Solid Trainer
5/5
Overall
Great everyday trainer, definitely not the fastest shoe, but definitely a reliable choice
Anonymous runner · Feb 3, 2025
30 mpw training for 5K and 10K
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
Brooks Glycerin 21
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 10 oz · 10mm drop · 38/28mm stack
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Brooks Glycerin 22 replaced it
How it ranks
The Brooks Glycerin 21 is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Comfort and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 19 runner reviews and 12 other rated shoes in the Glycerin product line.
Excellent
97/100
Overall
97
Comfort
99
Durability
98
Cushioning
98
Value
81
Appearance
81
Confidence
92
Confidence
How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.
Confidence
92/100
What runners say
“These shoes are so comfortable, I could sleep in them.”
“Cushioning is good and firm.”
“These are a bit soft in that department so I had to purchase a new pair of shoes before the usual amount of miles.”
“The Brooks Glycerin 21 meets all those needs.”
“Heel striking not cushioning as advertised.”
Prefer this shoe over another
57% 4/7
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
Pros
- Reviewers praise the comfort, and one calls the cushioning good and firm.
- Durability averages 4.5 out of 5, and one reviewer logs 40 miles a week for ten weeks without trouble.
- One reviewer at 72 and another who describes themselves as heavy both say it lets them get their mileage in.
Cons
- Appearance and value are the weakest dimensions, at 4.2 out of 5 each.
- One heavier reviewer wears the sole out before the usual mileage, and another says it does not cushion a heel strike as advertised.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.
Confidence
50
60
70
80
90
100
25
50
75
100
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Brooks Glycerin
Each dot is one version of the Glycerin, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Rating
40
60
80
100
87
2014
93
96
2016
95
89
2017
96
98
2019
79
96
2021
97
97
2023
94
93
2026
Release year
-
2026 · 4 reviews
93 Excellent
79 Confidence
-
2025 · 4 reviews
94 Excellent
84 Confidence
-
Glycerin 21 This shoe
2023 · 19 reviews
97 Excellent
92 Confidence
-
2022 · 50 reviews
97 Exceptional
97 Confidence
-
2021 · 4 reviews
96 Excellent
85 Confidence
-
2020 · 2 reviews
79 Decent
49 Confidence
-
2019 · 21 reviews
98 Exceptional
96 Confidence
-
2018 · 21 reviews
96 Excellent
94 Confidence
-
2017 · 17 reviews
89 Good
91 Confidence
-
2017 · 3 reviews
95 Excellent
85 Confidence
-
2016 · 3 reviews
96 Excellent
82 Confidence
-
2014 · 27 reviews
93 Very good
93 Confidence
-
2014 · 16 reviews
87 Good
86 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 10 oz
- Release
- 2023 Q4
- Stack Height
- 38mm heel - 28mm toe
- Drop Height
- 10mm
Runner reviews
Reader review
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Dec 8, 2024
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 4/5
Excellent Shoe, Firm Cushioning
5/5
Overall
I’ll definitely buy these again. Solid trainers. No issues running 40 miles/week for 10 weeks. Good traction on most surfaces. Cushioning is good and firm. Some trainers make it feel like you’re running on a sponge. Not these ones.
Anonymous runner · Dec 7, 2024
40 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v13
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
Great sure, love the fit, feel and performance.
5/5
Overall
I’ve always struggled to find a good running shoe that fits my feet in width for the toe box and heel and still provide comfort, cushioning, and durability. The Brooks Glycerin 21 Mets all those needs.
Anonymous runner · Nov 16, 2024
55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 28
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 4/5
Reader review
5/5
Overall
My 72 year old feet need comfort and softness to get my mileage in and these shoes do the job.
Anonymous runner · Jul 25, 2024
30 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 4/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from Brooks
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
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Newest
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Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
10 oz M
—
8.5 oz M
Lightest
Stack
38/28mm
—
40/35mm
Drop
1mm
—
5mm
Release
2023 Q4
2026
Newest
2023 Q1
MSRP
—
$175
$145
Best price
—
$145
Lowest price
$149.99
Ratings
Overall
Excellent (97)
Excellent (93)
Exceptional (99)
Best overall
Comfort
Exceptional (99)
Exceptional (99)
Exceptional (99)
Best comfort
Cushioning
Exceptional (98)
Exceptional (98)
Exceptional (99)
Best cushioning
Durability
Exceptional (98)
Best durability
Exceptional (98)
Very good (92)
Appearance
Good (81)
Decent (79)
Very good (91)
Best appearance
Value
Good (81)
Decent (76)
Good (88)
Best value
Brooks Glycerin 21 In Context
More on the Brooks Glycerin
- Brooks Glycerin 23
- Brooks Glycerin 22 next version
- Brooks Glycerin 20 previous version
- Brooks Glycerin 19
- Brooks Glycerin 18
- Brooks Glycerin 17
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Brooks Ghost 16 2 runners
- Mizuno Wave Rider 27 1 runner
- Mizuno Wave Rider 28 1 runner