Brooks Running Shoes - For Runners Only
Brooks is the runners' shoe company.
Runners know that Brooks makes its running shoes with the runner in mind, because Brooks only makes running shoes. Brooks doesn't make tennis shoes, basketball shoes, cross training shoes, soccer boots, baseball cleats, golf spikes, or flip-flops.
Brooks' Innovative Shoe Advisor
One way Brooks markets its running shoes is by featuring a shoe advisor on its web site. Runners select the reason why they are looking for new shoes: for racing, for training, or for walking. Racers specify whether they run road races, cross country or track. Depending on their choice, they are directed to a set of three recommended shoes.
Runners may also use the Shoe Advisor to specify whether they are male or female; what type of surface they run on most frequently; how they run; their body weight; and their arch height.
Runners who run for training tell the Shoe Advisor what kind of surface they run on most often: a track or road, off road on groomed trails, or off road on aggressive trails. The web site uses the information the runner provides to select the perfect Brooks running shoe for each customer.
The Advisor includes video representations of what Brooks calls "motion mechanics" - whether a runner pronates, or pushes off from the side of the foot instead of the bottom of the foot. The Shoe Advisor suggested I purchase the Glycerin 5 for $110.
According to the Shoe Advisor, men who need Brooks running shoes to run on trails and have a slight problem overpronating should purchase the Brooks Cascadia 2 for $95. The Cascadia 2 includes superior cushioning, a ballistic rock shield to disperse pressure from rocks, and a ventilated, quick-drying upper for streams and wet weather. Stitching on the upper is carefully placed to avoid creating areas that rub the feet.
The Shoe Advisor holds that Severe overpronators have several shoes to choose from to correct their mechanical problems: the Addiction 7, the Synergy 2, the Turin, and the Addiction Walker. The average price point for these Brooks running shoes was $100.
Other Running Resources
Besides the Shoe Advisor, Brooks offers a number of other resources for runners on its web site. Runners can apply to do wear testing for Brooks at its biomechanics lab or wear running shoes while they run to evaluate the shoe's performance.
As a service to runners, Brooks also offers running tips, like how to run in cold weather, special running hints for children, and how to run in the wind.
