The Brooks Glycerin 22 is a premium daily trainer that has an updated midsole, but continues the series' longstanding reputation for smooth and reliable comfort. In keeping with that focus, the Glycerin 22 also has an updated heel collar that is less rigid outside and more padded inside, improving lockdown while still feeling plush. And while this iteration of the Glycerin reduces its heel-to-toe drop from the series' traditional 12mm to 10mm, this is still very much a shoe designed with heel strikers in mind. The new "DNA Tuned" cushioning is a dual-density, nitrogen-infused material that has larger cells in the rear of the shoe to absorb more impact, and smaller cells in the forefoot, which are designed to be more responsive. As much a walking shoe as a running shoe, the 22nd version of the Glycerin delivers premium comfort for everyday use.
Our Verdict
The Brooks Glycerin 22 is a middling shoe for the marathon distance. While the cushioning is adequate, it's not the most resilient over long distances. With the lackluster energy return from the midsole, your tired legs won't get much of a boost.
Heavy build feels sluggish compared to lighter trainers.
Limited energy return reduces efficiency.
The Brooks Glycerin 22 is a sub-par racing shoe for shorter distances. It's not tuned for speed, and the combination of poor energy return and heavier weight will make it feel sluggish if you're trying to run your best race.
Heavy build feels sluggish compared to lighter trainers.
Limited energy return reduces efficiency.
The Brooks Glycerin 22 has poor energy return. The dual-density arrangement of cells in the DNA Tuned midsole do make the forefoot much more responsive than the heel, but neither feels particularly lively or bouncy, and the shoe can feel like it's slapping the road rather than rolling along it.
Limited energy return reduces efficiency.
Minimal responsiveness.
The Brooks Glycerin 22 has reasonable cushioning throughout, although it is much better protected under the heel than the forefoot, and heel strikers will definitely benefit most from the shoe's new midsole. Where the heel stays plush and absorbent, even under heavy impact, the forefoot wears thin and bottoms out over longer distances.
Well-cushioned heel can handle heavy impact.
Mediocre protection in forefoot.
The Brooks Glycerin 22 has very good lateral stability. The upside of having a very firm and relatively low-stacked forefoot is a very grounded, controlled push-off on each step. The reasonable stack height, on top of a wide outsole platform, give the shoe a secure, solid construction that withstands any wobbles.
Firm forefoot enhances control through transitions.
Wide base creates a secure landing platform.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Dec 05, 2025:
We've updated the Popular Comparisons section to reference the recently reviewed Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25.
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Updated Dec 03, 2025:
We updated the Popular Running Shoe Comparisons section to include the recently reviewed Brooks Glycerin Max 2 in Brooks' lineup.
- Updated Nov 20, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.9, which adds a Forefoot Long Run Cushioning test to our performance section. Read more in our changelog.
- Updated Nov 17, 2025: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We purchased and tested this shoe in a men's US size 9, as shown here on the label of our pair. The pair we bought is in the Black/Cobalt/Neo Yellow colorway. The model is available in more than 19 colorways, purchasable through various retailers depending on your region. This shoe is available in a variety of widths, ranging from 2A (Women's Narrow), B (Women's Medium) to D (Women's Wide; Men's Medium), 2E (Men's Wide; Women's Extra Wide), and 4E (Men's Extra Wide). The design section applies only to the exact model we tested, but we expect other sizes and gender variants to perform similarly.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Brooks Glycerin 22 is a daily trainer with a long lineage, one that has slowly but continuously evolved in response to successive changes in the broader running shoe market. It now sits with the Nike Vomero 18, Saucony Triumph 23, and ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 27 in the premium trainer category, shoes that are sturdy and stable enough to be daily workhorses, but more comfort-oriented than classic daily trainers. However, all of these series predate the current market categorization, and while they have all evolved in response to similar trends over the years, each has followed its own unique trajectory. The Glycerin, for its part, has long stood out as the trainer with the biggest heel-to-toe drop: 12mm in previous versions, but now only 10mm in the Glycerin 22, bringing it more in line with its peers. While the Glycerin series has grown in stack height over the years, the increase has been much more gradual than its peers', such that the Glycerin 22 now sits much lower than the Vomero 18 or NIMBUS 27. The Glycerin 22 walks a fine line: it focuses on comfort without embracing maximum cushioning, and is soft and smooth enough for walking around, yet robust enough for daily training.
The Glycerin 22 remains one of the core pillars in the Brooks family of daily trainers that has become increasingly crowded in recent years. It sits alongside the Brooks Ghost 17 as one of the brand's legacy series, with the Glycerin remaining the softer, more cushioned, daily trainer; the Ghost is the firmer, and more stable, but less lively of the two elder siblings. Each shoe also now has a max-cushioned version, and the Brooks Glycerin Max 2 takes the Glycerin's focus on comfort to the extreme, adding 10mm of stack height in the heel, and delivering excellent cushioning at the cost of added weight and worse energy return. For runners who need more support to correct overpronation, there is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25, which still has dedicated stability features, as well as a steeper heel-to-toe drop to accommodate heel strikers.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best running shoes, as well as the best running shoes for men and the best running shoes for women. If you're after shoes well-suited for long runs, check out our recommendations for the best long-distance running shoes.
The Brooks Ghost 17 and Brooks Glycerin 22 are two of the Seattle-based brand's most popular daily trainers. They serve very similar purposes, but the Glycerin 22 is more cushioned and bouncier, while the Ghost 17 is firmer and has more dedicated stability features, like a reinforced heel counter and raised sidewalls . Neither shoe is built for speed, but the Glycerin 22's midsole has more bounce, while the Ghost 17 gives a more grounded feel.
While the Brooks Glycerin 22 and Brooks Glycerin Max share a similar name and a focus on comfort, they diverge in the experience on foot. The Glycerin 22 still has a steeper heel-to-toe drop, and attempts to balance comfort and stability, resulting in a more versatile daily trainer that is a reliable companion for most heel strikers. The Glycerin Max prioritizes comfort and cushioning above all else, resulting in a deeply protective, albeit bulky and occasionally unstable shoe that is best suited for easy, recovery runs.
The Brooks Glycerin 22 and HOKA Clifton 10 both deliver a cushioned, comfortable ride, but they feel quite different underfoot. The HOKA Clifton 10 is lighter and rolls forward more easily thanks to its firmer foam and pronounced rocker, giving it a smoother, more versatile ride across a range of paces. The Brooks Glycerin 22 feels denser and more traditional, focusing on deep cushioning and a stable, planted feel. Runners who want an easy, efficient turnover will prefer the Clifton 10, while those who prioritize softness and consistent comfort will appreciate the Glycerin 22.
The HOKA Bondi 9 and Brooks Glycerin 22 are both daily cushioned trainers but differ in feel and purpose. The Bondi 9's supercritical EVA foam and wide platform deliver a softer, more protective ride ideal for easy or recovery runs. The Glycerin 22's nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 midsole feels denser and more stable, offering a firmer, more traditional experience suited for steady daily mileage. Runners prioritizing plush comfort will favor the Bondi 9, while those wanting a balanced, consistent ride will prefer the Glycerin 22.
We've recently started buying and testing running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes for team members to be able to log in miles. This real-world testing is done at various paces and conditions, and with different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
The comfort of this shoe comes at a cost: all the padding and premium materials in the upper add to the shoe's weight, and can make it feel sluggish.
The Glycerin series has been slower to adopt higher stack heights than many other premium daily trainers, and the Glycerin 22 now sits much lower than the Nike Vomero 18 or HOKA Bondi 9.
The heel of the Brooks Glycerin 22 returns energy poorly, which makes landings feel very flat for heel strikers. With little assistance, bouncing forward to your toes, the ride won't feel particularly smooth if you land far back on your heel.
The forefoot returns energy better than the heel, but the bounce is still middling. While it's much better than a premium daily trainer like the ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 27 or even Nike Vomero 18, it lags behind the Saucony Triumph 23 or HOKA Bondi 9.
This is a shoe made for heel strikers, and this is most clear in the cushioning. The heel is reasonably soft on step-in, and does an impressive job of absorbing more and more impact as walking turns to jogging turns to running.
The forefoot of the Brooks Glycerin 22 is much less impressive in its cushioning. The smaller cells in the front of the shoe's midsole collectively absorb less impact, making the ride less cushy than an ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 27 or Saucony Triumph 23.
The heel of the Brooks Glycerin 22 is not very firm at all, which makes the shoe very comfortable for walking and for running at slower paces, but also makes it feel increasingly unstable at faster paces.
The forefoot of the Brooks Glycerin 22 is among the firmest of any premium daily trainer, which gives it a very stable, controlled feel underfoot, but can also feel too harsh for intense effort.
The forefoot cushioning of the Brooks Glycerin 22 does not hold up well over long runs. As with many shoes, the biggest drop-off in impact absorption is after the first 10k, and then more steadily thereafter. Because the forefoot cushioning in the Glycerin 22 absorbs less impact out of the gate than the Nike Vomero 18 or Saucony Triumph 23, it bottoms out sooner.