Reader review
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jan 28, 2016
50 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 30
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Brooks Launch 2
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.8 oz · 10mm drop · 27/17mm stack
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Brooks Launch 4 replaced it
How it ranks
The Brooks Launch 2 ranks below most daily trainers in our data. Value and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. Durability scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 25 runner reviews and 11 other rated shoes in the Launch product line.
Decent
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
93/100
What runners say
“The heel on one shoe has all but worn down through the black and exposed white.”
“It is light but still supportive and soft, and lets me feel like I am running naturally.”
“There is a bunch more cushioning (which normally I would not like). I was pleasantly surprised.”
“The collar/top edge feels very stiff, reducing ankle mobility for lateral bending.”
“It feels heavy and stiff and a bit narrower than the first version.”
“It is light enough to use in longer races, yet sturdy enough for day to day use.”
“They're lighter, more comfortable, and surprisingly more durable than the Ghost.”
“The material on the contact surface wears a lot quicker than I was expecting.”
“The Launch 2 is a nice lightweight shoe that is very responsive and firm yet adequately cushioned.”
“Launch 2 is merely an OK trainer. Has lost the virtues that the original Launch had.”
Prefer this shoe over another
50% 14/28
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
Pros
- Reviewers use it for easy miles, faster workouts and marathon training, several calling it the most versatile shoe they own.
- Value draws 4.4 out of 5, and reviewers repeatedly name the price as a reason to buy.
- Comfort draws 4.4 out of 5, the highest mark of any dimension, with reviewers describing an upper that fits like a glove.
Cons
- Durability draws 4.0 out of 5, the lowest mark of any dimension, and several reviewers report the outsole wearing at the heel and outside edges.
- Several fans of the original Launch call this version heavier, stiffer and narrower, and one says it lost what the first one had.
- The Launch 1 and the Launch 10 both score 99 against its 71.
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.
50
60
70
80
90
100
25
50
75
100
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Brooks Launch
Each dot is one version of the Launch, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Release year
-
2026 · 1 review
85 Good
58 Confidence
-
2024 · 1 review
90 Very good
75 Confidence
-
2023 · 12 reviews
99 Exceptional
95 Confidence
-
2022 · 20 reviews
71 Decent
86 Confidence
-
2020 · 3 reviews
86 Good
70 Confidence
-
2019 · 3 reviews
85 Good
77 Confidence
-
2018 · 29 reviews
96 Excellent
95 Confidence
-
2017 · 37 reviews
93 Excellent
96 Confidence
-
2017 · 24 reviews
86 Good
92 Confidence
-
2017 · 11 reviews
98 Exceptional
94 Confidence
-
Launch 2 This shoe
2015 · 25 reviews
70 Decent
93 Confidence
-
2009 · 55 reviews
98 Exceptional
99 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 9.8 oz
- Release
- 2015
- MSRP
- $110
- Stack Height
- 27mm heel - 17mm toe
- Drop Height
- 10mm
Runner reviews
Reader review
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Dec 14, 2015
35 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 7
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
Reader review
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Dec 13, 2015
80 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 31
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 1/5
Reader review
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Dec 9, 2015
25 mpw came from the Brooks Pure Flow 3
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Durability
- 3/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Reader review
4/5
Overall
Bford · Dec 7, 2015
30 mpw came from the Brooks Pure Flow 4
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 3/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from Brooks
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
Brooks Launch 2 In Context
More on the Brooks Launch
- Brooks Launch 12
- Brooks Launch 11
- Brooks Launch 10
- Brooks Launch 9
- Brooks Launch 8
- Brooks Launch 7
- Brooks Launch 4 next version
- Brooks Launch 1 previous version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Brooks Ghost 7 4 runners
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 31 3 runners
- Brooks Launch 1 3 runners