RunRepeat.com's video: Brooks Levitate 3 test review - Everybody s everyday trainer

Find all reviews of the Brooks Levitate 3 in one place with the hottest deals from +50 retailers. Check out: https://runrepeat.com/brooks-levitate-3 The Brooks Levitate 3 is a solid everyday trainer. While its combination of traits isn’t tailored towards any particular type of runner or specific workout, it’s a great shoe for nearly any distance runner. This is one of the few places there’s anything to complain about. Sizing is spot-on, and overall, the shoe has a good fit throughout. There’s no part of the shoe that feels too roomy or too snug. The Levitate 3 uses a knit material, which is comfortable, flexible, and breathable. Few uppers would compete with this one. There aren’t any overlays, but that’s a good thing. Going without overlays keeps dead weight off of the shoe and also provides maximum breathability. Instead, the shoe’s upper is stretchy (and so are the laces), so it hugs your foot, providing a sock-like fit. As such, no reinforcing structure is needed. On the top of the toe area, the knit is a more open weave, providing oodles of airflow. It would be great if there were more parts of the upper like this, but chances are durability would be an issue. As it stands, it’s one of the most breathable shoes I’ve tried. Brooks claims the arrow-shaped pattern makes you faster; I don’t know about that, but the tread pattern doesn’t slow you down on pavement like a trail shoe does, but it also provides good grip on nearly any surface, including dirt and gravel. While the Levitate 3 isn’t ideal for an entirely off-road race, it makes a better door-to-trail shoe than many trail shoes. The ride is where the Levitate 3 truly shines. Brooks’s DNA AMP midsole isn’t groundbreaking or without peer, but it’s one of the better midsoles out there when it comes to energy return. After hours of running, the ground still feels soft, and yet the ride never feels mushy. The energy return in the midsole adds some pop to your step. Too much cushion feels like running in sand, but the Levitate 3 feels like jumping on a spring mattress. The Levitate 3 is at its best when you’re running at speed. The Levitate 3 isn’t a race day shoe; it’s an everyday trainer. For that purpose, extra weight can be a good thing. If you get used to training in a heavy shoe, your performance on race day will be that much faster and more effortless. Heavy shoes make you tougher. That said, there’s not an ounce of fat on this thing. All of the extra material pulls its weight by providing a better grip or adding more spring to your step. The Levitate 3 isn’t a Ferrari, nor a limousine. It’s a muscle car. If I were going on vacation and could only pack one pair of running shoes for the week, I’d pick the Brooks Levitate 3. The high heel cup, with a badly placed unfinished seam, and the strange fit under the heel bring this one down to an A-minus. Fix those issues, and the Levitate 3 is a nearly perfect everyday trainer. - Robert Landauer RunRepeat Expert