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Brooks Asteria

Discontinued · road · Race day / Tempo · $110

Lightweight racing flat with a hint of stability.

Built for race day, tempo, at a target pace of 6:00–7:45 /mi on road.

This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Brooks Hyperion 2.

The spec sheet

Weight
204 g / 7.2 oz
Heel stack
22 mm
Drop
8 mm
Plate
—
Cushioning
2 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Rocker
1 / 5
Flexibility
3 / 5
Stability
4 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Narrow
Sizing
Size up ½
Durability
~200 mi
Price
$110

How it rides

The foam

Brooks tuned this midsole firm (2/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 22 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is narrow and performance-oriented; wide-footed runners should try before buying. It runs small; most runners size up a half. Expect roughly 200 miles from the outsole, about $0.55 per mile at $110.

For the foams and plates Brooks uses across its line, read the Brooks brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

204 g / 7.2 oz

71 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

22 mm

14 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

8 mm

2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$110

50 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

3 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

2 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~200 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Brooks line it is lighter than the brand's median (283 g / 10.0 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (36 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Adidas Adizero RC 5

210 g / 7.4 oz · 28 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $90

Lightweight, firm budget racer for track work and 5Ks.

Topo Athletic Fli-Lyte 6

210 g / 7.4 oz · 23 mm · 3 mm drop · — · $110

Low, nimble shoe balancing ground feel with a touch of cushion.

Nike Rival Fly 4

235 g / 8.3 oz · 30 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100

Firm, low and cheap — the no-frills speedwork trainer.

On Cloudaway 2

230 g / 8.1 oz · 28 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $140

Packable travel shoe for city strolls and easy paths.

Saucony Kinvara 16

198 g / 7.0 oz · 29 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $140

Saucony Kinvara 16: 29 mm heel stack, 4 mm drop, 207 g — specs from independent lab testing.

Lineage & siblings