Brooks PureGrit 3 Review (female)
Last week I took my nephews out for a run. I ran the whole way while they hopped in and out of the stroller as they got tired and then re-energized. Thomas (4) told me “I wore my fast running shoes today, because they make me really fast.” I pointed to my Brooks PureGrit 3 and said “Me too!” Every time I put on the shoes it’s like I am a 4 year old, putting on my “fast shoes.” I feel like I need to do a few strides and line up for a race.
They feel flat, light, and fast, just how I remember my cross country racing flats feeling on race day.
Stats:
Shoe/foot type: Neutral
Intended running surface: trail, trail racing
Weight: 8.1 oz
Drop: 4mm
Price: $120
More info here: Brooks PureGrit 3
Build
This shoe is part of Brooks PureProject line, designed to be lightweight, durable, and versatile additions to your running wear. The PureGrit 3 is a minimal, yet supportive and protective trail shoe. [ed note: Though Brooks shies away from the term “minimalist”, this shoe’s light weight and low offset qualifies it for such a term.]
A sturdy rock shield and toe guard protect your feet on the toughest trails, while the super grippy lugs on the sole help maintain your footing.
The laces met my high lacing standards, being long enough to easily double-knot, but not so long that they flop all over the place. They stay tied, and the laces are positioned in such a way that I can get the shoe tied just right the first time.
Pros:
Light weight, fits true to size, great arch support (I have relatively high arches). The shoe is fun to wear, perfect for trail racing. I would wear these for any trail race under 20 miles. Even though theses are minimal, and designed for trails, I wore these on several road runs to get an idea of what they could handle. I had no problems running 10-15 road miles, and 20 trail miles, no blisters, no hotspots, no soreness. Bonus: Brooks knows how to make a shoe both functional and pretty-I’m a big fan of the Sangria Pink/Buttercup Yellow combination.
Cons:
The minimal 4mm drop can be a deterrent for some runners unable to tolerate a lower drop. Also, Brooks indicates that runners can expect to get between 250 and 300 miles out of these shoes. Call me a cheap-skate, but I like to get more miles out of one pair of shoes for that price tag.
Final Thoughts
I would recommend these to anyone who is a fan of minimal shoes, and also to those of you looking for a fun, fast pair of trail racing shoes.
Kirk reviewed the men’s version here.
This review was written by Tara Barragan. Tara is a trail and road runner from Folsom, CA who recently reviewed the Ultimate Direction Jenny Vesta vest here and the Nathan VaporShadow vest here.
Full disclosure: Tara was provided these shoes by URP. They are her opinions and she was under no obligation to provide a positive review.