Customer Reviews Brooks Ariel 14

There's a problem with the new Ariel 14. I love the color and styling. The problem is the fit and comfort level. The 14 feels much narrower in the toe box and the foot bed doesn't feel as cushioned as the Ariel 12. I had a long conversation with Brooks Company and they admit that they change their designs periodically to be current and it's imperative for them to change in order to be competitive with other companies. These are the changes for the Ariel 14: the new mesh overlay design on the top has created a "snugger fit." Also, the internal cushion has been changed to be more "plush." I assure you, the '14 is LESS plush! I was able to snag a new Ariel 12 in my size for comparison purposes and it feels much softer and more conforming so it's not a matter of being worn and broken in. It's all very disappointing for a person with problem feet who is dependent on the Ariel and can't find another mfg that I like as well. According to Brooks Co. the Ariel isn't slated to be re-designed again until 2016! I'm coping by ordering a WW which is too big at the heel but I will cinch as tight as possible with shoelaces in the last position. If anyone else experiences the same difficulty, please consider phoning Brooks Co with your concerns and comments. Thank you.

I just purchased these Brooks Ariel '14 after a day of exhaustive running shoe shopping. I ran for 35 years, and had bilateral knee replacement recently, so I need a really great, supportive, and highly cushioned shoe. My knees are still very sore and feel like I'm pounding the pavement when I walk. Nothing even came close to offering the comfort and support of these Brooks. I have been running in Brooks for 15 years, and have tried other brands, like Mizuno and Salomon, but they were a big disappointment. Along with knee pain, I have a dislocated joint in the ball of my foot, and a small bunion. My feet are long, pronate a bit inward, and are slightly narrow, especially in the heel. I normally wear a 10.5 in a running shoe, but went put to and 11 in these for adequate room. I have a slight instep, but not much of one, so I need a shoe with great arch support without being over the top like it's made for someone with a high instep. I tried the Ghost 7, but it was too wide in the toe box and didn't have enough support or cushioning. These Ariel's fit like a glove! I have no ball of the foot of knee pain with them, and that's saying a lot. I can't believe the difference in how my knees feel. I still have a lot of pain and inflammation even 6 months out from surgery, and getting back into a closed shoe after spongy Fitflop and Ecco sandals has proved quite challenging. Especially, since I really want to wear boots, which is out of the question for now unless I want to suffer with every step. I haven't found any Brooks I like this much since my old HSFT's and Adrenaline GTS 7's, which is really going back in time. I am thrilled that I finally found a shoe that eases my pain, and will allow me stand for long periods and walk long distances again. Brooks constantly wins Runners Choice awards year after year because they are simply the best for serious runners like I was. I've never found another running shoe brand compares.

Can't say enough good things about this sneaker! Excellent for people who have fasciitis and pronation. Waiting patiently for a black sneaker!

I was worried about a new model because I loved the older version of the Ariel, but believe me this is probably the most comfortable shoe you will wear if you suffer from foot problems or wear in soles. I popped my orthopedic inserts in and within an hour my feet were feeling better.

I have planter fasciitis and these are the best sneakers out of all brands and styles for my foot. I wear one size larger than I do for shoes. They wear well, have good arch support, are stable on my feet, and I always like the colors.

Don't believe the negative hype! I've worn this shoe for 14 years now. I got them when trying to get back in shape after my son was born so that's how I remember. I have flat feet, wear a size 8 and walk / jog 5-6 days a week. This shoe is great for the over-pronator with no arch and problematic toes. I have repaired bunions and hammertoes. The 2014 design is an improvement. Although the toe box is more slender, it still fits me well. I like that the tongue is attached because the shoe feels more supportive through the arch area. The shoe is still cushioned well and fits snugly on my heel and around my ankle. I love the new color which is darker that it has been in a long time. The reflective detail is more prominent and well positioned. I go through 3-4 pairs of this shoe annually and they are worth the money. I do size up one size because that's how I normally buy running/trail shoes.

The redesign of this shoe has not done it any favors. It feels much narrower, especially in the toe box. Because of my flat feet wear out shoes, this narrower to box is Bad. It's resulting in much more contact between the side of my foot/toes with the outer edge of the shoe. It's causing the shoe to deform and become less comfortable far more quickly than usual. I am hard on shoes, but this is ridiculous. The earlier versions of Ariel lasted for months without these problems. The Ariel 14 is starting to have these problems a couple of weeks in. This shoe, plus finding orthotics that actually work, were life changers for me. Ariel was the perfect shoe for my particular foot issues. No more. It's a sad state of affairs. Why did they mess with perfection?

I have slightly narrower than medium width feet and these feel a little snug in the toe area. The wide width is way too wide for me. The Ariel'14 would be perfect except for that. Unfortunately, all the shoes I tried are that way. I decided to keep the Ariel'14 medium.

Great support and cushioning in these shoes. But you definitely need to order a full size larger. I tried a half size larger, but had to return for the full size larger. I have very narrow feet, so the full size larger is a bit wide in the toe box, but it's not something I'm not used to dealing with. Great shoes that help with my pronation. Highly recommend!

I've been wearing the Ariel 12s for several years. I had several foot operations and the Ariels really saved my feet. They definitely redesigned the shoe. It's smaller than the 12 which is okay for me. The 12 was a little too big for me so I wore a 2nd insert. They left off the 2nd shoelace loop on the tongue. I miss that loop. It really helps to keep the tongue in place. I guess they did it for cost. I like a snug fit for the ankle so I lace the last hole. The last holes on these are way back. Which makes the shoelaces shorter and hard to lace. I usually knot the laces because new ones tend to not stay laced. I can't with these. The cushioning is excellent. I hardly feel the floor when walking. So some changes work for me, some don't. But overall these are really well made, great sneakers. Because I only wear sneakers, I'm ordering a 2nd pair tonight. I gave 4 stars for style because their color combinations are really bad. They need more and better colors.

I've worn Ariels for many years. I agree 100% with other reviewers that the Ariel 14 is much different than prior models. I have always worn a 9B in Ariels. I couldn't even get that size/width on my feet, it is so much narrower than before. I called Brooks. They said that the D width is 4 mm. wider than the B width and the EE width is 4 mm. wider than the D width. Like another reviewer, I exchanged my "B"'s for the "EE" - problem solved, although the heel is a bit looser than I'd like. Having seen the reviews on the new Ariel I had tried several other brands and none can compare to the Ariels. I'm grateful for the other reviewers suggestion to increase the width as this really solved the problem. The Brooks representative also made the same suggestion. A new Ariel will be coming out in 2016 but not until the end of the year.

These are great if your feet tend to slope in and you have low arches. I normally wear an 8 1/2 in shoes and I got this in a 9 and it fits perfectly.

I ordered a full size larger than my normal size; make sure you do the same, and it will fit very well. The cushioning on this shoe is amazing! It is so comfortable to run in. Excellent arch support. This is the most comfortable athletic shoe I have ever worn. It was well worth the extra money and am so pleased.

I always bought the Brooks Ariel, but this new 2014 version is definitely much narrower. If you used to buy the regular and it was a perfect fit, then you might need the wide width now. This was a Christmas gift from my hubby this time around and I was sad to see they didn't fit as well. I've decided to keep them anyway because I will just widen them naturally, but they are a bit tight. Next time I will order the wide width version. I still gave a great rating because this is an awesome show. Great for people with all kinds of foot problems. I have flat feet, tend to over-pronate and have knee and hip pain. This sneaker helps in ALL those areas. I have not found anything better!!!

I just got my new pair of Brooks Ariel's and unfortunately they will have to go back. I ordered my usual size, but they are very tight. Run smaller than usual.

I'm glad I took the time to read the reviews of the revamped version of this shoe. I owned the previous Ariel and had no problems at all. Even my custom orthotics fit well and work fine. But this version of Ariel is smaller & tighter in the toe-box area. I did the smart thing, ordering a medium & wide width to try them both. I ended up keeping the Wide. Orthotic works well in it as before. Furthermore, it has some sort of band of support around the instep area...I'm thinking it's for more pronation support. It seemed to help me but I wish Brooks would leave well enough alone. Anyway, the shoe works well for me, a severe over-pronator who had ankle surgery to correct one ankle last year. Hope this helps you out!

Good running shoe, but more narrow than the previous version. And I'm not sure what Brooks did to the cushion in this shoe, but it lasted only have a long. I got over 200 miles out of the Ariel 13. After 75 miles on this shoe, I'm looking for another pair. Sadly, unless they go back to the original cushioning, I'm done running in this shoe. And it was the only one with the cushioning and stability that let me run without pain.

Brooks has totally changed this shoe design. The toe box is too narrow and I don't think the quality is a good as their prior shoes.

I have extremely flat feet and severe over pronation. Normally I wear New Balance (running, everyday)or men's Nikes (for basketball). But I had heard that Brooks was another good brand for active people with feet like mine. They have very good support, good cushioning, and arch support. The toe box is god awful. I got wide and they are way too tight in the toe area, yet slip slightly off my heel. I like them, for the support, but not the overall fit. I will probably go back to New Balance or try another brand next time.

I am disappointed! Why of why do manufactures change a design that has worked for years? I have always purchased two Ariels in two different widths; W for thick socks and walking and a M for "dress" sneakers. Time to replace the W ones and dang, same width as the former M. Also the tongue for some odd reason is attached and you cannot pull it open very wide; makes them hard to put on. I also think the depth is less. I wear an arch insert and they feel tighter on the top of my foot. But once you wiggle into them they still have the support I need. Just wish they would have left the design alone. The new design does not come out until August of 2016. I have worn Ariels for years, they are the only athletic shoes that really gave me the support that I need. Zappos, of course, provided the same exceptional customer service that they have for years.

Not what they used to be! Brooks Ariel has been a mainstay of my wardrobe since a broken foot, ankle, and achilles tendon surgery. However, this newest model, is much stripped down: the padding on the sole is only about 50% of what is used to be, the tongue is shorter, and the heels are wider. This will be the last pair I purchase unless they return to their previous quality.

Brooks Ariel has always been my favorite shoe, til now! They changed the toe box and stitched the tongue to the inside of the shoe, ugh! I am a B width, ended up exchanging for EE and it still felt snug. New design will not be out 'til 2016, very disappointed!

The Ariel 14 does not fit like it's earlier versions at all. The toe bed is not as roomy as before and the width is much narrower. I tried two sizes before deciding this style would no longer work for me and my custom orthopedic inserts. I had worn Ariel shoes for two years prior and was very disappointed in the changes. I did however love the new color options.

I love Brooks Ariel shoes. I have rheumatoid arthritis & Brooks are one of the few athletic shoes that I have found to have the support & comfort I need. I can walk in these shoes all day. I highly recommend these shoes.

I've been struggling with plantar fasciitis for over a year and so far these shoes are the best I've found! I'm very happy with them!