For the money
4/5
Overall
jcristy · Jan 28, 2020
25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Launch 4
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
Brooks Launch 5
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.6 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 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 is based on 37 runner reviews and 11 other rated shoes in the Launch product line.
Good
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.
Confidence
99 Very high
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
“These shoes will not last particularly long. The upper started separating from the sole within five weeks of wear”
“Outstanding durability. I only retired my Launch 3's at 700 miles”
“The midsole is firm enough for faster paced runs, yet still bouncy enough to go long (10-plus miles)”
“The Brooks Launch is the ideal balance between cushioning and responsiveness”
“Within a couple days of molding to my feet, they were sublime”
“With these on I feel like I'm being propelled forward a bit. Definitely springy and fun to run in”
“The sock-like inner is the main, noticeable feature of a shoe that was designed with comfort as a priority”
“It is responsive, durable enough to train in daily, and under $100”
“Incredibly durable for a lightweight trainer”
“The new upper is about the most comfortable running shoe I've ever worn”
“They wore out after only about 250–300 miles for me”
“A light and responsive shoe that fits well but doesn't feel flimsy”
“There's a lack of cushioning so on longer runs I'll have a bit of soreness in my foot”
“Lasted me for about 800 miles before the heel cup wire got out of place”
“Each run I had a strange and uncomfortable feeling in my legs”
“I ran into an issue of having a sore Achilles due to changes in the shoe”
“Not very cushioned, but it's not supposed to be”
“The laces are annoyingly long, especially for narrow feet”
“Decent (but not too much) cushioning, and reasonably lightweight and responsive”
“The cushioning seems thinner in the forefoot and the drop 1 or 2 mm more forward”
“Shooting pain in my quad during a workout the day after wearing the Launch”
“Tends to break down pretty quick”
“Brooks widened the toe box of the shoe”
“Feels exactly like you expect a running shoe to feel”
“I would prefer a little more cushion in the shoe”
“Slightly higher heel drop than I'd prefer”
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 Oct 22.
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.
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
87 Good
77 Confidence
-
2024 · 1 review
87 Good
76 Confidence
-
2023 · 12 reviews
97 Exceptional
86 Confidence
-
2022 · 20 reviews
76 Decent
89 Confidence
-
2020 · 3 reviews
84 Good
84 Confidence
-
2019 · 3 reviews
81 Good
85 Confidence
-
2018 · 29 reviews
88 Good
97 Confidence
-
Launch 5 This shoe
2017 · 37 reviews
85 Good
99 Confidence
-
2017 · 24 reviews
78 Decent
96 Confidence
-
2017 · 11 reviews
91 Very good
94 Confidence
-
2015 · 25 reviews
69 Below average
97 Confidence
-
2009 · 55 reviews
95 Excellent
99 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 8.6 oz
- Men's / women's
- Men's 9.2 oz · Women's 7.9 oz
- Release
- 2017 Q4
- MSRP
- $100
- Drop
- 10mm
Runner reviews
Brooks Launch 5 Review
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 18, 2019
65 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 21
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Launch Me
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 13, 2019
40 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
A perfectly balanced Launch
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 10, 2019
25 mpw training for sprints came from the Saucony Kinvara 9
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Brooks Launch 5 - Do Everything
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 8, 2019
40 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 2/5
- 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 5 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 6 next version
- Brooks Launch 3 previous version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Brooks Launch 4 8 runners
- Brooks Glycerin 15 2 runners
- Brooks Ghost 9 2 runners