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Glycerin Max 2
"Maximalist trainer with dual-density DNA Tuned midsole for easy and recovery miles."
Today's tracked prices
- 01Greaves20d ago£126.00£170.00−26%
- 02Donaghys18d ago£160.00£170.00−6%
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Price history
Our verdict
The Glycerin Max 2 is Brooks going all-in on soft, tall, protective cushioning. This is a max-cushion daily training shoe built for one job: swallowing up easy and recovery miles so your legs feel fresh the next day. With a 42.3mm heel stack and dual-density DNA Tuned foam underfoot, you sit high off the road and the landings are pillowy rather than snappy. At 305g it is a heavy running shoe, and it never pretends to be quick. There is no carbon plate and no pretence of speed. What you get instead is a big, forgiving platform and a smooth, rockered roll from heel to toe that keeps long slow runs comfortable well past the hour mark. In our view it sits at the plush end of the daily-trainer market, up against the Hoka Bondi 9 and Nike Vomero 18. If you want cushioning first and pace last, it delivers.
Key features
- DNA Tuned dual-density midsolePairs soft foam near your foot with a firmer base, so you get plush landings without the platform feeling vague underfoot
- 42.3mm max-cushion stackSits you high off the road and soaks up impact, protecting your legs on long and recovery runs
- Rocker geometryRolls you forward through each stride so the tall, heavy platform never feels clumsy at easy pace
- Wide, planted baseAdds a reassuring sense of stability for a neutral shoe, even with all that stack height
- Padded, secure upperLocks your heel and midfoot in place with plenty of collar cushioning for comfort past the hour mark
Who it suits
Who should buy it
- Runners who want maximum cushioning for easy and recovery days
- Heavier runners and heel strikers who need serious impact protection
- High-mileage runners rotating a plush trainer alongside a faster shoe
- Anyone whose priority is joint-friendly comfort over speed
Who should not buy it
- You want one do-it-all shoe that can also handle tempo and intervals
- You are a lighter runner chasing a lively, responsive ride
- You need genuine pronation control and stability features
- You have wide feet and rely on multiple width fittings
Best uses
Extra information
Fit & sizing
The Glycerin Max 2 fits true to size for most runners, so order your usual Brooks size and you will be fine. The toe box is a medium, rounded shape with enough room to splay without feeling sloppy, and the midfoot wraps securely thanks to a padded, gusseted tongue that stops any sliding. Heel hold is a strong point: a structured, well-padded heel counter locks you in place with no slippage, even on longer efforts. Width options are limited compared with the standard Glycerin 22, so runners with genuinely wide feet may find the standard last a touch snug over the forefoot. If you are between sizes or like a bit of extra room for long runs when your feet swell, sizing up a half is a safe call. Otherwise stick to true to size for a secure, wrapped feel.
Performance breakdown
Ride & feel
This is a soft, cushioned ride built around comfort rather than pop. The DNA Tuned midsole is properly plush underfoot, and the tall stack soaks up impact so your joints get a real break on easy days. A rocker geometry helps roll you forward through the gait cycle, which smooths out the transition and stops the big stack feeling clumsy at slow speeds. Push the pace and the shoe pushes back. There is no plate and no snap, so it feels sluggish and heavy if you try to run tempo in it. Keep it to conversational efforts and it shines. Over a long slow run the cushioning stays consistent and your legs finish noticeably fresher than in a firmer trainer.
Cushioning
Cushioning is the whole point here, and it is where the Glycerin Max 2 earns its place. The 42.3mm heel and 35.7mm forefoot give you one of the taller platforms in the daily-trainer class, and the dual-density DNA Tuned setup means soft foam near your foot with a slightly firmer base for a bit of stability underneath. The result is genuinely protective without feeling like a total marshmallow. On recovery days after a hard session, this is exactly the kind of underfoot forgiveness you want. Heavier runners and heel strikers in particular will appreciate how much impact it absorbs mile after mile.
Stability
This is a neutral shoe, not a stability one, so there is no medial post or guidance rail to correct overpronation. That said, the very wide base and the firmer bottom layer of the dual-density midsole give it more inherent stability than the tall stack height might suggest. For a neutral runner it feels planted and secure at easy pace. If you need genuine pronation control, look instead at the Brooks Glycerin GTS 22, which adds Brooks GuideRails to the same cushioned platform. Run fast or corner hard in the Max 2 and the height does start to feel a little tippy, another reason to keep it for steady miles.
Upper & comfort
The upper is built for long-run comfort. A soft engineered mesh gives just enough structure to hold your foot without hot spots, and there is generous padding around the collar and tongue. Breathability is fine for UK conditions across the year, though on a hot summer day it runs a touch warm given how plush everything is. The gusseted tongue keeps grit out and stays centred, and the whole package has that premium, well-finished feel you expect at this price. No break-in period needed: it feels comfortable straight out of the box on your first easy run.
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FAQ
Specifications
| Category | Max Cushion |
| Surface | Road |
| Drop | 6mm |
| Heel Stack | 42.3mm |
| Forefoot Stack | 35.7mm |
| Weight | 305g |
| Carbon Plated | No |
| Stability | No |