Article by Zack Dunn
Brooks Launch 10 ($110)
Introduction
Zack: Within the Brooks running shoe lineup, there are many different shoes to consider. There are Ghost, Glycerin, Hyperion, and so on, yet one of more long standing shoe models is the Launch.
The Launch has always been a more “affordable” lightweight trainer, and this new iteration is no different. The last time I ran the Launch was the 6 when I was a high school runner, and the shoe was very much “okay” and I can say that this iteration is no different.
Pros:
Not the lightest shoe, but still lightweight at 8.3 oz. - Zack
Durability: after 60 miles wear and tear whatsoever. - Zack
Upper is comfortable with a fairly good lockdown.- Zack
Midsole is not anything to go crazy about but performs fine. - Zack
Good value for a durable basic trainer
Cons:
The midsole foam is somewhat generic, and feels firm underfoot. - Zack
Stats
Weight: men's 8.3 oz / g women's 7.4 oz / g
Stack Height: 34mm heel / 24mm forefoot (10mm drop spec)
$110 Available now.
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Zack: In terms of first impressions, I was quite pleased to see that I was sent a very bright shoe!
When I put the shoe on, the first thing I noticed was how perfectly everything seemed to fit and just how solidly Brooks nailed the upper. From the heel lockdown to the slightly snug midfoot hold, the shoe had a true-to-size and extremely comfortable fit.
I also like how the shoe utilized the achilles heel flare (which is commonly seen in the Nike Pegasus shoes) as this reduces any unnecessary pressure on the achilles/heel area. Overall, the upper was very well engineered and performed really well!
Midsole
Zack: So the midsole… in all honesty, it is not the most exciting midsole to run, and to be frank, it is also a little boring. However, that does not make it bad at all, it actually performed well enough to be able to handle many types of runs..
The midsole foam is Brooks DNA which is an EVA based foam and that is quite clearfromthe underfoot feel. As I stated previously, there is nothing necessarily wrong with it (maybe except it is a little firm but it has nothing that makes it special and especially compared the “super foams” emerging in many shoes including Brooks’s similar if pricier ($150) Hyperion (RTR Review with comparisons to Launch 10). In most simple terms, I would just say this is an average midsole, a 6/10, nothing bad but nothing good either.
Outsole
Zack: Just as with the midsole, the outsole worked fine, but there is just nothing to go crazy about. I will say that one thing I do like is that Brooks has in its daily trainer type shoes is the transitions and flex grooves that allow for a smooth transition, as well as a natural toe-off.
With the midsole being firm, I feel the flex that the outsole makes for a more enjoyable ride. In terms of durability, after 65 miles there seems to be very little wear of the outsole so I definitely think this shoe’s outsole will last 300-400 miles.
Ride
Zack: One probably gathered a common theme in this review so far and that is that this shoe is very “average”. The ride is no different.
I had put it through several different runs, as well as paces, and I can say that this shoe performed… well pretty average.
The first few runs I used it for were just normal runs, which usually ranged from 6-10 miles at 7:00-7:45 min/mile pace with some being on road and some on grass/dirt trails. The shoe performed fine, but I will say in terms of easy running, I can tell my legs were yearning for a more comfortable outsole plus some more cushion underfoot, especially when getting into double digit distance.
The next run surprised me in how good the shoe felt. It was a 8 mile cut down run, progressing from a normal pace (7:00/mile) to a moderate effort (5:50 / mile) and this is where I really enjoyed the shoe. I feel that since the shoe is somewhat lightweight and lower to the ground, this effort pace felt like the sweet spot, as it just isn’t fast enough for race type paces and just not my cup of tea for slower paces.
I then did a workout which was 2 x 4 miles at a pace 20 seconds slower than tempo (5:40 / mile) and I felt the shoe is not made for any hard effort running. At least compared to other shoes on the market, it requires a lot of work to go fast in and as said previously, the shoe just feels best at more moderate paces.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Zack: All in all, the Launch 10 shoe performed quite well and if you are a runner who enjoys firm, lower to the ground shoes, or just looking for a budget shoe that performs well, then you should definitely look into the Launch 10.
That being said, was the shoe exciting by any means, or was I eager to throw down runs in it each time that I did? No.
But I genuinely do not think the shoe was meant to be anything new or innovative. Instead, it is meant to be an affordable, somewhat average everyday trainer. In that sense it is not disappointing. It is quite “average” in most aspects. Now, I will add that average does not mean bad in any way, and the Launch 10 definitely gets the job done with no big complaints from me.
Zack’s Score: 7.6/10
Comparisons
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
On Cloudsurfer (RTR Review)
Zack: Both of these shoes are their brands' respective lightweight trainers. The thing that I found most similar between the two shoes was the uppers, as I feel they were quite similar in feel and the way they were engineered. That is a good thing, as I quite enjoyed both uppers.
However, this is where the similarities end, as the midsole and outsole constructions are quite different. The Cloudsurfer, while at a relatively low-stack height, has a soft midsole foam which adds a good bounciness to the shoe. As stated in the review, the Launch is quite the opposite, with a quite firm ride. Personally, if I had to choose, I would definitely pick the Cloudsurfer everytime as it is just a much more pleasant shoe to run in.
Adidas Adizero SL (RTR Review)
Zack: I am quite confident in saying that the Launch is most comparable to the Adizero SL. Both of these have quite firm rides and very similar rides and I would say they perform best in similar circumstances, my moderate paces.
RTR Review of the Brooks Hyperion GTS (Go-To-Support) version of the Hyperion
RTR Comparative Review Brooks Hyperion to Brooks Launch 10
Tester Profile
Zack Dunn: is a college runner at Lewis University. I’ve been running for 8 years, and focused solely on running after giving up on years of baseball and wrestling. I race distances between 800 meters and 10K whether it be on the track, the roads, or on cross country courses. I do most of my training on the roads, some training on the track, and occasionally run trails logging anywhere from 65-80 miles a week. My typical training consists of easy days, long days, workouts (fartleks, tempos, interval training, etc.). My typical training paces range from 7’30 a mile on easy days to sub-5 minutes a mile on fast interval days, and with many paces in between. My personal bests are 4:20 for 1600m, 8:42 for 3000m, 14:51 for 5K, and 25:24 for 8k.
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
EUROPE Men's & Women's SHOP HERE
Europe only: use RTR code RTR5ALL for 5% off all products, even sale products
- 10% Savings Every Day* 5% Back in Rewards Cash
- Test Run Shoes 90 Days Worry Free
- Crazy Fast, FREE Shipping
- NONSTOP PERKS
AMAZON
No comments:
Post a Comment