The layer of the sole unit that makes the most contact with the ground or, the outsole of the shoe is designed from rubber. Nothing has really changed in this respect and the shoe continues to provide the wearer what they need in terms of traction and durability; the material in the sole unit is highly durable. The material that makes up the sole unit of this shoe works to ensure that the wearer receives a decent level of flexibility as well, primarily due to the fact that the sole unit of the shoe has ample flex grooves that run the length of this area of the shoe. To add a bit of flair to the shoe’s design, the rubber on the outsole was given different color variations that are in-line with the design of the rest of the shoe; the colors make the sole unit really stand out.

To make sure that the shoe provides the wearer with what they need in terms of stability and support, the midsole of the shoe was designed from a material that we all know and love; Super DNA foam. Besides the use of the NA foam, the rest of the design of the midsole has also changed a bit to ensure that the wearer receives what they need in terms of stability, but only in more abundance. The shoe now makes great use of what Brooks likes to call “Guide Rails”. The guide rails work to keep the wearer’s foot in-line with the rest of their body so as to take the pressure of running off of the wearer’s joints. The cushioning provided n different parts of the shoe has also changed a bit; the forefoot of the shoe doesn’t necessarily provide as much as the previous model of the shoe in this respect; this allows the shoe to really kick but when it comes to doling out a responsive feel to the wearer of the shoe.

The design of the upper of the shoe has also changed quite a bit from the previous model of the Brooks Transcend. For starters, the upper of the shoe is now highly cushioned; the cushioning provided by the upper of the shoe ensures that the wearer receives a feel that wraps around the forefoot of the wearer. To complement this, the upper also features a design that is essentially seamless; the seamless design of the upper allows it to really provide a level of comfort to the foot and eliminates the chafing that is usually bound to occur on the extremely long runs. The upper of the shoe also features a few overlays that allow the shoe to really give the wearer a bit of comfort and also gives a bit of support for the sides of the wearer’s foot; they really keep the wearer’s foot locked in place during a run. The shoe also features a heel counter that works to this effect and keeps the heel of the wearer’s foot locked securely in place.

The funny thing about the design of this shoe is that, although it should be on the heavier side due to the use of the overlays in the design, it really isn’t. The upper of the shoe has various overlays and ample cushioning which really should signal to the wearer that they may be in for a ride with a shoe that feels like a weight when on foot; that simply isn’t the case with this shoe. For a men’s size 10, the shoe weighs a whopping 10oz; for the design of this shoe, that is really almost insignificant. When on foot and going in for one of those long runs, the shoe feels almost non-existent and continues to provide the wearer what they need in terms of transitions.

I’m sorry to say this, but the design of this shoe is not one that gives the wearer everything that they need in terms of airflow. To ensure that the wearer got what they need in terms of comfort, Brooks made sure to line the shoe with ample cushioning; the cushioning is the reason why the design of the shoe simply doesn’t get the job completely get the job done in this area. That isn’t to say that the shoe just makes the wearer’s foot put out copious levels of sweat, rather that the foot does deliver a level of sweat above that generally delivered, when worn in extreme temps; from this, one can insinuate that the upper of the shoe shouldn’t (and it doesn’t) give them any trouble when worn in cooler climates. Something else to note is that the toe area of the shoe is highly perforated to deliver to the wearer an even higher level of airflow when on foot.

This shoe is known for the comfort and support that it comes with. The upper of the Brooks Transcend 5 is lined with ample cushioning in various parts of its design to make sure that the wearer doesn’t deal with a feeling of insecurity when the shoe is on foot; the cushioning works to make sure that the wearer’s foot is protected while in use. The upper also features various overlays that, unlike other shoe overlays, work to keep the wearer’s foot feeling locked in place and reduce movement throughout the shoe. The support provided by the DNA foam in the midsole also allows the shoe to provide the wearer with ample support which then translates into comfort for the heel and various other curves of the wearer’s foot. Something to keep in mind about the design of the sole unit is that Brooks removed a bit of the cushioning in the forefoot to allow the wearer to have a bit of comfort in this area of the shoe.

In terms of style, the shoe works to allow the wearer to have a bit of aesthetic appeal; this is something that isn’t noted when the shoe is initially purchased but, when one takes a really good look at the design, it becomes painfully apparent. The upper of the shoe has various overlays that work to give the wearer a bit of aesthetic appeal simply because of the fact that the materials are on the glossy side.

The upper also has a few layering’s that make the different parts of the shoe’s design contrast one another and to allow the shoe to really stand out against the wearer’s foot. The color-blocking of the design also works to give the wearer a decent amount of style while the shoe is worn; the white design of the sole unit really stands out against the multi-colored upper of the shoe. Besides this, the shoe has a sleek cut that is typical of a running shoe and which allows the shoe to give them the natural feel that they need when using the shoe.

This shoe definitely leans to the more durable side that’s for certain. The entirety of the shoe was made so that it could be used for long distance runs without wearing down or breaking when in use. The sole unit of the shoe lasts for a period that seems like forever. The shoe makes very good use of hardened rubber in this section of its design and allows the wearer to do what they need to when the shoe is in use; the hardened rubber wears down evenly and will continuously give the wearer a decent amount of traction because of this. Consider the fact that the shoe can be used for upwards of 400 miles and will still continue to provide one what they need when in use. The midsole of the shoe compresses but just not as much and for not nearly as long as the standard material; the DNA foam works to conform to the shape of the wearer’s foot and allows one to really get what they need in terms of cushioning for long periods of time. Now, the upper also works much the same way and allows the wearer to retain that cushioned feel for as long as the sole unit on the shoe lasts; which is a relatively long time.

The shoe is heavy-duty without the actual heavy part. Brooks made sure to incorporate ample cushioning into the design to allow the wearer to have a bit of protection for both the upper part of the wearer’s foot as well as the part of the foot that makes the most contact with the ground during a run. The sole of the shoe has ample cushioning and continues to provide the wearer with what they need in terms of protection because of this; the thickness of the material really allows the shoe to provide in this respect and allows the wearer to have a bit of security for the curves of their foot and for the bottom of the heel. The upper of the shoe is relatively thick due to the cushioning and the overlays and ensures that the wearer doesn’t feel as if their foot is wide open to the terrain that the shoe is being used to run on; they secure the foot.

The DNA foam for the midsole of the shoe definitely does its job to provide the wearer with an extremely responsive feel while in use. The DNA foam conforms to the curves of the wearer’s foot, we already know this. But, the way that the material in the sole unit of the shoe is placed and the lack of it in the rest of the shoe, really allows the shoe to give the wearer what they need in respect to the feel of the rest of the shoe. The material’s ability to conform to the curves of the wearer’s foot and the slope caused by the placement of the material ensures that the wearer has above average transitions while in the shoe. The upper of the shoe and the overlays that are incorporated into the design don’t really do much to give the wearer what they need in this respect but, still does it’s best in certain areas such as the toe box.

The Brooks Transcend 5 is known for the supportive features that were incorporated into the shoe’s design. The sole unit of the shoe has a design and placement of materials that really provide for the wearer’s arch and heel of the foot. The Guide lines on the outer portion of the heel also allow the shoe to give the wearer what they need in this respect solely because of the fact that the materials help the wearer gain an understanding of where the pressure provided by the wearer’s foot is supposed to be going; this really takes some of the pressure off of the foam itself and gives the entirety of the shoe a bit of purpose. The upper of the shoe also works to give the wearer what they need in respect to support; the overlays incorporated into the design keeps the wearer’s foot snuggly locked into place while the shoe is in use which effectively works to reduce movement of the wearer’s foot and reduce possible lean while in the shoe.

The terrain handling capabilities of the shoe are honestly rather vast. The shoe can handle a wide variety of terrains simply because of the durable aspects of its design and the flexibility provided. With that being said, the shoe is better suited for use on terrains such as roads and things of that nature. While the materials that make up the sole unit of the shoe do provide in terms of flexibility and grip, there are much sturdier shoes out that will continue to provide functionality in the more technical terrains. This shoe is much better suited for use on terrains that have a high level of uniformity.

In terms of price, the shoe isn’t the most affordable of the bunch that’s for sure. The shoe makes use of various technologies that allow the wearer to have what they need in terms of functionality and provide a decent level of durability while in use. This somewhat justifies the price point of the shoe simply because of the fact that the wearer would get a high amount of use out of the shoe and wouldn’t really have to worry about much in terms of durability this becomes increasingly important for those who’re seeking value for their shoes and don’t really want to worry about much replacing of their shoes.

The hardened rubber in the sole unit of this shoe will continually provide the wearer with what they need in regards to grip. The outsole of the shoe features a several strategically placed rubber units that allow the wearer to have a rather high level of grip that doesn’t wear down as much as that normally provided by shoes. This is important simply because of the security that this adds to the wearer’s foot and the areas that the shoe is used to run in.

One of the parts of the shoe that continually provides the wearer with what they need in terms of flexibility is the outsole. The outsole of the shoe functions to give the wearer what they need in this respect because of the placement of the flex-grooves in the shoe’s design; the shoe has various grooves in the forefoot that allow for the amazing transitions. On top of this, the outer portions of the shoe are ringed with various grooves that allow for a very high level of movement to take place in the shoe’s design.

This is a stability providing the shoe, don’t forget that. The upper of the shoe has the overlays that work to keep the foot securely locked in place and that works to provide the wearer with a feeling that simply says that they can have a great understanding of where they are going in the shoe; in other words, they have security in their movements. The sole unit of the shoe is highly cushioned but, thanks to the addition of the Guide line in the shoe’s design, doesn’t have that rollover effect that is customary of shoe’s nowadays.

The drop on this shoe slightly below average and works to give the wearer what they need to have the outstanding transitions that they do. The heel-to-toe ratio on this shoe is just about 8mm and is only at that point because of the reduced level of cushioning in the forefoot of the shoe.

• Guide Line technology
• DNA foam
• Engineered mesh upper
• Seamless design

The design of the shoe is simply meant to provide the wearer with everything that they need to have an extremely supportive ride. The cushioning in the sole unit of the shoe compresses to the curves of the wearer’s foot and does so in a way that simply allows the wearer to have a feeling of not being in the shoe when it's on foot. Another thing to make note of is the fact that the shoe provides the wearer with what they need in terms of longevity and simply fails to break down after several hundred miles of use in the shoe; most shoes aren’t made to this standard. The price may be somewhat high but the functionality and value present to justify that.