Gear review: Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7

01/19/2011

1 Comment

 
Two words: "IMPULSE BUY".  I hadn't planned on picking up a new pair of trail shoes, but they just looked so shiny and so downright, um, dare I say *sexy* sitting there at Sports Basement.  And once I tried them on I knew I had to take them home.
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Since I'm a dedicated Asics guy, I can't compare these shoes to any other previous Brooks models.  But, once I tried them on, I made a few immediate observations:
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  1. Even though I bought the medium width (13D), they are definitely pretty narrow, especially at the forefoot.  Now, for me that's perfect, because I have very narrow feet.  However, I get the feeling that people with "normal" feet may need to get the "wide" version.
  2. The shoes seem to be on the minimalist side.  They are supportive, but lower-profile and much less cushy than other shoes.  This makes them light and responsive, but some people might feel the impact from the trail more than they like.
  3. The lacing system is great!  They actually feel more snug and secure than my beloved Asics.
But the real question is, how do they perform on the trail?  Well, I've put about 84 miles on these shoes (according to the trusty training log) including one 20-miler.  Here are my observations:

PROS:
  • This shoe does feel light and responsive!
  • The shoe's lacing system and upper fit like a glove.  No blisters or hot spots, and pressure seems evenly distributed around the foot.
  • Personally, I like the lower-profile minimalist feel.
  • They look really cool!
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CONS:
  • The sole.  Boy, it looks cool, doesn't it?  However, the traction on wet rocks, roots, and wooden bridges is not very good, as compared to the Asics 2140/50/60 soles.  I believe it is because of the harder rubber material used on the Brooks.  It just doesn't grip very well on wet surfaces.  Also, the deep grooves really collect mud and debris.
  • The lower-profile minimalist feel.  Yes, it's true that I also listed it as a "PRO" above.  But, for some people it may be a "CON."  After the 20-miler, my knees definitely ached more than they would with a more cushy shoe.
The verdict?  Overall, despite the negatives, I still love this shoe.  It may not be the best shoe for the super long-distance ultra-runner, but it's a great shoe if you are looking for a more minimal, great-fitting shoe for 10-20 mile trail runs.  And, it really looks cool...  :)

-c
 


Comments

Louis Vuitton Bags link
03/11/2011 23:19

i wish there is sth i could do...

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