To be honest, when I first heard and saw the Brooks Aurora, I thought it looked goofy. Like the Brooks Neuro, I wondered if this one of those goofy shoes Brooks makes from time to time. They put a ton of money into marketing and say “limited edition” to draw people in but is it actually a functional shoe? Yes, my intro really sells the Brooks Aurora, I guess.
The Brooks Aurora was inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. The Brooks Aurora is supposed to look “out of this world,” and you could say they achieved that.
Brooks Aurora Quick Facts:
Weight: 7.6 oz
Drop: 6 mm
Price: $200
Brooks Aurora Intro:
The Brooks Aurora was created in the “Brooks Blue Line Lab.” The Blue Line Lab was created about 3.5 years ago so Brooks can get ahead of the technology curve. It sounds like a top-secret lab to get ahead of carbon-plated footwear.
As I mentioned before, I think the Brooks Aurora looks goofy, and it’s rarely a type of shoe I try. It’s a popular, heavily marketed social media shoe. I was curious, though, and bought it. The Brooks Aurora was designed to be a “natural running experience.” It sounds and also looks fairly similar to both the Brooks Pure Flow and Brooks Pure Cadence. The goal was to create a rolling sensation without the extra weight.
Anyway, so is the Brooks Aurora good?
Brooks Aurora Fit:
The upper of the Brooks Aurora fits and feels, unlike any other Brooks shoe. It’s completely see-through and is both lightweight and breathable. The upper does perform well in the heat.
The rest of the upper is interesting and is a seamless booty. The tongue is thin, soft, and stretchy. My favorite type of uppers are the ones I don’t notice, and I don’t really notice this one from Brooks.
As far as fit goes, the Brooks Aurora actually fits slightly bigger and longer than most Brooks shoes. Brooks has created any model, the Ghost is probably the most true to size, and Brooks doesn’t have any shoes that fit big. The Brooks Aurora fits slightly big.
Typically I wear between a women’s 10-11 wide. I found the size 10.5 to be fine. I don’t think I would go down half a size because that would be too small, but I think you will find them roomier than many Brooks models.
Brooks Aurora Ride:
Just looking at the Brooks Aurora, you’ll notice the decoupled heel and forefoot (i.e., a gap between the heel and toe of the shoe). Brooks wanted the Aurora to be a more natural feeling and the for the heel and forefoot to work independently. Since the body places different amounts of pressure on different parts of your body, a decoupled heel makes sense for a “natural running movement.
Cushioning: It uses a concept model of the newly engineered DNA Loft v3 foam.
What is DNA Loft v3? It’s a nitrogen-infused foam that is designed for a lightweight, bouncy feel. It doesn’t break down as fast under pressure, and it has a decoupled heel and forefoot..”
Traction and Durability: While I’m not running in a torrential downpour right now, traction is a must as someone who runs on a lot of sand. The Brooks Aurora doesn’t have the best traction and isn’t the first shoe I gravitate towards when I’m heading on a run that requires more traction. On a sunny day on the roads, it’s fine, but will I run in them on a rainy day or desert roads? No.
The Brooks Aurora isn’t designed for racing or running your fastest. It’s designed as a daily trainer to log your miles. That was generally my experience here. I ran several different runs, from easy runs to long runs and faster runs. For me, it works best as a daily run shoe. I want more cushion for recovery runs and a faster shoe for workouts.
I liked running in them, and the ride is a lot more enjoyable than I anticipated. They are definitely best on easy pavement that you don’t have to worry about debris going through the bottom of the shoe.
Brooks Aurora Conclusion:
The Brooks Aurora is a lot more fun to run in than I anticipated. While it does have a goofy appearance, I do think it’s a good running shoe. I have a hard time saying it feels like a $200 running shoe. It’s a good shoe but is a shoe I think is worth $200, I don’t know. If they improved the traction and made it more durable, I would say yes, but I can’t say I think it’s worth the cost now (I bought it).
My Current Shoe Rotation:
Easy/Daily Runs Brooks Aurora, Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo, Brooks Ricochet 3, New Balance 1080 v11, Hoka Bondi 7,
Speed Work: Nike Tempo Next%, New Balance Fuelcell TC Shoe Review, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro,
Long Runs: Hoka Clifton Edge, Under Armour Sonic HOVR 3
Trail Running/Hiking: Hoka Torrent 2, Saucony Peregrine 11, North Face Flight VECTIV
Races: Asics Metaspeed Sky, Hoka One One Rocket X, adidas Adizero Pro, New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%, Saucony Endorphin Pro, New Balance fuelcell TC, Reebok Run fast Pro
You Can See All Current Shoe Reviews Here.
Looking to learn more about running shoes? I talk about why you need a good running shoe, a shoe’s anatomy, neutral vs. stable, and even myths of running shoes in my ebook.
Questions for you:
Have you tried the Brooks Aurora?
What is your current favorite running shoe?
Jeeeeez, I’m going to be the last person now that gets to run in these shoes! I think they look really good.