Brooks Glycerin Max Running Shoe Review: Love At First Fit?

By RunDNA

Published on Nov 1, 2024

14 min read

Are the Brooks Glycerin Max the best running shoes from Brooks yet?

Last month we celebrated the Brooks Glycerin Max release date on the 1^st of October 2024. Not only was this the launch of Brooks’ highly anticipated running shoe, the Brooks Glycerin Max in Australia, but also the first-ever Brooks running shoe with DNA Tuned technology.

With summer just around the corner, it’s sure to ignite your motivation to lace up for some happy miles. One month in and the Brooks Glycerin Max has already sparked a community of runners in Australia that are obsessed about this ride, not to mention the thousands of runners across the globe.

From “I love the cushioning” to “This shoe is the most comfortable shoe EVER!”, reviews on the Brooks website are predominantly positive... but is the Brooks Glycerin Max the right running shoe for you?

Below we discuss the innovative technologies and engineering that make this max stacked, max cushioned Brooks running shoe stand out from the pack. We'll also provide expert insight on what is the difference between the Brooks Glycerin Max and Brooks Glycerin 21 to help you make an informed purchase.

Brooks Glycerin Max - Womens Running Shoes

Free Delivery in Aus
$349.99 $299.99

Comfort Evolved: The Rise Of Brooks Running Shoes With Max Cushioning

Over the past year, Brooks has pushed the boundaries, stretching the limitations of what a Brooks running shoe can be.

For decades, the answer to "Why are Brooks running shoes so popular?" was in their reliability, durability and comfort as a brand that lives and breathes running. However, over the past year their innovation and willingness to adapt to the evolving wants of the modern runner have reignited fresh incentives to lace up in Brooks shoes.

Yes, they still are and will continue to be among the most reliable running shoes on the market. Where Brooks have evolved from their traditional roots comes down to (or more accurately, up to) the stack height of their new ‘Max’ line of running shoes. With the philosophy ‘more is more’ becoming increasingly prevalent and popular in the industry – Brooks have turned their innovation into initiative.

Traditionally Hoka was the go-to running shoe brand for those seeking a max cushioned ride, with few competitors in the space to go up against the supremely comfortable Hoka Bondi or Hoka Clifton.

Today, Brooks is a worthy rival. They stay true to their legacy of comfort that grew from their conventional, more traditionally stacked running shoes like the Brooks Ghost and the Brooks Glycerin, while also offering a contemporary range for runners that enjoy riding on a higher, luxuriously cushioned platform.

If that’s you, then the Brooks Glycerin Max could be the missing piece in your running wardrobe, with its stack height of 47mm surpassing other running shoes in this space like the On Cloudmonster and Asics SuperBlast 2 in thickness.

In saying that, many runners believe there isn't any true competitor to the Brooks Glycerin Max from other brands. The ingenuity and unique feel of Brooks' DNA Tuned technology puts it in a league of its own.

Prefer max cushioning with a firmer feel? Then the Brooks Ghost Max 2 daily trainers could be the best running shoe for you.

Craving max cushioning in a fast running shoe? The Brooks Hyperion Max have your speed training covered.

Why You’ll Love The Brooks Glycerin Max: DNA Tuned To Cushion & Energise Your Stride

Developed by the Brooks BlueLine lab – the minds at Brooks that combine their innovation, biomechanics expertise, data-driven approach and runner feedback – DNA Tuned brings a futuristic cushioning technology to life in your Brooks Glycerin Max running shoes.

This supercritical foam adapts to provide you with personalised cushioning, no matter how your foot strikes the pavement. Ironically, Brooks’ massive success in the Brooks Glycerin Max comes down to the tiny cells in the DNA Tuned technology.

DNA technology refers to the innovative midsole foams from Brooks that provide adaptable energy return and cushioning based on the forces they experience underfoot. Every runner has a unique body and biomechanics, and this technology helps with both injury prevention and maximising comfort. It supports runners on their personalised motion path - the stride that is most efficient and natural for you, to improve performance and to elevate the feel-good feeling you get from running.

"Our biomechanics scientists in the run research lab meticulously study and analyse the mechanics of human movement... We found that each person has their own unique way of running, defined by their habitual motion path. We call this your Run Signature." - Brooks

DNA midsole foam comes in multiple variations depending on the purpose and intended feel of the Brooks running shoe. For example, the Brooks Hyperion tempo shoes feature nitrogen-infused DNA Flash cushioning. Lightweight responsiveness and speed are the key sensations, catering to runners seeking a fast running shoe.

DNA Tuned is essentially DNA Loft v3 - the nitrogen-infused technology present in cushioned daily trainers like the Brooks Glycerin 21 and Brooks Ghost Max 2, evolved.

DNA Loft v3 offers a soft, airy sensation underfoot thanks to millions of tiny cells in the midsole. Alongside EVA foam and rubber, air is literally an ingredient in this formula for a floating-on-clouds feel in your strides. Nitrogen takes this sensation further - with liquid nitrogen being heated, transformed into a gas and saturated into the midsole foam.

What makes DNA Tuned different from DNA Loft v3, is the strategic sizing of the cells, creating targeted cushioning or 'tuned zones'.

This innovative midsole features smaller, more tightly packed cells at the forefoot for resiliency and responsiveness, and larger cells at the rearfoot with a greater surface area for softness and shock absorption. The smaller cells are called out in the outsole by the hot pink foam in the women's Brooks Glycerin Max and yellow foam in the men's Brooks Glycerin Max. The larger cells are called out by the white foam in both models.

Brooks Glycerin Max - Womens Running Shoes

Free Delivery in Aus
$349.99 $299.99

The benefits aren’t just on paper – you can feel the difference between the foam densities beneath your feet from plusher heel landings to springy toe-offs.

Comparatively, DNA Loft v3 focuses on the larger, cushioning-enhancing cells. With DNA Tuned, although the Brooks Glycerin Max is luxuriously cushioned and forgiving underfoot, you don’t miss out on that energy-turning sensation your feet crave.

DNA Loft still offers an element of responsiveness through the compression and bounce back of the foam - but with DNA Tuned, cushioning and rebound is precisely targeted to work in harmony with the phases of your stride.

With dual-cell technology offering two densities integrated into a single piece of foam, the feel of DNA Tuned is pure and seamless.

The Making Of DNA Tuned

The strategic application of moulds, heat and Brooks' research and development in innovation all come into play in the crafting of DNA Tuned supercritical foam.

It begins with a DNA midsole base that is used to form the two distinct densities of foam - one with smaller cells, and one with larger cells.

After a two stage injection moulding process, a mould is created that is the size of a toddler's foot (above). The mould doesn't feel soft like a finished midsole, it feels hard like solid plastic.

During a supercritical foaming process, performed under specific temperature and pressure conditions, it's infused with nitrogen and expands or pops into a recognisable midsole.

By having placed the two foam densities within the same mould and applying heat, essentially baking them in an oven, they bond together. This creates a midsole that is free of non-essential layers and adhesives like glue, which can add weight and compromise flexibility.

You won’t find any carbon plates here. What you will find, or more importantly feel and experience, is the effortless ride of the Brooks Glycerin Max.

Brooks' ability to manipulate the foam in this way is ground-breaking, while staying honest to their sustainability initiatives, with this manufacturing process reducing your carbon footprint.

We can’t wait to see DNA Tuned rolled out in other favourite Brooks running shoe families. Brooks promises to release DNA Tuned in the Brooks Glycerin 22 and Brooks Glycerin GTS 22 - so stay tuned for their arrival.

Brooks Glycerin Max FAQs

Purpose: Who is the Brooks Glycerin Max for?

If you're a runner seeking to make long runs feel easier, your feet will feel at home in the Brooks Glycerin Max. In terms of where it fits in your shoe rotation, with its effortless-feeling ride the Brooks Glycerin Max is in its element during your easy-going long runs, everyday training and recovery runs.

Road runners craving a soft, floating feel in their strides will gravitate to the Brooks Glycerin Max, which transfers the GlideRoll Rocker that was a success in the Brooks Ghost Max, into this new branch of the Glycerin.

The GlideRoll Rocker offers a geometry that’s sculpted for smooth heel-to-toe transitions, including a heel bevel and enhanced toe spring that takes the stress off your ankle joint and alleviates strain to the forefoot. This technology could be responsible for runners saying that it “gives carbon plate vibes without the plate,” offering a propulsive yet natural feel to effortlessly turn your legs over.

If you’re wondering which running shoes are best for plantar fasciitis, the mountains of cushioning in the Brooks Glycerin Max make them a must-try, providing protection against repetitive impacts and alleviating soreness. Without a doubt, the Brooks Glycerin Max would have been a top contender in our best comfortable running shoes list if they were available at the time. It's a joy-inspiring ride.

Fit: What foot type is the Brooks Glycerin Max for?

The Brooks Glycerin Max is for neutral foot types seeking an extraordinarily cushioned ride – like running on soft clouds.

It’s free of any additional support technologies targeted to overpronation guidance, like the Brooks’ GuideRails featured in the Brooks Glycerin GTS 21. However, the broad base provides intuitive stability from the ground up – working in harmony with the thick midsole to support your comfort and to ensure confident strides.

Runners with heavier body types also have found they’re able to increase their training load comfortably in the Brooks Glycerin Max as they engage the soft slab of cushioning beneath.

If you're considering the Brooks Glycerin Max vs the Brooks Ghost Max 2, the Brooks Glycerin Max offers a super plush yet bouncy experience, whereas the Brooks Ghost Max 2 is for runners that prefer firmer cushioning over the cloud-like softness and compression.

Can I run a marathon in the Brooks Glycerin Max?

Yes, you can run a marathon distance in the Brooks Glycerin Max... but it's not race-legal.

With a 47mm stack height, the Brooks Glycerin Max doesn't adhere to the World Athletics regulations for professional athletes, with the legal stack height of road running shoes capped at 40mm.

This rule was put in place to ensure the running shoes worn on race day don't give competitors an unfair technological advantage, although they can be used for training leading up to the event. This puts running shoes such as the Brooks Glycerin Max and Asics SuperBlast super trainers out of the running to be worn competitively.

If running your fastest PB up to a half marathon distance is your goal, the race-legal Brooks Hyperion Max 2 that excels at speed training would be a better fit for you. It features a 30mm stack height coupled with fast and responsive DNA Flash v2 cushioning.

The Brooks Glycerin Max isn't a PB-smashing running shoe or a contender for your speed workouts. Its main appeal is that it endures. It’s this enduring comfort that makes it a go-to ride – turning everything from 5K to 40K runs into feel-good road sessions. It keeps your feet going the distance in plush, pillow-soft protection. They are certainly ideal for recovery runs in-between tiring marathon training sessions to love and care for your feet.

The trade-off for more comfort tends to be a heavier shoe, and this is true of the Brooks Glycerin Max. This bouncy and protective ride weighs in at 297g in the men's model and 269g in the women's model, although this isn't unexpected in the max cushioned category.

If you're enthusiastic to wear the foot-cradling, fatigue-fighting comfort of the Brooks Glycerin Max to tackle challenging long runs like your next half marathon and marathon, check the guidelines of your specific event.

The race organisers may give you the thumbs up to wear running shoes exceeding the 40mm stack height limit if you aren't competing as an elite athlete, such as for Fun Run events. Just because your finishing time won't be considered official according to World Athletics, doesn't mean you can't have an amazingly fun time in the Brooks Glycerin Max running shoes!

Brooks Glycerin Max vs Glycerin 21: Which Is The Best Running Shoe For You?

The main difference between the Brooks Glycerin Max and Brooks Glycerin 21 is that the Brooks Glycerin Max is unsurprisingly, max stacked on a thicker platform and features Brooks' innovative new midsole cushioning, DNA Tuned.

Some runners believe the similarities between the Brooks Glycerin Max and Brooks Glycerin 21 end in the name. While both are considered max cushioned running shoes, the Brooks Glycerin Max (above) is truly a new running shoe in its own right, not simply a fresh take on a much-loved running shoe family.

However, it has earned the name Glycerin not due to similarities in terms of features, but the shared philosophy behind these running shoes. Both provide premium, luxurious comfort for your daily training.

Upper

The Brooks Glycerin 21 features the cosy comfort and structure of an engineered warp knit upper for a flexible and accommodating fit, whereas the Brooks Glycerin Max features a new triple jacquard engineered mesh upper to optimise breathability. It achieves this with an open weave in heat-prone zones, while offering a tighter weave in areas that benefit from additional support and protection. The result is a secure, foot-hugging fit on a max cushioned platform.

The plush tongue and premium-feeling upper Brooks running shoes are known for is common to both, and the Brooks Glycerin Max features an Enhanced Comfort Collar to take the luxury a step further. The higher heel counter tapers away from your Achilles for an irritation-free fit, which may remind you of Hoka running shoes.

Like the Brooks Glycerin 21, the tongue isn't gusseted in the Brooks Glycerin Max. However, this doesn't compromise the comfort or locked-in fit that can be achieved without the use of a runner's lock lace in most cases.

For many runners, both the Brooks Glycerin Max and Brooks Glycerin 21 require no wear-in period, offering immediate step-in comfort. The Brooks Glycerin Max features a more voluminous upper that caters to forefoot pathologies. Both provide plenty of wriggle room to splay your toes naturally during long distance runs. Built on a straight last, the Brooks Glycerin Max is also an orthotic-friendly design with a comfortable amount of depth and generous midfoot width.

If you've tried the Brooks Ghost Max, the fit of the Brooks Glycerin Max follows suit, making it easy and worry-free to transition between the two.

Midsole

The Brooks Glycerin 21 features a 100% nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 midsole whereas the Brooks Glycerin Max features full-length, nitrogen-infused DNA Tuned supercritical foam. Both are ideal for your daily training and have fatigue-fighting cushioning, but DNA Tuned feels bouncier than DNA Loft v3, keeping your feet feeling fresh over long distances.

The Brooks Glycerin Max is for runners that are happy to trade ground feedback to feel like you can run endlessly.

Put the Brooks Glycerin Max and Brooks Glycerin 21 side by side, and you’ll see the enhanced toe spring and heel bevel in the former. This GlideRoll Rocker geometry is the very same as in the Brooks Ghost Max 2 to provide effortlessly smooth transitions. This helps take the stress off your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia, providing plantar fasciitis relief for runners in need of not only max comfort, but max protection.

In combination with the DNA Tuned supercritical foam, the Brooks Glycerin Max creates an energy-returning feel for daily training - meaning you can run with less effort. The high side walls of the midsole cradle your feet as the midsole compresses on foot strike, protecting heel strikers and creating a stable ride.

The lightweight Brooks Glycerin 21 offers a more versatile and traditional ride than the Brooks Glycerin Max. However, don’t let the words 'lightweight' or 'traditional' fool you, because despite the weight savings it is still plush and praised as a “super soft shoe” by Brooks. The Brooks Glycerin 21 offers 2mm more luxuriously soft DNA Loft v3 cushioning than its predecessor, the Brooks Glycerin 20.

Like the Brooks Glycerin Max, the Brooks Glycerin 21 is in its element during slow running, but with its more nimble design, shifting the pace up a gear isn’t ruled out in the Brooks Glycerin 21. It's still technically a max cushioned shoe, just on a mid-stack height of 28mm for runners that prefer the feel of more traditional engineering over more height.

The new Brooks Glycerin Max alternatively has a super stacked heel height of 47mm - providing ultimate protection for long runs and recovery runs.

Outsole

Both the Brooks Glycerin 21 and Brooks Glycerin Max are runner-approved for durability and traction on the road. The Brooks Glycerin Max features a centrally decoupled heel to complement the GlideRoll Rocker geometry, for smooth transitions while helping your stride hit the mark of your most efficient motion path.

The stability of the running shoe isn’t achieved from extra support devices, but is in the make-up of its engineering from the ground up, with a broad base that supports runners with a neutral stride. Even on the mountain of cushioning, this design keeps you feeling secure and sure-footed during your runs. The Brooks Glycerin 21 similarly features a broad platform for natural-feeling stability on the ultra-soft cushioning.

Brooks have been strategic regarding the rubber coverage underfoot, allowing you to really engage with the DNA Tuned foam for targeted softness and responsiveness. Leaving exposed areas of DNA Tuned has allowed them to shave off precious weight, helping keep the Brooks Glycerin Max under 300g while keeping high-impact zones reinforced with rubber.

Comparatively, the rubber coverage under the Brooks Glycerin 21 appears thicker, more robust and less sparse, while still being thoughtfully placed for protection without excess weight. The Brooks Glycerin 21 features RoadTack rubber for lightweight traction, crafted in part with recycled silica to also run lighter on the environment.

Quick Shoe Fitting Advice

The Brooks Glycerin Max could be the best running shoe for you if you prefer:

Maximum soft cushioning and protection – extra weight doesn’t worry you for recovery runs and longer runs
A thick slab of cushioning between your feet and the ground, and a lower heel-to-toe drop of 6mm that alleviates stress to your hips and knees
Additional protection and an effortlessly smooth ride with the GlideRoll Rocker offloading running injuries such as plantar fasciitis
Zonal cushioning from DNA Tuned, providing enhanced shock-absorption in the heel and springiness on toe-off – and you love feeling the difference

Brooks Glycerin Max - Womens Running Shoes

Free Delivery in Aus
$349.99 $299.99

The Brooks Glycerin 21 could be the best running shoe for you if you prefer:

Buttery softness without compromising on the lighter, nimble feel and versatility
A traditional stack height and higher heel-to-toe drop of 10mm, helping alleviate stress to your Achilles and calves
Less reliance on the running shoe's geometry to roll your foot forward
A consistent feel when it comes to cushioning, with 100% DNA Loft v3 from heel-to-toe, while maintaining a luxurious ride

Running Shoe Comparison: Specs & Features

Brooks Glycerin Max

Best For: Daily training, long runs, easy runs & recovery runs
Foot Type: Neutral
Upper: Triple jacquard engineered mesh
Midsole: Brooks DNA Tuned
Heel Height: 47mm
Forefoot Height: 41mm
Offset / Drop: 6mm

Weight

Women's: 269g / 9.5 oz (US 7.5)
Men's: 297g / 10.5 oz (US 9)

Brooks Glycerin 21

Best For: Daily training, long runs, easy runs & recovery runs
Foot Type: Neutral
Upper: Engineered warp knit
Midsole: Brooks DNA Loft v3
Heel Height: 28mm
Forefoot Height: 18mm
Offset / Drop: 10mm