Brooks Glycerin vs Glycerin Max: which one should you buy?

The Glycerin vs Glycerin Max question is Brooks' version of the plush-or-maximal fork: same DNA Tuned foam, same easy-miles job, and a $25 gap between them.

What separates them is how much shoe you want under your foot and how you want it to move: a traditional, flexible cruiser or a tall, rockered platform designed to roll you along.

I've tested both current versions, the Brooks Glycerin 23 and the Brooks Glycerin Max 2, on the same easy and long-run days here in Florida. Here's how to pick, in about five minutes.

The quick answer

If you want Brooks' premium cushioned trainer in its classic form, with a flexible forefoot, a traditional 8mm drop, and wide sizes to choose from, get the Glycerin 23. It's the lighter, cheaper, more familiar shoe.

If you want maximum protection and a shoe that does some of the work for you on tired legs, get the Glycerin Max 2. Its HUGE 45mm stack and GlideRoll rocker turn easy miles into an effortless forward roll, and its outsole will outlast almost anything in this category but it may be too much shoe for many people.

Neither is a fast shoe. Pick by how much cushion you want and whether you like a shoe that flexes or one that rolls.

Key specs, side by side

Brooks Glycerin 23 review: a more forgiving forefoot, same heel-led cruise feel

The ride feels more refined and more forgiving up front, but it remains a heel-led, cruise-focused trainer for new runners.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Brooks Glycerin Max 2 review: still max cushion, with a refined roll

A 45mm stack daily trainer built for easy and long miles, with a secure upper, aggressive toe spring, and an outsole that is made to last.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

Stack and rocker: the difference you feel on the first step

Put them on back to back and the Glycerin Max 2 is a different platform, not a taller Glycerin.

It carries 7mm more heel and 9mm more forefoot foam than the Glycerin 23, and that extra height is shaped into a GlideRoll rocker with a toe spring aggressive enough that the shoe nudges you into the next stride before you've asked.

The Glycerin 23 has none of that.

Brooks refined the heel bevel for version 23 so it transitions more cleanly than the 22 did, but the forefoot still flexes like a traditional trainer and the ride leads from the heel.

That's the whole fork in one sentence: the Glycerin Max 2 rolls, the Glycerin 23 flexes.

The ride: heel-led cruise vs rolling protection

The Glycerin 23 is a calm, stable, heel-biased cruiser.

Its dual-cell DNA Tuned midsole lands soft at the back and firms up through the forefoot, and the 2mm of extra forefoot foam Brooks added this year makes the front feel a little more forgiving deep into a long run.

Even with the drop down to 8mm it still encourages a heel landing, and at 10.7 oz it feels chunky the moment you try to move beyond cruising. It's a comfort-and-stability trainer for easy miles, and it doesn't pretend otherwise.

The Glycerin Max 2 takes the same foam and buries the road under it.

The protection is massive, the cushioning stays consistent rather than bottoming out, and on easy runs in the 5:00 to 6:50/km range (8:00 to 11:00/mile) the rocker keeps everything fluid, gentle inclines included.

The trade off is turnover. That deep, soft landing delays the stride a fraction, so the Max 2 feels slower and less snappy than the 23 when you want a quicker cadence, and it's the heavier shoe by half an ounce.

Both are honest about their pace range; neither is a tempo shoe, and both are at their best making slow miles feel easier.

Fit and the upper: where the Max 2 got stricter

Both fit true to size, both have deeply padded collars and tongues that make step-in feel premium, and both run warm; the triple jacquard knits on each hold heat on hot, humid days.

The difference is volume.

The Glycerin 23 is the more accommodating fit of the two, with a secure midfoot, easy heel lockdown, and wide options for anyone who needs them.

The Glycerin Max 2 tightened up from version 1: the wrap is more locked-in, but the toe box is lower-volume now. If you have wide feet or a high-volume forefoot, that's the shoe to try on first, because the Glycerin 23 in a wide will fit more people out of the box.

Durability: the Max 2's outsole is probably the best in the family

The Glycerin 23's redesigned outsole is a real upgrade for wet and sloppy surfaces, and grip has given me nothing to complain about.

The Glycerin Max 2 goes further. Brooks extruded thick rubber deep over the exposed midsole foam, and on my pair some of those exposed areas still haven't touched the ground. For a max-cushion trainer that lives on high-mileage easy days, that's the smartest durability call I've seen in this category lately.

If you're buying one shoe to absorb most of a training block, the Max 2 will look and feel newer for longer.

Which one should you buy

Buy the Glycerin 23 if:

• You want the classic, flexible Glycerin ride with a traditional drop
• You need a wider fit, or you like a roomier toe box
• You'd rather spend $175 than $200 and save half an ounce

Buy the Glycerin Max 2 if:

• You want the most protective easy-day shoe Brooks makes
• You like a rocker that does some of the work on long runs and tired legs
• You're a heavier runner, or you want the outsole that lasts longest
• You have a standard-volume forefoot and a locked-in fit matters more than room

My verdict

Same foam, same job, two very different ways of doing it.

The Glycerin 23 is the safer default; it's familiar, stable, available in wide, and $25 cheaper, even if its rear-loaded feel and the weight creep in version 23 keep it from being my favorite cruiser.

The Glycerin Max 2 is the shoe I'd hand to a heavier runner, a high-mileage runner, or anyone whose legs feel beaten up after long runs, because its protection and outsole are the best in Brooks' lineup.

If you're deciding between the Glycerin and Brooks' lighter, cheaper daily trainer instead, my Brooks Ghost vs Glycerin guide covers that fork.

Brooks Ghost vs Glycerin: which line is right for you?

Brooks Ghost vs Glycerin compared line by line. Cushioning, weight, drop, price, and ride differences explained, with a clear pick for your running.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

And if you want a max-cushion shoe with more pace range than either of these, the Nike Vomero Plus is the one I recommend.

Whichever way you go, my best Brooks running shoes guide shows where each sits in the lineup, and my best cushioned running shoes roundup covers the rest of the max-comfort field.

The Best Cushioned Running Shoes, Right Now

Comfortable, cushioned running shoes built for daily training, recovery runs, and keeping your legs feeling fresh across all distances.

Alastair RunningAlastair Dixon

If you haven't already, signup for my free newsletter, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel for all the latest running shoe reviews. 👉🏼 And for an inside look at what comes into my studio with unboxings, lace up reels, behind the scenes, and short form reviews, follow me on Instagram, and TikTok. -Alastair

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