Discontinued · road · Recovery / Long run · $180
Earlier generation of the Brooks Glycerin Max line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for recovery, long run, at a target pace of 8:30–12:00 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Brooks Glycerin Max 2.
Brooks tuned this midsole very soft (5/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. At 43 mm of heel stack this sits in max-cushion territory; legs stay fresher on long efforts, but the platform is tall. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
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.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.40 per mile at $180.
For the foams and plates Brooks uses across its line, read the Brooks brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
309 g / 10.9 oz
34 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
43 mm
7 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$180
20 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
5 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Brooks line it is heavier than the brand's median (283 g / 10.0 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Asics Gel-Nimbus 27(2025)
305 g / 10.8 oz · 44 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $165
Pillow-top max cushion with a plush knit upper. Recovery-day comfort food.
Saucony Endorphin Shift 4
300 g / 10.6 oz · 42 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
Big, stable, rockered cruiser for high-mileage easy days.
Hoka Bondi 10(2026)
305 g / 10.8 oz · 43 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $175
Maximum cushion, maximum forgiveness — the recovery-day default.
Hoka Bondi 9(2024)
297 g / 10.5 oz · 43 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $170
Maximum foam under everything. Recovery-day armchair with a wide platform.