Brooks High Point apparel collection is a new set of clothing aimed at both celebrating the spring and the trails. It combines ripstop fabric to provide durability along with very light material to give the collection a lot of nimbleness. The collection also provides some light water repellent and UPF protection, helping keep you powering through any condition. We take a look how the collection performed through a variety of elements in this review of the new apparel from Brooks Running.
Brooks High Point Apparel Review
By Matt Klein, Andrea Myers, and Bach Pham
Items Reviewed
High Point Waterproof Jacket
High Point 2-in-1 Shorts
Sprint Free Short Sleeve 2.0
High Point 3' Shorts
High Point Waterproof Jacket
Shop: $198 at Brooks Runing
Material: DriLayer Seal fabric
Matt: Despite being from the Northwest, I have never owned a waterproof jacket. It is an important part of my PWN heritage to just accept getting wet and embrace it (the same reason I have never owned an umbrella). Ironically, I was able to first test the High Point Waterproof Jacket in rainy Seattle during a recent trip. My initial impressions were that this was a semi-light performance-fitting jacket that quickly wicked away rain and left me dry from external moisture. I did find it slightly warm, which was helpful during the rainy sub 40-degree weather. When I returned to California, I found during warmer weather I started to sweat quickly. However, some internal buttons secure the front well and allowed me to unzip 1/4 and even 1/2 way to allow airflow without too much loss of security. I was a little annoyed that there are no pockets, but the packability of this jacket has made it an efficient piece of apparel to take with me when I don't know what the weather has in store.
I typically wear a medium in most jackets and found the Brooks High Point Point Waterproof Jacket to fit normal to slightly snug for that size. It features a semi-fitted design that stays relatively close while still allowing some mobility. During easy runs this was great and the jacket stayed close to me, but during faster workouts where I needed more range of motion, I found the fit a little tight at end ranges in the arm pit. This didn't cause any major problems and has disappeared as the jacket has broken in. The sleeves are fairly standard in length coming just past my wrists. My arms are on the long side, so others may find that the ends also nicely cover the back of their hands (it did not for me). My favorite part of this jacket is the hood. The elastic fit kept it secured to my head even at high speeds and head turns. Overall, despite not having pockets (my only major grip), this waterproof jacket has been something I have kept close due to its performance nature, lightness, packability and waterproof nature given the amount of rain we have had in Southern California recently.
Positives: Light, packable, waterproof, performance fit, warmer than expected, great hood fit.
Negatives: No pockets, a little snug around the armpits at higher speeds, warmer than expected
High Point 2-in-1 7' Shorts
Shop: $78 at Running Warehouse
Material: 90% recycled polyester/10% spandex
Bach: 2-in-1 7" shorts and I have a conflicted history. In theory, I really like the idea of them. The main benefit of a 2-in-1 is getting the benefits of performance from the inner compression layer while having a more stylized outer layer that also provides some modest coverage. The reality, however, is that usually the material is just too much and you feel like you are carrying a lot on the run with you. It can also just be way too much material for the hot, humid Southern US weather.
The High Point 2-in-1, however, solves much of that issue by using an incredibly thin material on the outer layer that doesn't feel overly baggy. The compression short layer fits nicely and provides good security. I used the shorts on some longer runs and had no issues. What felt different about this 2-in-1 compared to others I've tried is that the outer layer doesn't feel too long, actually riding a touch higher than the inner layer which felt far more comfortable. I probably would defer to a 3" short for workout/race days, but if you are going easy this more than does the job.
There are a sneaky amount of pockets in the High Point 2-in-1. Four hidden, non-zip pockets sit under fabric on both sides of the pants. These are fairly small, enough to fit a smaller gel, keys, etc. A larger horizontal zip pocket in the back fits a regular size iPhone. I don't think an iPhone Pro would fit, at least comfortably as the regular iPhone just sits inside this pocket. The phone is centered and stays relatively well. The pants are "lightly" rain resistant and help up okay in a light rain shower I ran through. The shorts were dry by the afternoon after hanging them out.
The shorts have been sturdy so far. There's been no shrinking after two washes or fraying of any material. They also dry quickly and I haven't had any odor issues, allowing me to reuse them for 2-3 runs depending how easy they were before a full wash. I ran through some brush to test the ripstop front panel which aims to provide some protection on trails. While I love how light the pair is overall, I'm a little concerned that while the pants may be protected, I may not be if running through thicker brush due to how light and soft the material is.
In general though, I was pleasantly surprised with the 2-in-1 7" High Point shorts. The only thing I would love to see is a 5" 2-in-1. The 7" was fine in the mild spring weather here, but as it gets into the summer months, less - even as thin as it is - is often welcome. That said, these definitely changed my mind on how 2-in-1 shorts can feel and I would recommend them to anyone who prefers this style of shorts for running.
Positives: Light and comfortable, UPF 30 protection
Negatives: Beach blue color is quite bright and fun, but maybe not for everyone. Cost is a touch high, but the quality is there for what it is worth
High Point 3' Shorts
Price: $78 at Running Warehouse
Material: Liner: 79% polyester/21% spandex;
Ripstop DriLayer Seal front panels: 90% recycled polyester/10% spandex;
DriLayer mesh: 86% polyester/14% spandex
Andrea: Like Bach, I do not typically gravitate towards 2-in-1 shorts because I don't like wearing a lot of heavy material when it is shorts weather. I prefer short tights because they are lightweight and stay in place. That being said, if I did like 2-in-1 shorts, the Brooks High Point 3" 2-in-1 might be my favorite. The liner fits well enough that I did not notice it at all while running, and it does not ride up. Both the liner fabric and the external fabric are lightweight and do not restrict movement at all, even when doing drills like high knees. I also like that the liner is not so long that it looks like I am wearing 2 pairs of shorts. The liner blends in nicely with the external short and you have to get pretty close up to see that they are 2-in-1 shorts.
I received a size small and found the waistband to fit comfortably, only needing to lightly tie the drawstring for security. The shorts stay comfortably in place while running and I did not need to adjust the tightness of the drawstring at all. The liner fits close to the skin without being uncomfortable. I did not experience any chafing in this short, which I sometimes do in longer split shorts. One of the best features of these shorts are the numerous pockets. There is a rear zip pocket that is big enough to fit my iPhone and a key, and 4 hip pockets that each easily fit a Maurten gel. These could be a great long run or even long distance racing short due to the excellent storage options. These shorts have held up through several washes and line drying. There is no pilling of the fabric and continue to look brand new.
The Brooks 2-in-1 3" shorts surprised me with their excellent fit and performance. While I will continue to prefer short tights, I would highly recommend these shorts for anyone who likes the fit and performance of a 2-in-1 short. I think the price is worth it for the amount of pockets you get in addition to the high quality and well-fitting fabric.
Positives: Liner does not ride up, no chafing, allows for full hip range of motion
Negatives: Double layer shorts are heavier than the short tights I prefer, tan/pink colorway may not be for everyone
Sprint Free Short Sleeve 2.0
Price: $45
Material: 86% Recycled Polyester, 14% Spandex
Andrea: The Brooks Sprint Free Short Sleeve 2.0 is an ultra-lightweight, loose fitting short sleeve running top. It does an exceptional job of wicking sweat and drying quickly thanks to its DriLayer mesh fabric. While I have not been able to test it outdoors in hot weather here in CT, I have tested it indoors on the treadmill and was very pleased with its performance in warmer conditions. The fabric feels so lightweight that I did not notice it while running. I typically prefer closer-fitting tops, but the thin material of this top does not feel bulky, even when wet. I would not wear this top for racing due to its looser fit, but it is a great top for easy runs or even casual wear due to its relaxed fit.
I received the white/pink/tan colorway, with the main body of the shirt being white, which makes it somewhat see-through when wet. While there are multiple internal seams, including at the neck, I have not experienced any chafing. The material remains in like new condition after several washes and line drying (care instructions say tumble dry low, but I air dry all of my performance clothing). I think this top is a good value primarily because of the quality of the fabric. Many brands try to make a lightweight performance top, but as soon as you sweat, they feel like a garbage bag. This top does what it says and keeps sweat away from your skin, then helps it quickly evaporate. I would prefer a closer fitting top for faster runs, but as an easy run or casual top, it performs very well.
Positives: DriLayer mesh fabric is ultra-lightweight, wicking, and breathable; does not feel bulky when wet
Negatives: loose fit limits use, white material becomes see-through when wet
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR
Shop Brooks High Point at Running Warehouse
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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.
***Disclaimer:
These apparel pieces were provided free of charge in exchange for a
review. We thank Brooks Running for sending us the apparel to test. This in no
way affected the honesty of this review. We systematically put each type of shoe through certain runs prior to review. For trainers and performance trainers, we take them on daily runs, workouts, recovery runs and a long run prior to review (often accumulating anywhere from 20-50 miles in the process). For racing flats we ensure that we have completed intervals, a tempo or steady state run run as well as a warm up and cool down in each pair prior to review. This systematic process is to ensure that we have experience with each shoe in a large variety of conditions to provide expansive and thorough reviews for the public and for companies. Our views are based on our extensive history in the footwear industry and years testing and developing footwear. 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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Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
NEXT: Saysky Apparel Review
Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
NEXT: Saysky Apparel Review