Type a shoe name, like Pegasus, Clifton or Kayano.

Brooks Launch 5

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

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Brooks Launch 6 replaced it

How it ranks

The Brooks Launch 5 is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Value and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. Durability scores well below its other sub-ratings. Most runners who came to it from another shoe preferred it. The rating rests on 37 runner reviews and 11 other rated shoes in the Launch product line.

Brooks Launch 5

of 5

Excellent

93/100
Overall
93
Value
99
Comfort
98
Appearance
89
Cushioning
87
Durability
83
Confidence

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

96/100

96

What runners say

“These shoes will not last particularly long. The upper started separating from the sole within five weeks of wear”
5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Brooks Ghost 9
“Outstanding durability. I only retired my Launch 3's at 700 miles”
5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 3
“The midsole is firm enough for faster paced runs, yet still bouncy enough to go long (10-plus miles)”
5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for sprints came from the Saucony Kinvara 9
“Within a couple days of molding to my feet, they were sublime”
5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Brooks Ghost 9
“The Brooks Launch is the ideal balance between cushioning and responsiveness”
5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for sprints came from the Saucony Kinvara 9
“With these on I feel like I'm being propelled forward a bit. Definitely springy and fun to run in”
5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 9
“The sock-like inner is the main, noticeable feature of a shoe that was designed with comfort as a priority”
5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 4
“It is responsive, durable enough to train in daily, and under $100”
4/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35
“Incredibly durable for a lightweight trainer”
5/5 Full review 75 mpw came from the Brooks Ravenna 9
“The new upper is about the most comfortable running shoe I've ever worn”
3/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 4

Prefer this shoe over another

45% 28/62

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.


Pros

  • Eight reviewers use it for tempo work and racing, calling it light and responsive.
  • Comfort averages 4.7 out of 5 across thirty-seven reviews, and five reviewers praise the sock-like upper.
  • Four reviewers use it for everything from intervals to runs over twenty miles.

Cons

  • Durability averages 4.1 out of 5, the lowest of its six dimensions, and four reviewers see it break down by about 300 miles.
  • Four reviewers find it short on cushioning, and one gets foot soreness on longer runs as a result.
  • Two reviewers say the ride changed from the Launch 4, one of them returning the shoe with a sore Achilles.

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

Launch 5 rates 93. This shoe has very 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

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 This shoe

    2017 · 37 reviews

    93 Excellent

    96 Confidence

  • Launch 4

    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

37 ratings
5/5 24
4/5 11
3/5 1
2/5 0
1/5 1

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
9.2 oz
Release
2017 Q4
MSRP
$100
Drop Height
10mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 21–25 of 37 written reviews

Great overall training shoe.

4/5

Overall

The Brooks Launch 5 is a great overall training shoe. It is responsive, durable enough to train in daily, and under $100. The only reason I gave it a 8 out of 10 is because I am now older and would prefer a little more cushion in the shoe. If I was in high school, college or in my 20’s I would give this shoe a 10.

jar · Aug 18, 2018

30 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

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

Favorite shoe I've worn

5/5

Overall

Used to go more minimalist (brooks launch, saucony mirage, etc), but recently switched the launch and really enjoyed them. Less aches as training ramps up, and I've worn them for marathons (top 200 at Boston). Good shoe if you're not a huge fan of flats, and want something that's supportive enough for long runs but feels good on tempos

Anonymous runner · Jul 12, 2018

55 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks PureFlow 6

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

The best feeling neutral lightweight shoe

5/5

Overall

I spent many years using the Brooks Ghost line of shoes, but recently, the newest version was feeling too heavy for my taste. Looking for a change, I ordered a pair of the Launch 5s. When first wearing them, I was dismayed, as they weren't very comfortable. However, within a couple days of molding to my feet, they were sublime. The weight was also perfect for everything from long runs to track sessions. Some minor complaints: These shoes will not last particularly long. The upper started separating from the sole within five weeks of wear. Also, the laces are annoyingly long, especially for narrow feet. In conclusion, though, great shoe.

jesus_short · Jul 12, 2018

40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Brooks Ghost 9

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

Light but supportive

5/5

Overall

This is a great shoe for all types of training. I use it as a daily trainer, but it's also light enough to do fartleks/tempo runs in. I'd be hesitant to do high mileage (100+) exclusively in this shoe, but it is fine to wear exclusively for probably up to 60-70 miles per week. It's super comfortable, looks good, and makes me feel fast when I wear it. I don't feel like it's holding me back like other, thicker, more supportive shoes sometimes do.

FunRunWarrior · Jul 12, 2018

80 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Glycerin 15

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

Launch 5

5/5

Overall

A good trainer. Can withstand a lot of miles (more than 400) and feels relatively lightweight.

Anonymous runner · Jul 12, 2018

70 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 7

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
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.

Current shoe
Choose a model
Best value
Newest / Lowest price
Lightest / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
9.2 oz M
8.5 oz M Lightest
Stack
40/35mm
Drop
1mm
5mm
Release
2017 Q4
2026 Newest
2023 Q1
MSRP
$100
$120
$145
Best price
$118.95 Lowest price
$149.99
Ratings
Overall
Excellent (93)
Good (85)
Exceptional (99) Best overall
Comfort
Exceptional (98)
Very good (90)
Exceptional (99) Best comfort
Cushioning
Good (87)
Good (80)
Exceptional (99) Best cushioning
Durability
Good (83)
Decent (79)
Very good (92) Best durability
Appearance
Good (89)
Decent (73)
Very good (91) Best appearance
Value
Exceptional (99) Best value
Exceptional (98)
Good (88)
Specific shoe

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