Price: $150
Type: Road
Weight: 11.3 oz (M), 8.9 oz (W)
The right shoe for: Enduring long runs and tempos
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Upon first sight, the Levitate 2 will seem unlike any other shoe Brooks has to offer. First, the print on the knit upper looks even splashier than the original Levitate, with wild colors resembling a pixelated fire-red sunset and blue dawn (there’s also a steel gray-black combo for runners who want to make a quieter entrance when they toe the starting line). Second, the trainer also has a new bootie fit with a hemmed collar, and a sueded heel tab that prevents blisters.
When the original Levitate was launched, Brooks set out to create its most responsive running shoe. To succeed, the company implemented its new DNA Amp midsole, for a cushy feel and bouncy run. From the engineered compound foam down to the arrow-patterned tread outsole, the shoe delivers a soft ride and revs you to go faster.
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A certain conundrum befalls the Levitate 2: that it is a shoe intended to energize your run, albeit with considerable heft. Among the heaviest shoes we tested, the 2 was described as “clunky” by some wear-testers. Adding on the miles, however, they had a change of pace. “The responsiveness in this shoe makes you feel like you can run hard with confidence, or run easy and smooth,” said a tester.
The Levitate 2 is a shoe that will help you endure long runs and invigorate your legs on easy days. Its durability and springy ride even spurred one tester to declare they had found a kindred sole: “I will run in this shoe for as long as it will let me.”
Highest in Energy Return
At the core of the Levitate is the DNA Amp, a midsole made from an engineered compound of polyurethane (PU)—cushioning that returns energy when force is applied—encased in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which resists the PU foam’s expansion and returns it back to the runner; hence, that incredible bounce you feel on your run.
Some Brooks enthusiasts called the Levitate a great substitute for the Adrenaline, praising the shoe for its energy return. Others said that even though it wasn’t as cushioned as the Ghost, “it was much more reactive than other Brooks models that I have worn before.”
Gaining Traction
The Levitate has a unique arrow pattern tread on the outsole, which functions as a launchpad to help you transition smoothly from heel to toe while running. The grooves are not pronounced or spaced far apart, which may cause some to doubt the shoe’s traction. But in testing we found there was no slipping or sliding, even when we covered dirt, grass and wet pavement.
A Snazzy, Durable Upper
The most noticeable update to the Levitate is its engineered knit upper. The 2 has a bootie construction, with a heel collar wrapping around the ankle. Even skeptics found a snug fit in the 2 with no forefoot sliding or ankle rubbing (an internal heel tab protects the skin from succumbing to blisters).
The upper is slightly stiff and the shoe tends to hold heat on exceptionally hot days, but we liked how it shielded our feet on runs, especially when puddles were unavoidable.
All the Stats You Need!
Men’s
- Weight: Very Heavy | 11.3 oz
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Moderate | 8.6 mm
- Heel Height: Moderate | 32.2 mm
- Heel Cushioning: Moderate
- Forefoot Height: High | 23.7 mm
- Forefoot Cushioning: Soft
- Flexibility: Moderate
- Stability Features: Some
- Energy Return: Most
Women’s
- Weight: Heavy | 8.9 oz
- Heel-To-Toe-Drop: Moderate | 7.9 mm
- Heel Height: Moderate | 30.4 mm
- Heel Cushioning: Moderate
- Forefoot Height: Moderate | 22.5 mm
- Forefoot Cushioning: Soft
- Flexibility: Moderate
- Stability Features: Some
- Energy Return: Most
We put each shoe through real-world usage and a battery of mechanical tests in our lab to provide you with objective—and exclusive—data. In addition to a shoe’s weight, we measure sole thickness (everything that sits between your foot and the road), how well the foam cushions your stride, and the flexibility of the forefoot. All this is taken into account in our reviews of each shoe.
Hydrate Your Runs With These Bottles
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
