REASONS TO BUY
Affordable
Decent heel cushioning
REASONS TO AVOID
Disappointing foam
Bad transitions
Lack of forefoot cushioning
Brooks Trace 3 Review
A budget shoe that runs like a budget shoe, and not in a good way
Credit: Natalie Kafader
RELATED: The Best Running Shoes for Men
Our Verdict
The Brooks Trace 3 is an entry-level daily trainer that will likely work best for runners who land towards the back of their foot and don't run much mileage. That's due to the limited forefoot cushioning, overly firm foam, and poor transitions through the midfoot. We didn't enjoy our runs in the shoe, especially compared to other shoes in our lineup. It's fine for walking, but not one we'd recommend if you plan to run regularly. You can find some of our award-winning shoes marked down to a similar (or cheaper) price, and you'll enjoy them far more.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Brooks Trace 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Value Men's Road Running Shoes | Another Great Value Road Shoe | |||
| Price | $100 List $99.95 at Amazon | $135 List $111.49 at Amazon | $130 List $127.95 at Amazon | $120 List $79.95 at Amazon | $70 List $59.95 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | An affordable daily trainer that isn’t great for lots of daily training, but is fine for walking | A daily trainer that blends comfort and versatility at a reasonable price | One of the best value daily trainers we’ve tested | Plush cushioning and a bit of pace in a budget shoe | A budget daily trainer that works, but is easily outclassed |
| Rating Categories | Brooks Trace 3 | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 | Adidas Adizero SL2 | New Balance FuelCel... | Asics Gel-Contend 9 |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5.0%) | |||||
| Specs | Brooks Trace 3 | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 | Adidas Adizero SL2 | New Balance FuelCel... | Asics Gel-Contend 9 |
| Sizes Available | 7-15 US, regular & wide | 7 - 14 US, regular | 4-19 US, regular & wide | 7-18 US, regular & wide | 6-15 US, regular & extra wide |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 36 mm | 38 mm | 38 mm | 38 mm | 33 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 14 mm | 11 mm | 9 mm | 7 mm | 9 mm |
| Plate Type | None | None | None | Full-length plastic | None |
| Rocker Angle | 23.5 deg | 18.0 deg | 21.0 deg | 19.0 deg | 25.0 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 66.7% | 66.7% | 53.3% | 68.3% | 65.6% |
| Measured Weight | 9.91 oz | 10.07 oz | 9.36 oz | 10.52 oz | 10.21 oz |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | Engineered knit | Engineered mesh | Engineered mesh | Engineered mesh |
| Midsole | DNA Loft v3 | Profoam | Lightstrike Pro, Lightstrike | FuelCell | AMPLIFOAM+ |
| Outsole | Rubber | PumaGrip | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | Finger loop | None | Pull tab | None | Finger loop |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The drawback to many entry-level daily trainers is that the areas where companies save money, foam, and upper materials, are also the areas that have the biggest impact on how a shoe feels. The Brooks Trace 3 suffers from this issue.
Performance Comparison
The Trace 3 underperforms its price compared to its MSRP.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Landing Comfort
Landings in the Brooks Trace 3 were not enjoyable. The DNA Loft midsole foam is very firm, with little compression underfoot. It's also not resilient, with little to no noticeable energy return. That resulted in an overly firm and dead-feeling shoe that, while reliable, was not fun to run in. We measured 36 mm of foam in the heel and 22 mm in the forefoot. That's among the least forefoot cushioning in our test, and with the disappointing foam, was very noticeable.
In fact, our testers who land midfoot noted significant soreness in the lower leg after their first run in these shoes. Similarly, transitions from the rear of the foot through the midfoot felt segmented and choppy. That could be partly a result of the firm foam and high drop. Runners who regularly land farther back on their feet may have a better experience.
Choppy transitions and overly firm foam made for a poor experience.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Responsiveness
Like many firm daily trainers, the Trace 3 has a bit of responsiveness due to the ground feel and ability to push off hard. On the other hand, the geometry, rough transitions, and poor foam don't do the shoe any favors. In our testing, we found that the shoe felt best at easy paces, and while it could be used for faster running, there are many daily trainers that are far better suited to that task.
There isn't much by way of rocker geometry to help you out at faster paces.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Upper Comfort
The upper of the Trace 3 suffers from comparatively low-quality materials. The engineered mesh feels a little rough and doesn't breathe well in hot weather. The materials along the heel collar are softer, which helps to prevent rubbing. We did note that the toe box was an odd shape, with a taper that started farther back than we're used to in most Brooks shoes.
The upper of the Trace 3 fits with the rest of the shoe in that it feels low-quality compared to most of our lineup.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Stability
Stability in the Trace 3 isn't great, but this is a squarely neutral daily trainer. We didn't note any standout stability features. We think that a wider base would be good for the shoe, giving it more inherent stability. Runners who value stability should consider other options.
A wider platform would help give the Trace 3 more stability.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
The shoes we tested tipped the scales at 9.91 ounces per shoe, which is about average for a daily trainer. The heavier upper materials and thicker rubber outsole contribute to the weight, significantly. We think the outsole coverage is worthwhile, but also think lightweight materials on the upper would help with both weight and breathability.
The Trace 3 isn't too heavy.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
The Trace 3 has above-average traction, thanks to a nearly full-coverage rubber outsole. The lugs work well to bite on a range of surfaces, and we found it worked well regardless of temperature. Overall, we think that the traction makes it a great option for people who spend lots of time walking on slick surfaces, but due to other drawbacks, we hesitate to recommend it to runners.
The rubber outsole and lug design are above average in our testing.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Brooks Trace 3?
If you're looking for a running shoe to be your daily trainer, you can do far better for this price. The Trace suffers from poor midsole design, sub-par foam, and a warm upper. We don't recommend it for runners. However, if you spend a lot of time walking, this might be a shoe to consider.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
At this price point, you'd do well to consider any of our award-winners and their previous versions. Our first recommendation would be the Puma Velocity Nitro 3 — or the previous model, the Puma Velocity Nitro 3. Similarly, the Adidas Adizero SL2 will accomplish everything the Trace does but better, and can often be found at the same price.
—Nathaniel Bailey
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