Thursday, December 12, 2019

Brooks 2020 Run Introductions Preview: Levitate 4, Bedlam 3, Revel 4, Cascadia 15, Run Visible

Article by Sam Winebaum and Peter Stuart

While there were as yet to be announced exciting racers seen by RTR at the December Running Event in Austin, Texas, the biggest public news at Brooks was a new flavor of the brand’s DNA AMP Polyurethane (PU) midsole foam which is 20% lighter and which will come to the Levitate 4 and Bedlam 3  support shoe.


Levitate 4  ($150)
Update: Levitate 4 Multi Tester Review 
We loved the ride of the first editions of the Levitate neutral trainer but they were heavy, very heavy from midsole to upper all conspiring to holding them back. With a sort pneumatic measured compression and rebound knocking 1.3 oz off the Levitate down to about 10.3 oz / 295 g in men’s ( in the same geometry) should make for an amazing ride.
The Levitate gets a new last and a new Fit Knit upper that is softer, lighter, and is said to be more breathable, and it sure looks it!
The outsole gets a complete redesign and now has a decoupling groove. This new outsole design carries over to several other 2020 models. The softer forefoot rubber is a greener HPR formulation. 
And here is the proof of weight, likely rounded up so within 0.1 oz of the spec. I brought my trusty postal scale+ The men’s will weigh 10.3 oz / 292  g the women’s 9.2 oz / 261 g Releases June 2020


Bedlam 3 ($150)
Notice similar aesthetics between the Levitate and Bedlam? Brooks wants runners to decide based on needs and not style or color between paired models such as the neutral Levitate and the support Bedlam, both being 8mm drop heavily cushioned shoes with DNA AMP PU midsoles. The Bedlam differs in having Brooks Guide Rails: co molded on the lateral side shown above and a now softer insert on the medial side. 
The Bedlam gets a new outsole similar to the Levitate. It too has a significant weight drop and will come in at 10.8 oz / 306g  for men’s and 9.5 oz / 269g for women. Releases June 2020.


Ghost 13 ($130)
The neutral trainer Ghost 13 sees an interesting change to its midsole make up. The softer DNA Loft which was previously an insert towards the heel now extends all the way to the front on the lateral side with somewhat firmer BioMoGo DNA on the entire media side as before. To ease transitions and I think also make the feel more consistent back to front. 


The upper is an engineered Air Mesh which looked super breathable. The Ghost is spec'd to come in at 10.1 oz / 286 g in men’s and 8.8 oz / 249 g in women’s which is the same weight as the Ghost 12.  It retains its big 11.5mm drop and releases July 2020 in many widths for men and women.
We thought the Ghost 13 GTX with a Gore-Tex Invisible Fit upper (laminated to the mesh instead of the usual bootie) looked and felt particularly good. Men’s 10.9 oz /308g (although sample weighed less at 10.6 oz / 300g), women’s 9.6 oz / 272g $160. Releases August 2020. 


Revel 4 ($100)
Update: Revel 4 review
The RTR crew thought (RTR Review) the Revel 3 was loads of fun, one of our favorites of 2019, with its slightly softer (than say Launch) BioMoGo DNA midsole, flexible ride and very fair $100 price. The weight stays about the same at men’s 8.9 oz / 252 g women’s 7.9 oz / 224 g.
The key changes are a Fit Knit upper and especially the new decoupled outsole with Green forefoot Rubber similar to other 2020 Brooks. $100. 8mm offset.  Releases July 2020.


Adrenaline GTS 21 ($130)
The support Adrenaline has the new softer more integral Guide Rails of other Brooks support/stability shoes. We couldn’t stand the stiff first generation Guide Rails in the Adrenaline 19 and Ravenna 10 and are finding the new 2nd generation Guide Rails in the Transcend 7 to be a big improvement. As with the Ghost, a potential neutral pairing in Brooks Cushion category it also now has a full length softer DNA Loft lateral side and the engineered Air Mesh upper. 11.5 mm offset. Men’s 10.4 oz / 295 g women’s 9.1 oz /  258 g. Releases and in many widths, November 2020.


Cascadia 15 ($130)
Update: Cascadia 15 multi tester review
After a fine major overhaul of the Cascadia 14,  the 15 gets a monoloop mesh upper with 3D Fit Print overlays to improve breathability and drainage. Super modern and sharp looking, we thought the 14 was a bit old fashioned in looks. Not so the 15! 
The GTX version has Gore-Tex Invisible Fit with the membrane laminated directly to the upper instead of a bootie. 

Cascadia 15 will come in at men’s 11 oz / 312g, women’s 10 oz / 283 g. Both versions release June 2020 and are  also available in a 2E for men and D for women.


WATCH AS BROOKS PRESENTS 2020 RUN INTRODUCTIONS
Levitate 4, Bedlam 3, Revel 4, Cascadia 15

Run Visible Collection
Carbonite Jacket
Moving away from its iconic Nightlife high visibility apparel, Run Vision apparel will come Sept 2020. 
Carbonite TIght
The apparel will focus on contrasts in color to highlight the runner to vehicles in all light conditions. Highly flexible and reflective strips of “blackout” 3M Carbon Black stretch material will provide 300 candlepower of reflective power and are concentrated in motion areas which vision science has proven are what attracts attention and identifies the object illuminated as a human. 
Carbonite Singlet
Modern, sharp and sure to be seen we can’t wait to test next year. 

Comments and Questions Welcome Below!
Please let us know mileage, paces, race distances, and current preferred shoes


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4 comments:

Will Bates said...

November 2019 for Adrenaline GTS 19?

Dennis Chui said...

can't wait for the lighter glycerin.

ASSISI said...

Will Adrenaline GTS 21 be softer than 20. I love the 20....and Ghost is too soft for me

Sam Winebaum said...

HI Assisi,
The GTS 21 also has the extended DNA Loft on the lateral side (as Ghost 13 got) so would expect it will be softer than 20
Sam, Editor