Brooks Glycerin 16

Name: Brooks Glycerin 16
Brand: Brooks
Rating: 4.7 (21 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 10.0 oz · 32/22mm stack · 10mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Brooks Glycerin 17 replaced it

How it ranks

The Brooks Glycerin 16 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 is based on 21 runner reviews and 12 other rated shoes in the Glycerin product line.

Good

Overall

Good 88

Cushioning

Exceptional 98

Comfort

Exceptional 98

Durability

Exceptional 97

Appearance

Good 82

Value

Decent 79

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 is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

96 Very high

Very high 96

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

Product line track record
Our ratings
External ratings

What runners say

“First 100 miles are like running on marshmallow wafers.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 5

“My feet no longer hurt after or at the end of a long run (sometimes up to 20+ miles).”

5/5 Full review 70 mpw training for a marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 13

“It was relatively heavy and felt clunky whenever you tried to speed things up.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Brooks Ghost 11

“My pinkie toe has yet to escape or painfully rub as has happened with other shoes.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 10

“The Glycerines were the cushiest treat I ever splurged on.”

5/5 Full review 24 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 7

“These are the only shoe that allows me to run comfortably.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Zoom Structure Triax + 15

“After about 200-250 miles the threads started to get worn and the bottom was starting to give out.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20

“The upper has enough give to accommodate my toe, but is strong enough not to let it break through.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 10

“Provides enough cushioning for three to four months of training.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 15

“The shoe feels bulky and speeding up is cumbersome.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Brooks Ghost 10

“As a heelstriker, the back end of the shoe is starting to wear out.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20

“The seamless lining keeps you blister free.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Torin 3.0

“They are expensive and durability needs work.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35

“Definitely feels like more cushion than the Pegasus.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 30

“Excellent cushioning and better durability than past versions.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Glycerin 15

“Very durable, but durability comes with extra weight.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 11

“While not as lux as the first 100 miles, they're still a soft ride.”

5/5 Full review 24 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 7

“They tend to wear out around 300 miles.”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 12

“A small bit of the bottom has unglued at the edge.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 5

“Though not the quickest shoe, it is one of the most cushioned.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Torin 3.0

“The thicker material in the upper—feet get pretty sweaty.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Pegasus+ 30

“They are a bit expensive for what you get.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20

“Shoe is a little on the heavy side.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw training for a marathon

Prefer this shoe over another

50% 16/32

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

Reviewers describe deep, soft cushioning that keeps legs fresh on long runs.
Runners praise the smooth upper and the snug, blister-free fit.
Durability averages 4.5 out of 5, and one reviewer has been through more than fifty pairs of Glycerins since 2004.

Cons

It lists at $150, four reviewers call it expensive, and value is the lowest-rated dimension at 4.2 out of 5.
Four reviewers call it heavy at 10.6 oz and clunky when picking up the pace.
Four reviewers report softened cushioning or outsole wear near 300 miles.

Glycerin 16 rates 88. This shoe has very high confidence. See how we rate shoes.

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

76 2014 83 89 2016 86 81 88 2018 91 85 92 2021 94 93 2023 91 95 2026

Release year

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

Glycerin 23

2026 · 4 reviews

95 Excellent

75 Confidence
Glycerin 22

2025 · 4 reviews

91 Very good

77 Confidence
Glycerin 21

2023 · 19 reviews

93 Excellent

91 Confidence
Glycerin 20

2022 · 50 reviews

94 Excellent

98 Confidence
Glycerin 19

2021 · 4 reviews

92 Very good

80 Confidence
Glycerin 18

2020 · 2 reviews

85 Good

80 Confidence
Glycerin 17

2019 · 21 reviews

91 Very good

96 Confidence
Glycerin 16 This shoe

2018 · 21 reviews

88 Good

96 Confidence
Glycerin 15

2017 · 17 reviews

81 Good

96 Confidence
Glycerin 14

2017 · 3 reviews

86 Good

86 Confidence
Glycerin 13

2016 · 3 reviews

89 Good

84 Confidence
Glycerin 12

2014 · 27 reviews

83 Good

96 Confidence
Glycerin 11

2014 · 16 reviews

76 Decent

90 Confidence

Runner Ratings

21 ratings

5/5 14

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: 10.0 oz
Men's / women's: Men's 10.6 oz · Women's 9.4 oz
Release: 2018 Q2
MSRP: $150
Stack: 32/22mm
Drop: 10mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Glycerin 16

4/5

Overall

I use these shoes as my everyday trainers (around 50 mpw). They are very comfortable and have great cushioning. They tend to wear out around 300 miles. I've tried many different brands/ styles and these were the first pair that I truely enjoyed wearing. Never a thought about discomfort. They just perform exactly what they are supposed to. Definitely an upgrade over the Ghosts.

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019

50 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 12

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

Brooks Glycerin 16

5/5

Overall

I have been running with Glycerins for about 7 years and I have to say this is my favorite. It has excellent cushioning and better durabilty than past versions. It feels like the upper has also improved in terms of comfort, I would highly recommend for those needing lots of cushion and have higb arches/supinate.

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019

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

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

Neutral running shoe from Brooks

5/5

Overall

Fantastic snug fit for my foot. Provides enough cushioning for three to four months of training. Rotating with a second pair definitely is valuable in extending the longevity of its shock absorbing technology. Love him.

Anonymous runner · Jul 3, 2019

25 mpw training for a marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 15

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

Brooks Glycerin 16

4/5

Overall

The Glycerin 16 is a solid option for everyday training. It is a little stiff underfoot, but feels quite a bit more responsive than other Brooks models. The sock liner in the shoe is comfortable, and the upper has a great feel to it. This shoe is very durable, but this durability comes with a bit of extra weight.

Eddygilbert · Nov 24, 2018

40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 11

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

I was forced to buy this shoe - and now I love it (not Stockholm syndrome, I hope)!

5/5

Overall

I was a long-time ASICS fan, and bought the GT1000 or 2000 line for years. Was finally diagnosed as neutral and the Brooks Glycerin 16 was all they had in my size. I grudgingly bought it, and full price as well. I was now angry and dubious. Well, I'm a changed man. I can't run any faster, but I am running very comfortably - first 100 miles are like running on marshmallow wafers. Feel a little less cushy now, and a small bit of the bottom has unglued at the edge.

Anonymous runner · Aug 20, 2018

20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-2000 5