Brooks Launch 4

Name: Brooks Launch 4
Brand: Brooks
Rating: 4.6 (24 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.2 oz · 10mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Brooks Launch 3 replaced it

How it ranks

The Brooks Launch 4 ranks among the stronger 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 24 runner reviews and 11 other rated shoes in the Launch product line.

Good

86/100

Overall

Good 86

Value

Exceptional 99

Comfort

Good 89

Appearance

Good 81

Durability

Decent 77

Cushioning

Decent 77

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.

See the product line's history

Confidence

92/100

High 92

What runners say

“This is the greatest out of the box feel I've ever experienced. It feels like I've already put 100 miles on the shoe when I first lace up a new pair.”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw came from the Brooks Launch 3

“The only downsides to the shoes are that they wear quickly. I busted out the sides of them after 400ish miles.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 3

“My only problem is the upper mesh rips in every version I've owned right where the toe box meets the mesh.”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw came from the Brooks Launch 3

“I have owned them for a little over a year now and put 20-30 miles a week on them and they're just now starting to be kick around shoes.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 18

“They're light weight and very responsive. They're supportive enough for long runs, yet light enough for reps on the track as well.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 3

“I have comfortably run up to 16 miles in this shoe with no blisters or chafing of any kind.”

4/5 Full review 55 mpw training for a half marathon came from the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2

“They don't do well in wet conditions. Prepare to have wet feet if it is raining.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 3

“With its low-profile heel-toe ratio and being relatively lightweight it makes for a solid daily trainer even for the most skeptical of minimalist runners.”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw training for middle distance came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 30

“It also works well with and without orthotics, which is a hard thing to find.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon

“Only down side is these shoes only last me about 250-300 miles.”

5/5 Full review 80 mpw came from the Brooks Purecadence 5

Prefer this shoe over another

42% 13/31

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 runs, long runs, tempos and track reps.
It weighs 9.2 oz, and reviewers report it comfortable straight out of the box.
It lists at $100, below the $150 median for daily trainers on sale, and six reviewers single out the price.

Cons

Three reviewers report the upper mesh splitting where it meets the toe box.
Reported lifespan runs from 180 to 500 miles across nine reviewers who give a figure.
One of twenty-four reviewers so far says it handles wet conditions poorly.

Launch 4 rates 86. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

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.

Rating

40 60 80 100

98 2009 70 2015 98 2017 86 2017 93 2017 96 2018 85 2019 86 2020 71 2022 99 2023 90 2024 85 2026

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

Launch 12

2026 · 1 review

85 Good

58 Confidence
Launch 11

2024 · 1 review

90 Very good

75 Confidence
Launch 10

2023 · 12 reviews

99 Exceptional

95 Confidence
Launch 9

2022 · 20 reviews

71 Decent

86 Confidence
Launch 8

2020 · 3 reviews

86 Good

70 Confidence
Launch 7

2019 · 3 reviews

85 Good

77 Confidence
Launch 6

2018 · 29 reviews

96 Excellent

95 Confidence
Launch 5

2017 · 37 reviews

93 Excellent

96 Confidence
Launch 4 This shoe

2017 · 24 reviews

86 Good

92 Confidence
Launch 3

2017 · 11 reviews

98 Exceptional

94 Confidence
Launch 2

2015 · 25 reviews

70 Decent

93 Confidence
Launch 1

2009 · 55 reviews

98 Exceptional

99 Confidence

Reader Ratings

24 ratings

5/5 15

4/5 8

3/5 1

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9.2 oz
Release: 2017 Q3
MSRP: $100
Drop Height: 10mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Lightweight but good for all types of training

5/5

Overall

I've found this shoe to be the most versatile for all the types of training I do. I'm a recent post-collegiate still trying to maintain some semblance of fitness, and these shoes are ideal for the easy runs, long runs, fartleks, and occasional tempo runs that I do. I still wear flats for some workouts, but if I just want to warmup straight into a workout (like a fartlek or something), these are my go-to shoes.

FunRunWarrior · Sep 30, 2018

80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 10

Comfort: 4/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Great fit and beautiful shoe!

5/5

Overall

As a longtime runner who has struggled to find shoes with a flexible/wide toe box, I have gone through 3 pairs of the Launch 4 and love each more than the next. They are light but supportive, great colors and patterns, and each pair lasts me around 400-500 miles.

Anonymous runner · Sep 16, 2018

30 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Launch 3

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

great all purpose shoe

5/5

Overall

Good for nearly anything; even racing in a pinch

Bdubs · Jul 24, 2018

60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 3

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 5/5

Solid

4/5

Overall

My go to shoe, had a lot of injuries before this shoe but I'm doing better now.

Anonymous runner · Jul 13, 2018

40 mpw training for middle distance

Comfort: 3/5
Cushioning: 4/5
Durability: 2/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 5/5

Still Going Strong

5/5

Overall

I've been wearing some version of the Brooks Launch for nearly a decade now. It's been dependable and has had nearly the same feel and fit with every iteration. With its low-profile heel-toe ratio and being relatively lightweight it makes for a solid daily trainer even for the most skeptical of minimalist runners. Very versatile and never really need to put on flats for long tempo efforts with the Launch. Would still move to flats for longer track intervals and tempos on smooth footing. Great shoe.

mpalmisa91 · Jul 12, 2018

70 mpw training for middle distance came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 30