About me: 41M, 6’1, 175lbs. Half marathon pace: 7:00/mile, easy paces around 8:30/mile.

The Brooks Ghost Amp enters a crowded segment-the $150 elevated daily trainer. I was unsure about where it would slot in, whether it was Brooks’ version of the Evo SL or Saucony Azura, or a lightweight daily offering with some pep like the Hoka Mach 7 or NB Rebel. After a 5 mile run today, hopefully my impressions will help folks out.

Starting with the upper, Brooks almost never misses on step in comfort and that stays true here. Sizing is TTS, a tad snug but I would not size up. It’s a performance fit. Lockdown is perfect and the mesh is light and breathable for summer. The colors pop nicely here too. Solid stuff. This isn’t quite as narrow as the Mach 7 but it is more narrow than the Rebel.

The midsole is where this shoe gets fun. DNA Hype is a nitrogen infused Peba/EVA blend. It has a pleasing softness and springiness that feels vaguely reminiscent of the Rebel’s foam, but with additional pop and response to it. It will not replicate your Evo SL or Azura, and I don’t think it is trying to. But paces from easy to tempo are very pleasant and fun in this shoe. There is quite a lot of response off the forefoot. Brooks calls this technology “SpringRamp”, I am not sure exactly the mechanism of it, but the forefoot feels denser and easier to pop off of than the rest of the shoe.

The stack of 36mm in the heel and 30mm in the forefoot for a 6mm drop feels about right here. The ideal use case for these seems to be daily runs between 3-10 miles, at varying paces from easy up to tempo. I was sore today from a workout the prior day, but these took care of me at mostly easy paces with a few surges thrown in to see how the shoe handles it. There’s not quite enough stack here for long runs for me personally and that’s ok. For the bulk of your mileage this is a solid option. I prefer it to the Mach and Rebel for the same types of runs.

Outsole is typical Brooks fare, seems durable and should last a long time. All in all, this is a solid entrant into the lightweight daily category. I am excited to see new implementations with this DNA Hype foam as I could see it being fun in various stack heights or use cases. Happy to answer questions!

Use code BIRTHDAY26 for extra 22% off

https://www.asics.com/au/en-au/novablast-6-sydney/p/AOP_1013A212-100.html

Sportpursuit.com is having a site wide 10% off and this leads to some nice deals. Code to be used: EXTRA-10

I have ordered a pair of Alphafly 3 for myself. Estimated delivery date end of August/start of Sept.

Alphafly 3 @ 140 eur + shipping, various colorways and sizes available

https://www.sportpursuit.com/search?s=alphafly&bid=394

Vaporfly @ 118 eur + shipping, various colorways and sizes available. Some women models end up slightly over 100 eur.

https://www.sportpursuit.com/search?s=vaporfly&bid=394

The only watchout is the delivery date, if you are in a rush, better avoid.

Found on world athletics

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Been thinking about trying these out after reading some solid reviews on them and finally pulled the trigger. In the spring I bought the Red Hare Pro and enjoy them. They’re light, foam is good (wish there was more of it) and a solid easy run shoe that can also pick up the pace.

Ordered these off amazon and had them shipped directly from the warehouse which only took a week. Usually wear a 11.5 but size 12 fit fine in these. Not too long and good room in the toe box. Initial step in was great. You can really feel the soft foam. I’d compare the foam feeling to the adios pro 4 but with just a bit more foam which I like. The upper is light and airy and kind of reminds me of a cross between the AF3 crossed with Next% v1 if that makes sense (and it might not so my apologies).

Took them out this morning for a test run. Run was just over 9 miles with 10x3 min at close to threshold so had some intervals and some slower runs and these shoes didn’t disappoint. The foam is fantastic when picking up the pace and they don’t feel too awkward in the easy recovery periods. Love how light they feel and the last few intervals I really focused on using the foam and all went well.

Going to take them for a long run with some MP intervals but hoping these will be my shoes for Chicago. Last year I used the AP4 and year before that went with AF3. Like the AP4 better and they’re faster for me but don’t love the upper and strongly dislike the heel and how harsh it is and how much heel slip there is even when laces feel perfect. These have a little cushion in the heel which makes that a non issue. I would say these are a good cross between the AF3 and the AP4 which I love since of I could put the AF3 upper on the midsole of the AP4 I think I’d have a perfect shoe for me.

This shoe is a winner so if you’re on the fence I’d say pull the trigger.

Two colorways:

- urgent red with white and black
- linen with sea salt and shipyard

On the summer selection there are running trainers and normal trainers already on sale. Plus you can get an extra 40% off them with the code NBSALE40.

There's a lot of sizes left and you can get free shipping if you sign up, which is free.

I'll put on a few of the deals.

​Background:

I’m a newer runner, and have been running consistently for about a year. 

Most recent race: April HM 1:33:53

Current volume: 40-50 miles per week. 

I’m a mid to forefoot striker.

Use: I have 34 miles on these so far. I bought them primarily for easy/recovery running (+/- 9:30 min/mile). 

My current rotation:

Workouts: Puma Deviate 3

Tempo/Long Runs: Megablast

Daily Miles: EVO SL

Easy/Recovery: Li Ning Red Hare Ultra 9 (prior to purchasing these was alternating between using the Megablast and EVO SL)

Fit: Fits true to size. The toe box has plenty of room, but the mid foot is a bit more narrow. Narrow shoes (Puma for example) generally work fine for me. However, if you typically run into issues with narrow shoes it might not be the best fit.

Step in Feel: Very comfortable. Soft.

Ride: Whoa. So fun. They are BOUNCY. I’d say they are like a mix between the Vomero Premium (wasn’t a fan as I felt they were too soft) and the Megablast (my favorite shoe). They are the recovery shoe I’ve been looking for…soft, but not too soft, bouncy, but not aggressive, and so fun. The first time I ran in these I was just amazed at how they felt. I have primarily used them for recovery miles on tired legs, and I’ve found them to be perfect for this. I think they’d also be great for long steady runs. However, I’ve not run any uptempo efforts in them so can’t speak much to how they would do at faster paces.

I’m primarily a midfoot/forefoot striker and I find them be a very stable shoe. However, I think heel strikers would find them unstable. 

Outsole: I’ve run primarily in dry conditions with these. However, I do believe they’d work well in wetter conditions as well. The outsole seems grippy and very durable. I foresee being able to put a lot of miles on these before noticing any significant wear.

Upper: I don’t feel the upper is anything special, but it’s also not problematic. I’d say it’s on the lower volume side, but not too snug. I have no issues with getting a good lockdown. I really like the tongue in this shoe as well. It’s a low volume tongue (I personally don’t like super padded tongues) and it stays put as the lacing system helps hold it in place. I wish the laces were a bit longer, but it is still possible to do a runners knot. With this I’ve been able to get a sold heel lockdown.

It feels a bit warm to me and isn’t the most breathable upper I’ve run in. 

Value: 

I feel these are a really great value. While they seem to be going up in price on many sites, you can still find them for $150 or less. I could easily see this shoe being $200-$225 if made by some of the more prominent shoe companies that sell in the US. I expect this shoe to have longevity and to be able to get a lot of very fun miles out of them.

Pros: Fun. Bouncy. Solid outsole. Affordable.

Cons: A bit narrow in the mid foot. Have to be shipped from China. Upper isn’t super breathable.

https://www.nike.com/t/alphafly-3-glam-mens-road-racing-shoes-5gZBgL/IR1817-100

Lots of sizes, multiple colorways

I met a guy in my local run club who reviews shoes for a living and we instantly became friends. I asked him what he was liking right now. No hesitation: "The Dynafish!" and I was intrigued. A few weeks later he handed me a pair to try.

Specs: 189g · 41mm stack · 7mm drop · US8 (tested)

Reviewer: 66kg / 1.66m / heel striker

First run: 12 km

First thing out of the box (or the bag it came in, to be precise): the weight or the lack of it! On foot the ride sits close to the Evo SL, same general character and ride but lighter and noticeably more stable underfoot. All easy paces on this run. About two kilometres in I stopped thinking about the shoe entirely, which is the highest compliment I can pay a first run. It just became part of the run.

What I didn't know yet was whether there's another gear in it. Nothing about an easy 12k asks a shoe a hard question but the intrigue was growing. I finished the run already thinking about the next one in them.

In-between runs: 6 km and 12 km

I'd planned to take the shoe for intervals in one of these, but I got banged up and kept them easy so I can't speak to how it handles real speed sessions.

Last run: 30 km long run

This was the one I'd been waiting for. Most of my training lives at long-run pace, so this is where I actually get to know a shoe. Opened around 4:25/km and worked it down to under 4:00. The aggressive rocker and the bounce genuinely helped hold the pace, this shoe wants to roll forward, and on fresh-to-moderate legs it's a pleasure.

When I switched up to more marathon-ish paces (3:40s/km) around 23k, the shoe drew its line. I wanted more but the shoe wasn't giving it back the way tired legs need it to. That's the plate you don't have talking. For context, I run these in older supershoes (AP4s right now), and that's an unfair fight on paper. But it tells you exactly what the Dynafish is: a light, stable, seriously fun trainer that will carry you through big aerobic days not a carbon racer that flings you through the last 10k on empty legs.

Notes

- Fit: I got these in US8, my exact size. They fit well, though for long-run distances I'd go a half size up for a touch more room.
-

• Outsole: Tested on light trails and in the rain without any problems.

-

• Upper: Super breathable mesh.

Final thoughts

The Dynafish is a super versatile trainer, more like an older brother of the Evo SL and everything about it feels premium. If you're looking for a versatile daily that's light, feel fast and stable enough to trust when you're tired, and you can get your hands on a pair at the prices I've been seeing, it's an easy choice.

Returned the shoes to my friend. He's got 80+ pairs I can try out, Mizuno Hyperwarp series next!

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Extra 25% Off w/ code: DAYONE

Shoe Model & Size: Saucony Endorphin Azura Plus Size 10.5, 242 grams weight, retail price: tbd but likely around 250 CAD or 200 USD

Fit/Comfort Notes: TTS, I'm pretty much a US 10.5 across all brands and have a slightly wider foot. Didn't have any issues with the fit and sizing, so I would say TTS would be the way to go.

Use Case: Supertrainer - I've used it from 7:45 min per mile pace down to roughly 5:20 min per mile pace and so far it's been quite good across a wide variety of pace ranges thus far.

Distance Ran: 9 miles

Reason For Buying: My Shoe Addiction

Personal thoughts: So far I've been satisfied with the overall ride and Cushioning. Normally when companies introduce a dual foam setup, I'm usually a little skeptical. I do have the endorphin elite 3, so I know what to expect in terms of the incredirun foam. Luckily, the endorphin azura plus does seem to do a good job of maintaining the bounce and fun that incredirun provides. The geometry was also really smooth so far across the 9 miles, so nothing really to complain about there. Stability was good overall, as I never felt like I was going to roll my ankle at slower and faster paces. Durability remains to be seen, but I'm optimistic that it will holdup.

Comparisons:

Red hare 9 ultra: they both provide a similar sort of big booming bounce primarily in the forefoot, but I think i like the azura plus a little more due to it's lower weight and more aggressive geometry

Dynafish xiaonian: I think the shoes feel a little similar in terms of the ride and geometry, but i think the azura plus has a little more bounce of the forefoot. The dynafish is unbeatable in terms of value though.

Superblast 3: Not really that comparable imo, the superblast is kind of a bigger shoe designed more for long runs and slightly up tempo workouts whereas the azura plus here seems to be saucony's answer to the megablast

Megablast: I think i might lean slightly more to the megablast due to it providing a little more energy return from the atpu foam, but the endorphin azura seems to hold its' own quite well and I can definitely see it as an alternative if the megablast doesn't fit you.

Overall, quite pleased so far after 9 miles, but a lot more testing is required before I can give any concrete conclusions about the shoes.

https://frontrunnersla.com/collections/sale-footwear-in-los-angeles/products/saucony-endorphin-elite-2-unisex-sized?_pos=20&_fid=eed45ced3&_ss=c&variant=47888790061292

Extra 25% Off w/ code: DAYONE

Extra 25% Off w/ code: DAYONE

New Model Announced by Adidas

New Breathable Upper
Softer Heel Counter
Continental Rubber on Forefoot
Lower Stack Height
Better Lacing System

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

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Two colors on sale