Brooks Levitate 2

Name: Brooks Levitate 2
Brand: Brooks
Rating: 4.7 (23 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 11.2 oz · 8mm drop · 26/18mm stack

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

How it ranks

The Brooks Levitate 2 is one of the strongest daily trainers in our data. Comfort and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 23 runner reviews and 3 other rated shoes in the Levitate product line.

Excellent

96/100

Overall

Excellent 96

Comfort

Exceptional 98

Cushioning

Excellent 97

Durability

Excellent 96

Appearance

Very good 91

Value

Below average 68

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

93/100

High 93

What runners say

“Rubber outsole, especially in the back, wore out and started burning through the AMP foam quicker than any shoe ever owned”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Ride ISO 2

“Springy feel, lightweight, responsive”

5/5 Full review 26 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18

“Only got through 150-200 miles before the integrity of the shoe was compromised”

4/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Ride ISO 2

“Solid. Almost bulky. And yet I loved it from the minute I slipped it on”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Freedom ISO 2

“Felt warm, and in downpours the shoes felt like cement blocks”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon

“My foot doesn't move at all”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Kinvara 9

“Responsive and a nice ride but not too soft”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 23

“Lasted over 300 miles without any type of structural damage”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw training for middle distance came from the HOKA Arahi 2

“Bottom of the shoe seems to wear through rather quickly”

4/5 Full review 45 mpw training for middle distance came from the HOKA Arahi 2

“Tread is not great and can be slippery”

5/5 Full review 26 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18

Prefer this shoe over another

60% 15/25

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Runners report heavy cushioning that keeps legs fresh on long, easy miles.
Reviewers find the knit upper comfortable and secure without break-in.
Reviewers report 450 to 600 miles from a pair.

Cons

Several reviewers call it heavy at 11.2 oz and clunky at faster paces.
Three runners find traction slippery on wet roads and dirt.
Two reviewers have the outsole wear through fast, one at 150 to 200 miles.

Levitate 2 rates 96. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Brooks Levitate

Each dot is one version of the Levitate, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

59 2017 96 2018 81 2019 82 2022

Release year

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

Levitate 6

2022 · 5 reviews

82 Good

40 Confidence
Levitate 3

2019 · 1 review

81 Good

32 Confidence
Levitate 2 This shoe

2018 · 23 reviews

96 Excellent

93 Confidence
Levitate

2017 · 20 reviews

59 Bottom-tier

92 Confidence

Reader Ratings

23 ratings

5/5 16

4/5 7

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 11.2 oz
Release: 2018 Q2
MSRP: $150
Stack Height: 26mm heel - 18mm toe
Drop Height: 8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Reader review

5/5

Overall

This is my second pair of Levitate 2s. I used to wear the Pegasus (for about 10 years) but no longer buy anything Nike. The Levitate has far exceeded my expectations and is so much more comfortable than the Pegasus. The silver sole is very unattractive, however.

Anonymous runner · Jan 28, 2020

20 mpw training for a half marathon

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

Brooks Levitate 2: Space age cushioning for the long run

5/5

Overall

The brooks levitate 2 Has a very comfortable upper. The midsole is very “space-age” with the silver color and has tremendous cushioning. The shoe is great for long runs but, is a bit clunky for faster paced running. The shoe is also deceivingly stable. The outsole wears very well. The shoe has a very smooth heel to toe transition. Overall, a very good long run shoe.

duaneomat · Jan 26, 2020

20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Glycerin 16

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

Fits like a glove

5/5

Overall

The knitted upper is super comfy and the cushion in the back part of the heel is too, while keep the fit snug but not constricted. I find them responsive and a nice ride but not too soft. And the colours (purple and bright pink) are cool!

Anonymous runner · Jan 21, 2020

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 23

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

Brooks Levitate 2

5/5

Overall

I am currently on my 2nd pair of Brooks Levitate 2. Initially, I was a little concerned the shoe would feel heavy. I admit during my summer runs they felt a bit warm and I got caught in two downpours in which the shoes felt like cement blocks. BUT, as I noted above, I am on my second pair. I feel they are durable, the cushioning is fantastic and I am happy to say I do feel like my legs feel good even on my longer mileage runs. I am currently training for a marathon with these with my longest run so far at 14 miles. I have not run a marathon in them yet. I like the knit upper and haven't had any problems with the heel. One thing that I did notice with rain or some slick condition, traction could be a bit better. I wore my first pair to 450 miles and they still felt good. I have just over 300 on my current pair. I usually wear a size 8 in my running shoes and this is the size I have in the Levitate 2.

Anonymous runner · Jan 11, 2020

40 mpw training for a half marathon

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

Doesn't Hold Up

4/5

Overall

The rubber outsole, especially in the back, wore out and started burning through the AMP foam quicker than any shoe I've ever owned. Maybe only got through 150 - 200 miles before I felt the integrity of the shoe was compromised.

Anonymous runner · Dec 29, 2019

70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Ride ISO 2