While I have generally average feet that can handle most shoes with relative ease (a good problem to have here at Run Oregon), switching to an entirely new shoe always makes me a little bit nervous. I have run in Brooks before, but it has honestly been a while, and would be my first experience with their long-running Glycerin line. The Brooks Glycerin Stealthfit 20 is releasing on July 1, 2022 and we have been testing them out for a few months.
Looks:
When I took the of Glycerin 20 out of the box, I fell in love with Brooks all over again. I know people have their own ideas and thoughts about white/light grey shoes, but I honestly love them (even if it does mean that the new shoe look is short-lived). The upper in the pair we received (Oyster/Alloy/Blue Depths) was really catchy, yet subdued as well. It was a nice mix of classic and sharp. In addition to this style, it looks like Brooks will be releasing two other color stylings in Men’s (Black/Pearl/Green Gecko; White/Grey/Black) and three in Women’s (Blue/Pastel Lilac/White; White/Black/Cream; Black/Pearl/ Peach).
There are a couple of new things on the upper that add to the look a little bit as well. The “Fit Knit” is completely seamless and provides breathability for those speedy and warm runs. The new “StealthFit” construction is intended to hug the foot throughout your motion and provide both stretch when needed and compression as well along the way.
Even though I have been reviewing shoes for year now, shoe tech always confuses me and I just try to put things in laymans terms. For me, I found this fit quite comforting. Honestly, a combination of the snugger upper construction and the new external lacing system (the laces don’t touch the foot!) was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. Typically, I am thinking about shoes when providing feedback on them, but for many instances during my run I sort of just lost myself to the run and forgot I was in new shoes. And that’s a good thing!
Construction:
The Glycerin Stealthfit 20’s also saw an update to their DNA LOFT v3, the softest cushioning Brooks currently utilizes. I have personally tried out some shoes with nitrogen-infused options and I REALLY like them. I find the cushioning to be really in a great spot (not firm, yet not overly springy) and – to me – make me really love running. Any any shoes with a nitrogen insole – now including the Glycerin Stealthfit 20’s – feel perfect right out of the box and keep me wanting to hit the miles without end.
Both the tongue and collar are fully integrated into the shoe – something we have seen in a variety of running shoes over the past few years. They personally remind me of the Brooks Levitate 5.
The toe box seems a bit wider than I remember in Brooks shoes, so those runners with a need for a little width may want to try these out. Keep in mind that the Glycerin Stealthfit are designed with a tighter to foot fit – so if that’s not something you are interested in, it may prove some getting used to.
Overall:
I think my sentence above says it all. To requote – “The Gylcerin Stealthfit 20’s feel perfect right out of the box and keep me wanting to hit the miles without end“. Consider that a Run Oregon endorsement.
These will also come in GTS versions (i.e. their Go-To-Support that uses Guiderails for additional support).
Brooks
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Products & Price:
- Brooks Glycerin Stealthfit 20 | Releasing on July 1, 2022 for $160
- Weight: 8.4 oz (W) 9.4 oz (M)
- Offset: 12mm
- Stack Height: 30mm / 25mm
Thank you to Brooks for providing us with test shoes. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
