In production · road · Daily / Tempo · $120
The budget-friendly Launch with GuideRails added for mild support.
Built for daily, tempo, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
Brooks tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 32 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 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 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.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.30 per mile at $120.
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
255 g / 9.0 oz
20 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
32 mm
4 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$120
40 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 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).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
On Cloud X Shift
270 g / 9.5 oz · 32 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $160
Cushioned cross-trainer for mixed training days.
Asics GT-1000 14
265 g / 9.3 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $110
Entry-level stability trainer — mild guidance at a friendly price.
Under Armour Velociti Pace
265 g / 9.3 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100
Entry-price Velociti daily trainer for steady everyday miles.
Brooks Launch 12(2025)
249 g / 8.8 oz · 35 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $110
Firm, light, cheap — the honest budget uptempo trainer.