A beautiful, very light 3 layer mesh upper has a “hammock” system of cords wrapping completely around the foot and not just down to the midsole, tightening at the eyelets to secure the foot to the platform. TPU plates at the forefoot and back of mid foot (the blue you see below the pods) provide some stability to the podded design.  The darker heel and medial pods are firmer. Note how some pods have outsole rubber inside the ovals and others don't. Very curious to see how this very unusual and innovative design actually runs.

Brooks Neuro Outs. BioMogo DNA and blown rubber pods. TPU stabilizing plates (blue) at mid foot and forefoot below pods

Brooks Neuro 3 layer mesh upper, yellow cords wrap all the way around the foot.

Brooks Neuro-sub talar flex

Launch 3 will have a new 3D Fit Print seamless upper, a Midfoot Transition Zone, and Segmented Crash Pad. Rubber is added to the forefoot for "extra springy toe off". 9.8oz Men's, 7.1oz Women's. Price drops to $100. Available January 2016. Update: see our Launch 3 review and comparison to Launch 2 here. Indeed springier and smoother toe off compared to Launch 2. A very good update.

Brooks Launch 3

Brooks Launch 3

Brooks segments its line with "Stride Signature" with neutral and support shoes in each category:
Cushion, Energize, Connect, Propel

Brooks Stride Signature

 More on updates to other Brooks shoes later in the week.

Interested in other shoe brands, packs, illumination introductions at Outdoor Retailer? All our coverage at RoadTrailRun's summary page here