Men's Brooks PureFlow 4

I switched to Brooks shoes from Asics a couple of years ago, with the Glycerin 11. I am a 50-year-old, 30-mile/week runner and weekend racer. I liked the fit of the Glycerin, and my joints appreciated the plush ride, but it felt like too much shoe. Besides, I had begun to feel that the relatively high heel was aggravating an old tendency to heel-strike contributing and contributing to injuries.

I tried the PureFlow 4, after rooting around on the Brooks website, and I couldn't be happier. It is not as much of a plush ride as the Glycerin, but it's plush enough. In fact, there is quite a bit more cushion than on super-cush shoes of a couple of years ago.

These are fairly light shoes -- not racing flats by any stretch, but noticeably lighter than other shoes I have tried, and ideal for the 10ks that I like to race.

The lower heel is great; it has allowed me to fine-tune my stride for a better midfoot strike, a higher cadence and less pain. And who doesn't want less pain? I like the more flexible sole, and I don't think I have sacrificed any stability or control. At first the flexibility took some getting used to, but the shoe is designed to fit more snugly -- with quite a bit less volume -- than other shoes, and I find that helps hold everything in place.

these are great shoes. I'm glad they come in black, but I would still run in them in neon.

I tried pureconnect v1 and loved the fit, but they had a seam in the heal that caused me real problems so I couldn't wear them. I gave up on the line for a few years. Recently I wanted something new to help with a mild Achilles issue, and bought the pureflow and pureconnect.
After running about 50 miles, I do like this shoe. It has that nice 4mm drop, which is less extreme than some more minimal shoes, and provides enough thickness to keep the rocks from hurting on trail runs. Really lines up your foot for a solid mid-foot strike. Half way between a traditional shoe and a Newton. These fit a little bigger on me than Adios Boost and Boston Boost. I would like snugger fit, but it does allow for people with wider feet to wear them.

What I like:
Nice fit that wraps around your foot.
Great traction on roads, acceptable traction on trails.
Wide mid-foot base feels very stable

What I don't like: (I have a standard D foot with high arch)
Not a lot of lateral support in corners
Feels wide, but not sloshy from the arch forward
Traction on wet surfaces is not good

Compared to the pureconnect, it is very similar. The pureconnect mid-sole is a few millimeters narrower than the pureflow, but the upper is only very slightly narrower. I wish they made the shoes more different, as that is really the only thing I noticed other than the slight weight savings.

If they wanted to perfect this shoe I would recommend getting some Continental rubber for the sole and stiffening the side support a bit. But, this will be my go-to shoe for easy and long runs. Races still get the Adios Boost.

I decided to move from the traditional trainer (Ghost) to a more "natural" shoe.(Flow)

This shoe is amazing. It has almost the same "comfort" feeling than the Ghost but it is way much lighter. The shoe does feel a little tight after a race (not regular runs though) especially when it is humid.

Overall, great shoe if you plan to move from the traditional trainer to a more race oriented shoe!

I have run in Brooks Pureflow for three years, first in the 2 then 3 version. While there were differences there, the overall feel of the shoes were similar. The new V4 (bought here on RRS in Jan), feel very different, almost to the point of discomfort. Gone is the natural foot-shaped feel. Now the shoe fits more like a traditional (non-pure) shoe. The mid foot is tighter, due perhaps in part to the thickly padded tongue. The forefoot no longer has the almost wide, foot shaped feel. Now it's straight like any other shoe, even with the same sole (I did compare my v3 directly to the new v4). The lacing is old-school straight, with none of the old offset or curve. Bottom line: Pure is gone. This shoe update is one of the biggest muck-ups a company has done in a long time. It's no different than a low drop Nike or Adidas any more. If you liked v3, buy more before they're all gone. I know Pure. This is no Pure.