Brooks

Defyance 7

Defyance 7
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road
Good (75/100)

Shoe details

Weight
11 oz
Release
2025
Stack Height
29mm heel - 20mm toe
Drop Height
9mm

Ratings & Reviews

Good (75/100)

Based on product-line history, external ratings, and runner reviews.
?

Scores better than 50% of all shoes.

Our ratings use detailed reviews from knowledgeable runners, ratings for shoes in the same product line, and reliable product information from trusted retailers.

Rating breakdown

Better Shoes Rating. Shading shows the expected rating range.
?

Rankings combine runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, direct comparisons to other shoes, related product-line performance, and trusted external ratings.

The darker band shows the central rating range. The lighter band shows a wider range of reasonable outcomes. More reviews for this shoe usually narrow both bands.

Overall

Good (75/100)

Overall rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Good (75/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 50% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Value

Excellent (92/100)

Value rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Excellent (92/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 88% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Durability

Very good (88/100)

Durability rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Very good (88/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 82% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Cushioning

Very good (85/100)

Cushioning rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Very good (85/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 69% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Comfort

Good (74/100)

Comfort rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Good (74/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 45% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Appearance

Below average (58/100)

Appearance rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Below average (58/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 8% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

25%

2/8

Prefer this shoe over another.

Reviewers said this shoe was better than another shoe they ran in.

All Running Shoes

Scores better than 50% of 2,617 running shoes.

Good

Daily Trainers

Scores better than 50% of 1,872 daily trainers.

50%

Brooks

Scores better than 29% of 224 Brooks shoes.

29%

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Popular shoe among LetsRun.com readers.
  • Rated among the top 25% of shoes overall.
  • Rated above average on comfort.
  • Rated above average on cushioning.
  • Rated among the top 25% of shoes on durability.

Cons

  • Several of reviewers reported getting injured in this shoe.

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Current shoe
Lightest / Newest / Best value
Best overall / Best comfort / Best cushioning
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
11 oz M Lightest
11.1 oz M
Stack
29/20mm
Drop
9mm
12mm
7mm
Release
2025 Newest
2017 Q3
2024 Q2
MSRP
$120 Lower MSRP
$200
Best price
$149.99
Ratings
Overall
Average (50%)
Average (43%)
Exceptional (>99%) Best overall
Comfort
Average (45%)
Below average (37%)
Exceptional (99%) Best comfort
Cushioning
Above average (69%)
Below average (36%)
Exceptional (99%) Best cushioning
Durability
Very good (82%)
Above average (64%)
Exceptional (99%) Best durability
Appearance
Bottom tier (8%)
Bottom tier (7%)
Exceptional (98%) Best appearance
Value
Very good (88%) Best value
Above average (64%)
Very good (86%)
Specific shoe

Search for the exact model to add to this comparison.

Where to buy

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Better alternatives

Higher-rated shoes similar to this one

More from Brooks

Reader Ratings

7 reader ratings

Review a shoe

Showing 1–5 of 7 written reviews

Reader review

BilltownRunner · Mar 23, 2015

5/5

Overall

Durable, can get up to 500 miles with legs still feeling fine.
Comfort
4/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
4/5

Reader review

rivabanks · Mar 22, 2015

4/5

Overall

I liked it a lot. I like a shoe that is not too cushioned and is responsive. I injured my Achilles' tendon at the end of this shoe's life cycle and the Hoka Clifton has felt better on it as I have been coming back, so I have switched for now.
Comfort
4/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Mar 21, 2015

5/5

Overall

For some reason I always have a difficult time finding the Defyance, but it is my all time favorite shoe. I've never had any problems with it and they seem to last forever.
Comfort
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Sep 10, 2014

4/5

Overall

This shoe works well as a good day-to-day trainer as well as a solid shoe to use for tempo runs, threshold work, and even does a serviceable job off the roads. I have a relatively flexible arch and despite the fact that this is a neutral shoe, it has enough structure built into it that it actually prevents me from overpronating. As a result, the shoe feels a lot less bulky and significantly lighter than its listed weight may otherwise suggest.
Comfort
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Sep 1, 2014

4/5

Overall

Comfort
4/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
4/5