In production · road · Daily / Long run · $100
Brooks Revel 8: 32 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 244 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is DNA Loft v2, tuned firm (2/5 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. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It runs small; most runners size up a half. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.25 per mile at $100.
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
246 g / 8.7 oz
29 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
$100
60 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
2 / 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.
New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V2
238 g / 8.4 oz · 32 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100
New Balance Fresh Foam Roav V2: 32 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 238 g — specs from independent lab testing.
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v14 GTX
257 g / 9.1 oz · 31 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $180
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v14 GTX: 31 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 261 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Nike Rival Fly 4
235 g / 8.3 oz · 30 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100
Firm, low and cheap — the no-frills speedwork trainer.
New Balance Fresh Foam 680 v9
259 g / 9.1 oz · 30 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $110
New Balance Fresh Foam 680 v9: 30 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 258 g — specs from independent lab testing.