Brooks Transcend 7, Men’s Running Shoes

Product Information

I knew right away that I made the right decision to go up a half size from what I ran in for Transcend 4. The length is true, to slightly small, to size, but the width is narrow. Brooks might argue that is how it’s supposed to be (to ‘minimize stress on joints’, they say) but to us it felt like the under heel area is missing a chunk of foam. The Transcend 1 and 2’s heel was curved enough; the Transcend 3 is overdoing it.

Hence on the Transcend 3, you get the sensation that the Guide Rail is right under the arch, as opposed to the subtler feel of the Transcend 1 and 2’s rearfoot biased Guide rail.GuideRails! Brooks keeps making them better. Transcend 4’s chafed my lateral midfoot ever-so-slightly (along with the fact that I wore a half size smaller, and the upper was unforgiving). Brooks’ signature shoe cushioning technologies include DNA Loft, Brooks softest midsole material and DNA Amp, Brooks springiest midsole material. With their new nitrogen-infused DNA Loftv3 foam (found in the Glycerin franchise), Brooks were able to develop something that’s softer, lighter and more responsive - delivering on all fronts. After my first run, I re-weighed the shoe, to make sure it really was as heavy as I’d initially found it (it is), since the ride is much lighter than ASICS Gel-Fortitude (which was .3 oz. lighter), New Balance 1260 v6, and adidas Supernova ST, the latter two of similar weight. Launched in 2010, DNA is a cushioning technology that is also present in most of Brooks’ running shoes. What the Transcend 3 has also done is to increase the heel bevel at the edge. On the lateral (outer) heel edge, it curves up more than the Transcend 2.

It’s breathable enough for no overheating issues when running inside, but not so thin that cold air rushes right through, when facing temps well below freezing, outside.The shoe is put together well and its heightened level of cushion and plushness will allow these to last for a long time which is good because the Transcend 7 is ideal for long distances. Excellent grip on dry and wet roads What I don’t understand about the concept of guide rails is, that it supposedly controls the foot above an uncontrolled, moving midsole. Is this not like expecting a seat-belt to hold you firm in a car with extremely soft suspension? The Transcend 3 (on right) has an exaggerated heel edge angle. This is clearly noticeable during runs, compared to the subdued edge of the T2.(left) The Transcend did not slip or slide as I plodded through snow and ran over wet roads. I also felt more support as a heel striker, which could be in regards to the shoe’s new offset.

Brooks maintained support in this upper while stripping away the overlay stripes that made Transcend 4 so unbreak-in-able, for me, which were partially maintained into the 5.The Guide rails cups the rearfoot and flares out under the midfoot as supportive structure, and hence the name – guiding the foot through transitions. The midsole is the Brooks SuperDNA midsole foam compound – incidentally the 2014 Transcend was the first to feature it. It looks and feels like an EVA variant with some other compound blended in. The plush Transcend 6 is in the company of the Glycerin 17 when it comes to Brooks’s line of cushioned shoes. It’s also another trainer that has joined the brand’s new line of stability shoes enhanced with guide rails technology, a holistic support system that involves denser midsole foam located below both sides of the ankle, which functions to reduce erratic knee movement. The Adrenaline and Ravenna are included in this family of updated stability shoes, but the Transcend is the true progenitor of the guide rails system. Since the Transcend (still) does not offer an optional sizing width, a spacious upper might actually be a good thing. This is a reason for wide-footed runners to be happy about. On the flip side, Transcend loyalists who loved its ultra snug and supportive upper will find the T3 wanting in that aspect.