Introduction:
Brooks running company is a shoe brand that I feel has
lagged in joining the 21st century of running shoes. I say this, because the overall design of the
shoes up until recently has made one feel like you were running in the
1990s. But this year appears to be a pivotal
turning point for Brooks Running with the release of their DNA Amp midsole
material and sleek new look of their uppers and midsole geometries. One shoe in particular that exemplifies this
new refreshing trend for Brooks is the Ravenna 9. A shoe that looks nothing like its
predecessor and simply calling it an update to the Ravenna 8 would be a gross
understatement. I also may or may not have
found my new favorite shoe… but let’s get to the review!
Specifications:
Weight – 9.3oz size 9 (men's)
Heel to Toe Offset - 10mm
Midsole Material – BioMoGo DNA®
Stability Technology: Progressive diagonal roll bar
Category of Shoe – Lightweight stability, daily trainer
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| Love the look of this shoe. Very modern with the one piece engineered mesh. Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go both from a functionality standpoint as well as fashion. |
Upper and Fit:
All I have to say is WOW!
This shoe fits my foot perfectly!
The upper is a modern engineered mesh that is one piece with no overlays
or welded seams. The mesh hugs the foot
beautifully and provides excellent ventilation on the run with no hot spots
appreciated. The lacing system is
standard with an extra eyelet if you need to use the lace lock technique (you
probably won’t and this is coming from me who almost always has to use it for
shoes). The heel counter is firm and prominent, but amply padded to reduce
irritation to those with sensitive Achilles. It also is beveled, which means that the shape follows the natural shape of the heel. A lot of companies still make heels that flare out way too much (Nike Epic React, Adidas Ultra Boost, VaporFly 4%), which can lead to premature contact leading to instability on landing. But the most important aspect of the heel counter is that it actually
holds the posterior part of the foot - and does it hold it well! There is absolutely zero heel slippage or movement in this shoe. Thank you Brooks for being the first shoe
company to ever make daily trainer shoe that is narrow in the heel and midfoot
with enough room in the forefoot. I
thought it would never happen, but Brooks did their research in designing this
shoes upper fit. Despite the snug fit of
the upper, the foot does not feel compressed and even if you have an average to
moderately wide foot, there is enough give to the upper to obtain a comfortable
fit. The toe box length is also an area
where shoe companies either add too much length (Salming, Skechers) or too
little (Adidas), but again, Brooks gives just enough volume for the forefoot
without being sloppy. The final point
about the upper I’d like to make is the design.
These shoes look awesome! I don’t
feel like I am wearing a pair of old man running shoes. I love the bright colors and the subtle reflective material along the midfoot saddle and the Brooks Running logo embedded within the
engineered mesh. Welcome to the 21st
century of running shoes Brooks.
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| Note nice beveling of the heel and a slight bias (minimal flare) on the medial side of the heel. The heel cup is firm, but there is enough padding in the heel collar to minimize Achilles irritation. |
I also would like to talk about how well this
shoe fits and how critically important it is (especially for a stability
shoe). First let’s talk about the heel. The secure fit of the posterior
part of the foot allows the foot to fully engage with the decoupled heel and
lessens the amount of mobility in the heel/ankle region. The end result is the foot and shoe work in
tandem, which increases comfort and ultimately compliments one’s gait. Furthermore, having such a snug upper allows
the foot to fully engage with the midsole unit (see below about the progressive
roll bar). I feel this comfort and
sensation of the shoe disappearing is extremely important and it appears more
and more studies agree with this concept.
This is likely due to the fact that a comfortable shoe is one that works
with your foot and not against it. Why
it is extremely important to try many different types of shoes and to not peg
yourself into one category. For example,
I have some shoes that are neutral that I can run in without issues, but other
neutral models that I cannot. My point
is, every shoe is different and every person’s foot and gait is different. Don’t be afraid to try something new and
different (but with caution).
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| I was able to lace these up without using the last loop. That never happens for me on a shoe! Even if you have a wider foot, the engineered mesh will have enough give to feel comfortable. Also there is no overlays, so nothing to poke or irritated your foot. |
Midsole/Ride:
The magic material in this shoe for the midsole is Brooks
patented BioMoGo DNA. This midsole
material is described by Brooks Running as the following: “BioMoGo DNA fuses
BioMoGo midsole and DNA cushioning technology for a fully custom responsive
ride that adapts to the needs of each and every runner.” Yes, I know it may sound a bit gimmicky, but
it works. Basically what this foam consists of is gel and EVA that is blended
together, which creates a non-Newtonium material. So you are probably
wondering, “What in the world is non-Newtonian material?” This type of material is a substance that
when a force is applied to it, it behaves differently than one would expect.
Before I lose you completely, I’ll give you a perfect example using corn
starch. If you place your hand in it gently, it is easy submerge your
hand. But, if you attempt to smash your
hand on the surface it becomes solid.
Here is a link to a cool YouTube video showing this concept in action (https://youtu.be/RkLn2gR7SyE) pretty
nifty right? This is true of Brook’s midsole BioMoGo DNA technology (see link
here è (http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/01-12-2010.html?q=shoes). When running at slower paces you can
appreciate a nice level of protection from the road (not pillow soft, but
protective), but when the pace is increased the material firms up and you
really appreciate the explosiveness of the BioMoGo DNA foam with increased
force.
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| The magic of the DNA cushioning noted on the bottom of the exposed heel midsole. |
Now that I have completely geeked out over the DNA foam component of the midsole material, let’s talk about how it feels when running. Once again, I was (and continue) to be blown away by how freaking comfortably this shoe is. Honestly, I cannot think of a more perfect shoe for my gait, foot shape/size, and feel. This shoe can work for any type of run and even with a stability component can work for even neutral runners. This is because the stability element utilized in the midsole is a progressive roll bar and a mild medial post in the heel. Using a diagonal roll bar means that the density gradually decreases from the media aspect of the shoe to the lateral aspect and is placed in the midfoot to forefoot region. What this means is the foot is unobtrusively deaccelerated to help lessen the speed of internal rotation (i.e over pronation) of the heel/midfoot during landing and push off in the gait cycle. This is opposite of a traditional post, which is merely a very dense piece of plastic or midsole material placed along the midfoot or heel. In other words, one can think of a traditional post as a stop sign and the diagonal roll bar as a speed bump. Both are designed to slow you down, but the speed bump guidance gives a gentle reminder versus the stop sign making you come to a dead stop. That’s why my physical therapist likes this type of stability because it works with the foot, not against it. I’ll also let Matt throw in his thoughts on this manner as well.
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| Medial View |
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| Lateral View |
The outsole is made up of blown rubber and has excellent
traction, even on snowy roads. I also
appreciate the decent amount of forefoot flex and the rigidity of the heel to
midfoot. I point out this design aspect,
because it allows a very smooth controlled transition from heel to forefoot
during the gait cycle and flexes at the appropriate location (there shouldn’t
be a flex zone in the heel and/or midfoot as these regions of the human foot
are rigid structures with no joints).
Brooks did their homework here and prove once again how form follows
function.
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| Note the "X" in the midfoot region. This is the transition zone were the diagonal roll bar engages with the foot. The solid blue heel is the medial side and the midsole durometer (or hardness) decreases laterally and anterior (towards the front) of the shoe. Paired with a prominent flew zones in the forefoot for the toes results in a very smooth gait cycle. |
Thoughts as DPT (Dr. Matthew Klein PT DPT):
I definitely approve of what Brooks did with the Ravenna 9. Instead of the heavily posted shoe in the past, they modified it using a diagonal roll bar or progressive posting as I call it. I am happy that more companies are moving toward this. Adidas is using this with progressive Boost (called energized stability), New Balance has done this with the Vongo, Skechers with the Forza and a few others. Stability should be progressive and not overbearing. The progressive stability better mimics how the arch is controlled. It is controlled by muscles, which lower the arch eccentrically. This eccentric loading improves shock absorption, instead of just a rigid stop. Rigid feet actually may have higher rates of injury compared to flexible feet due to the lack of shock absorption. Thus the stability in shoes should reflect that progressive loading. Hence why the progressive diagonal roll bar is such a great idea. My other non-biomechanical input is that I am excited to see another light stability shoe on the market. This market is small (and apparently can be difficult to sell), but personally find that a little stability goes a long way. Whereas a great deal tends to inhibit or restrict things. There are obviously biomechanical exceptions to this, but I personally would rather have a little stability and some muscle/movement retraining rather than a person just relying on the stability without working on themselves.
Image from Brooks Running
Durability:
I have approximately 100miles on this pair and so far I see
little to no wear on the outsole. The
midsole still has plenty of spring and cushioning life. I am very light on my
feet, but for the average runner I could someone getting 300 miles out of these
due to the fact that they are light weight trainers. The uppers also have been holding up well,
especially impressive since this winter (and the large quantities of salt on
the road) never seems to leave here in upstate New York.
Room for
improvements:
Brooks, if you happen to read this. PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE
THIS SHOE. Thanks.
Conclusions:
Brooks did an amazing job on revamping a shoe
that was dated and clunky. Brooks now
has a versatile light/moderate weight daily trainer with light stability that
can work for a wide range of runners.
The current trend in running companies is to slap some fancy new squishy
bouncy everlasting foam and claiming it to be a miracle shoe. The reality of the matter is that you still
need to have proper form for the shoe.
The form being how the upper, midsole/outsole, and materials feel and
interact with the foot. Sure you can put
a V8 engine in a minivan, but it will never have the aerodynamics of a Ferrari.
Why, because form follows function. A
shoe should complement, not fight your foot and gait cycle and I feel that
Brooks definitely followed that scientific principal with designing this shoe. The Ravenna 9 is a fantastic shoe that is affordable
and has the versatility to be used as an all-purpose shoe from long runs to intervals
on the track and can work for neutral to excess mobility in the ankle and posterior foot alike. |
| Out on the run! |
Thanks for reading!
Dr. Nathaniel S Kollias, DVM, MPH
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Masters of Public Health
Masters of Public Health
Cornell University Laboratory Animal Medicine Resident
Editor's Note: As always, the views presented on this website belong to myself or the selected few who contribute to these posts. This website should not and does not serve as a replacement for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I am currently taking clients for running evaluations.
Dr. Matthew Klein, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Kaiser SoCal Manual Therapy and Sport Fellow
***Disclaimer: These shoes were a personal purchase from Running Warehouse and were purchased at their full US retail price. We put at least 50-75 miles on trainers and 10-25 miles on racing flats prior to reviewing them. Currently I have 130 miles on my pair of Ravenna 9s. If you are a footwear rep looking for footwear reviews or consultations on development, we are currently looking to partner with companies to assist, discuss and promote footwear models. Partnership will not affect the honesty of our reviews.
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