Brooks Levitate 5 Review: A Firm, Traditional Daily Trainer

Introduction

The Brooks Levitate 5 sits in an awkward middle ground. Priced at £140 (about $150), it is pitched as a shoe for faster training sessions, yet its firm DNA midsole foam makes it far from a soft, cushioned option. After 50k of testing across easy runs, tempo efforts, and a progression session, the picture that emerges is of a reliable, traditional-feeling trainer that will suit a specific kind of runner, while others may find better value elsewhere.

Who This Shoe Is For

The Levitate 5 is built for runners who want a firmer, more conventional training shoe rather than the thick, plush wedges of foam that dominate the current market. It has a moderately thick DNA midsole wedge, but the ride is hard and snappy rather than bouncy, with a low stack that recalls speed shoes from before the carbon plate era.

There are two notable variants. The Levitate 5 Stealth offers a leaner, snugger fit, while the GTS edition adds support to the same underlying design.

Fit and Upper

Fit is a genuine highlight. The upper is well padded and generous without feeling loose, wrapping nicely around the sides of the foot with comfortable space in the toe box. Testers found it true to size, with a plush, netball-style thick tongue and standard laces that do not budge.

The main caveat: the shoe runs slightly narrow, so runners with wider feet should take note. High arches caused no pressure issues at the top of the foot, and step-in comfort was consistently described as plush.

Main Strengths

The Levitate 5 is dependable above all else. Every stride felt consistent, and the shoe handled both shorter and longer road runs without complaints. The DNA midsole is a little lighter than the previous Levitate 4 and does deliver some snap when the pace picks up.

Grip is another clear strength. The arrow-pattern outsole coped well with dry roads, and wet runs produced no slipping. There is also a lot of outsole rubber on the shoe, which suggests it should last a long time.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The midsole is very firm, arguably one of the firmest cushioned daily trainer midsoles around. Slower, easy miles felt like a slog for some testers, who found little softness or bounce. On a faster eight-mile progression run, the shoe demanded more effort and attention to form, which may suit some runners but leaves others working harder than they would like.

The claimed energy return did not translate into a noticeable feeling of being propelled forward. At the price, the concern is that the shoe is a daily trainer that is not the most comfortable for daily miles, and a tempo trainer that is not as refined as dedicated faster options.

Buying Advice

For beginners or runners who want cushioning, alternatives are worth a look: the Brooks Glycerin is softer, plusher, and more giving for easy miles. For faster sessions, the Nike Pegasus 38 offers a similar but slightly less firm ride with a higher stack, and the Puma Velocity Nitro brings a snappier, more versatile feel, often for under £100 if you shop around. The Saucony Ride 13, Brooks Ghost 14, and Saucony Triumph 19 are also strong alternatives in that price range.

That said, the Levitate 5 earns credit for durability, grip, and stable, consistent performance. If you genuinely prefer a hard, traditional-feeling shoe with a comfortable conventional upper, it is a good shoe with a place in the market, and at just over £100 in the UK it represents reasonable value for a shoe built to eat up training miles.

Conclusion

The Brooks Levitate 5 is a solid, stable, and reliable daily trainer that rewards runners who like a firm ride and a well-fitting traditional upper. Its limitations are equally clear: little bounce, a demanding feel at slow paces, and stiff competition at the same price. Know what you are buying, and it can be a dependable workhorse; if you want plushness or propulsion, look elsewhere.