The original Levitate was interesting and it continued to evolve from there, sometimes falling back and sometimes leaping forward, but the last iteration we saw left us a little bit less than excited simply because there were better shoes in the Brooks lineup that served a similar purpose. With the Levitate 4, our hopes are definitely high as the shoe gets a whole new upper and it loses some weight as well. So let’s get right into it.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Brooks flagship “Responsive” neutral road shoe gets an all-new upper and lighter midsole.
- Weighs in at 10.3oz or 292g for a US Men’s 9, 9.2oz, or 261g for a US Women’s 7.
- Features an 8mm heel/toe drop and definitely favors responsiveness over cushioning.
- Retails at $150.00 USD and comes in 5 colors for Men and Women.
Run Test
Having run in every iteration of the Levitate since the beginning, we went in very excited to see if they had resolved some of the clunkiness issues we were feeling in the last version. The new knit upper definitely got us excited and the fact that you had lightened up overall boded really well. However, as you will see, the Levitate 4 feels like it’s just for a very specific target and we think it might be too limiting, here’s why.
On the foot, the upper is ticking the boxes of all Brooks selling points. That knit is very soft yet maintains its structure really well. It also breathes phenomenally well. The first misgiving we have is around the tongue design though. We will use the term gusset although that’s not exactly what’s happening here. The tongue is attached about halfway down the laces acting as a pseudo gusset but one that is immovable. It basically doesn’t flex like a normal dose at night meaning once you get your foot in there, it is locked in. If you like that feeling, then great, but it feels like a standard gusset would have worked fine here.
Next up is the midsole and even in the run while the shoe overall feels significantly lighter the Levitate 4 is firm. It is responsive there is no question, the shoe can feel very fast, and the lighter weight can contribute to better speeds. However, the underfoot feeling is not necessarily about comfort. So going in, you have to realize this is going to be a firm response-oriented shoe and not an easy everyday runner. After taking these across runs of many types, I can say that at those longer distances, the firmness can even lead to a bit of foot soreness so keeping this on a lower mileage might be better. Similar to Launch 7, it just feels like there’s a bit of comfort lacking during the run experience.
Bottom line, if you like the prior iterations, then you’ll probably love this and they can most definitely go fast. If you truly just want a solid be performing Tempo shoe, then the Brooks Hyperion Tempo is a much better choice. If you want something with a little softer feel that can do the same distance, then the Ghost 13 is your alternative choice. We’re just struggling with where this fits in a bit now that Brooks has brought some new items to their lineup.
Construction: Upper
The upper on the Levitate 4 uses their new Fit Knit material moving from the engineered mesh to the knit should make the shoe a lot more breathable for most runners as well as helping to reduce weight and create a softer more supple feel against the foot. The tongue is locked in by a gusset system that doesn’t really move all that much and it starts about halfway down the laces and the goal is to give you a really snug fit. Same on the heel in that there is no real padding, it just holds you in really well.
A look at the updated knit material Close up on the heel cup Brooks Levitate 4 from the front Brooks Levitate 4 from the back
Construction: Midsole
As this is part of their Responsive line, the goal of the Levitate 4 is to be super springy and this version is a 20% lighter version of their DNA Amp tech which we have said before can run a bit firm. So the midsole on here while it does appear to have a decent amount of cushion from a height perspective, it doesn’t actually have a lot of softness to it. You should expect a much firmer more responsive oriented ride.
Midsole – lateral front Midsole – lateral rear Midsole – medial rear Midsole – medial front
Construction: Outsole
The outsole has been updated in both design and size and this is obviously where they lost some of the weight. That original rubber has been reduced to only a few millimeters thick which contributed to the weight loss. It does feature their updated Arrow Point pattern with the goal of allowing maximum flexibility and thereby encouraging your foot to transition work quickly. The outsole does grip really well given it’s all rubber and handles weather without a problem.
Brooks Levitate 4 outsole view
Style & Aesthetics
Styling is actually pretty good on the Levitate 4, there are five different colors to choose which makes these really attractive from an aesthetics perspective. It is a very future forward-looking shoe materials wise and aesthetically.
Overall Conclusion
The Levitate 4 is going to be a really mixed bag for people. The shoe runs very firm and that knit upper while it does its job and breathes well and feels great, is just a little too snug for most people. You almost want to cut the gusseted tongue and free it up a little bit. If you like a really locked in feel and a very firm responsive turn over, then it’s going to be a great choice. If you prefer a little more freedom of movement in the foot and would like a little bit of softness, then you would be better served looking elsewhere in the Brooks lineup.
Learn more on the Brooks website
Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
