Customer Reviews Brooks Ariel 14

This is my first experience with the Ariel. Since I love the Addiction and several reviewers recommended the Ariel to replace the Addiction I decided to try the shoe. First the toe box is more structured than the Addiction which means you may feel the toe box even if the shoe is wide. The shoe itself feels comfortable, which is important since I use orthonics, but it could use more cushion. I like the color and style and will keep this shoe for now. I walk between 15 - 40 miles a week so only time will tell.

I've been wearing the Ariel since my podiatrist recommended them in the 1990's. I love the shoe, and with the addition of my orthotic, I can walk for miles without my feet or knees hurting. I don't mind the snugness of the Ariel '14, but they are really hard to get on, even for my narrow foot. My hammer toe always gets caught. It feels like the tongue is sewn to the side of the shoe. Brooks are my go to shoe. I love all the colors, but really want a shoe that had Red (not always pink) on it.

I have wide feet, with one foot having some swelling and nerve damage due to an injury 1.5 years ago. My feet are also flat, and I am not comfortable with much arch support as it makes my feet ache. I also have bunions so need to consider the pressure of any seams on the shoes that I purchase. I have some New Balance country walkers that are 2E width, and since my foot has healed and the swelling has reduced over time, they are a bit wide now and feel a little sloppy on my foot. I wear 7.5 normally. I tried both the Brooks Ariel 14 and the Brooks Addiction II, both in D width and in 2E width. The Brooks Addiction 2E shoe felt a little wider, but the D width was a little too narrow for my "bigger" foot. They both have arch support, but not so much that it make my foot sore. I went for a brisk one hour walk this morning and wore the Ariel 2E shoes - just received yesterday evening via Zappos very prompt shipping. The shoes are very supportive and well cushioned. Both the Ariel 14 and the Addiction II are well cushioned and very comfy. The Ariel 14 just happens to fit my feet conditions better.

I agree with the second person who left a comment. After wearing several pairs of Brooks shoes, I could tell that the cushioning in the Ariel 14 had decreased. I work long shifts on my feet and was so very happy with the comfort of my first two pairs but not as much with the 14. It is not enough to make me change brands just yet. Also, I see above that even if I put "no arch support" the style still receives five stars. Hmmm. Overall,for the Ariel 14, I would give these three stars. The comfort is why I bought them in the first place. If you have ever worked on your feet for long hours, day after day, you know how important comfortable shoes are. These look more attractive than the first pair I bought, but that is not what is important to me.

I have severe over pronation, and I have found this shoe to be great support for me when I run. I recently completed a half marathon in these, and my feet felt great and were blister free. The only drawback is these shoes are on the heavier side, so if you prefer a lightweight shoe, these are definitely not for you!

I have a version of this shoe from a few years ago. This version is a bit narrower but working just fine for my wide feet. It has arch support but I don't think it has quite as much as the design from two years ago. Still a great shoe.

This is my second pair of Ariels; however, with this model #14 the tongue is attached to the shoe. I had to snip it on both sides in order to get it free.

If it's not broke - don't fix it. I guess Brooks hasn't heard this old saying. I've worn the Ariel for years. Sadly, the Ariel 14 may be the end of this era. It's shorter and the toebox is much narrower.

I have flat feet, bunions, and I overpronate. I needed a shoe that would accommodate my gigantic, clunky orthotics. I wore the previous style Ariel from Brooks for over a year - they were dream shoes, though they were for sure not cute (I'm 25 years old, for Pete's sake). This new style of Ariel is a much cuter color, but boy are they more narrow in the toe box. I followed the recommendations of other buyers and bought two sizes up (too big), then one size up (too big), then just my same size but in wide (too wide), so I finally just ordered what I normally do and it worked out. That being said, they really do have a narrow toe box which is compounded by the accent that lays on the outside of the shoe over the big toe's knuckle (hello, bunion pain). I kept them because I am on my feet all day and I require a heavily supportive shoe that can accommodate my huge orthotic, a combo which is frankly difficult to find.

I have worn the Brooks Ariel for years. I reordered this year without reading details, so I did not realize that the style had been updated. I would prefer that the colors be a bit more muted, as I wear these to work with jeans. I wear them walking for exercise: they are great! They are much lighter than previous versions. However, I was not prepared for the tongue to be permanently affixed to a band that goes over the arch, making it impossible to loosen the laces towards the toes so I could give my high arch a bit more room. As others have noted, the toe box is narrower than before (even with the D width). I held my breath and cut the band out of both shoes, setting the tongue free and enabling me to loosen laces all the way down. Relief! I did not want to do that with somewhat pricey shoes, but now they are perfect. They hug my feet just right, and it is like walking on air. Brooks should consider making this band optional.

I have worn Brooks Ariels for many years and the changes made in the Ariel 14 have changed the fit and feel completely. I normaly wear an 11:5 M and had to return that size and get the 11:5 W. The shoes run very narrow,but the length seems fine for me. I dislike the snug feeling,even with the wider shoe, that tends to bunch up my socks when I put them on and have to try to adjust them which is difficult since the tongue is stitched so can't be opened all the way. I am getting use to the changes now that I've worn them for awhile, but if I had my preference, Brooks had a GREAT shoe especially for people like me with multiple foot problems (i.e. PF, neuropathy,bunions, arthritis, etc.) who needed a cushioned/supportive everyday shoe for walking daily and staying active. I still gave the shoe 4 stars because I can't find any other shoe with its cushioning that still has support. Zappos as always gets 5 plus stars for its EXCELLENT quick service and customer support. WAY TO GO ZAPPOS!

I have several pair of Brooks and needed a new pair to walk a trail at our local park. There wasn't enough arch support, so I had added inserts but that made them too tight. So I tried just wearing them around the house with original insoles. So glad I did! After 10 minutes, my toes started feeling numb. I do have high arches and the shoe does run narrow. I guess the combination won't work for me. I really did like the look of the shoe, but will have to return.

I have been buying brooks Ariel for at least 5 years now. They are very comfortable. This version is extremely comfortable. I agree with other reviewers that the toe box is too small. Thankfully even though my feet are super flat, they are narrow so these work for me. I also love the new colors, darker is better when you have really big feet. I hope brooks does not make any more changes to the shoe. They seem to be trying to make them more stylish but people who need motion control shoes need fit and comfort way more than style. They should jazz them up by changing colors more often.

I've been wearing these shoes for years (specifically Brooks Ariel) and Brooks has changed the design of these and I'm not really enthused about it. The older versions had significantly more lateral support and felt sturdier overall. I feel like Brooks is trying to make this shoe look better (people don't buy them because they look good, unfortunately) and I'd much prefer to compromise style for support, specifically because this IS a work out shoe. I'm perfectly willing to compromise style for comfort and injury prevention. Please go back to the older model design.

There are no other shoes on the planet that provide the kind of support and stability like the Ariel. I have a long list of issues that require really supportive shoes when I work out or walk. I have bunions the size of Texas, completely flat feet and bad knees. I was worried about the more narrow design causing bunion pain, but they don't. However, I did go 1/2 size up. I usually wear a 9.5, but I tend to get a half size more in athletic shoes because it gives more room in general. The 9.5 fit, but it was more snug and felt more narrow and my toes were too close to the top. The arch support is superior. For some reason though my Achilles heals have been sore when I walk in these and I don't know why. Maybe it is the new design or maybe I need to get my lazy ass in gear and put in my pro orthotics. I have just been enjoying the mega cushion the inserts provide. It is amazing how much support you get yet wonderful cushion. Feels like walking on a cloud. I give the style 3 stars because I just don't get the horrific colors. I mean really...mint green on the sole? I wish they made these in black. It's like us women don't want men looking at our boobs when talking to us right? (Well maybe some do.) I don't want my shoes to get all the attention! My last word on this shoe is my gratitude what they do not use animal skins. You don't need cruel animal skins to get really quality shoes.

After trying the Ariel 12 and the 15=4, I found the 14 to be more accommodating for my bunionettes (bunion on the outside of the foot). The 12 has a seem that cut right in on them. The 14 regular felt better than the 12 wides. The 14 is supposed to have a seamless upper. Whatever the change is, it worked for me. Note For a proper fit for my problem feet (RA and Hallux Limitus), I have to go a whole size up in Brooks.

I was used to ASICS, and these were too wide. Also the heel-toe drop is a little much. Very clunky heel.

I own a pair of Brooks Ariel from a few years ago, so I was excited to see them in a pretty new color. Unfortunately, Brooks is now making them more narrow. My previous pair was a 10.5 wide; this time I ordered an 11 extra wide to give me more room, but it was the exact same width as my previous pair. It seems their previous regular width is now narrow width, their previous wide width is now regular width, and their extra wide width is their previous wide width. (Did you follow all that?) LIVES WITH WIDE FEET MATTER. Stop taking away the few options we have of WIDE shoes that are comfortable AND non-geriatric-looking!!!

The pair of Brooks Ariel shoes that I purchased 2 years ago had served me well, but it was time for a new pair. My local running store was out of this shoe so I decided to purchase it online. I was anxious for them to arrive and when they did, I was expecting to slide my feet right in. I was sorely disappointed to find out that the new pair was extremely tight at the top of my foot right where my toes begin. Upon closer inspection of the 2 pairs, I discovered that my old ones were made in China and the new ones were made in Vietnam. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but I don't remember experiencing any discomfort from my first pair. I don't believe this tightness will go away and that's too bad because I love everything else about the shoe. Disappointed!

I have been wearing these shows for many years. I ordered a size 8 1/2 as normally, but in this case, as many had mentioned it was very narrow and too small for my size. I reordered a 9 and it was still too narrow- in the end I got a 9 wide but still don't think its the shoe it was once before. No better than a shoe at Kohls.

I just bought these shoes and have been wearing the Ariel now for more than a decade. The problem I have with this version is that the tongue is sewn to the inside, on each side, and is not freestanding so it creates a fixed amount of room, thereby causing a feeling of too snug. I like my shoes loose, and by restricting the tongue, it creates a suffocating feeling on top of my foot. I compared it to earlier models around my house still and they do not have this restriction. I am not sure why they did this, but they should change it back.

After reading so many glowing comments, I had high hopes that my first pair of Ariels would be nice for my feet. Received today, wore them this evening, and they're going back tomorrow. My feet developed achiness in my arches as I wore them. Never had that happen with the Addictions or Adrenalines. I have fallen arches/flat feet. I wore them with my custom orthotics as I always do when I wear athletic shoes.

The redesign of the Ariel is a disaster for me. The newer model is far narrower than previously, and as a result, these shoes wear out for me and lose the motion control effectiveness in a matter of a few weeks rather than months. This is an extremely poor substitute for the Ariel 12, with its somewhat wider toe box. I'm heartbroken, because these shoes were life-changers for me. The arch support was perfect for my extremely flat feet, and the motion control kept my feet from sliding around. The redesign has caused the shoes to wear out much faster, and as a result, to be a very poor value for the money. Re-think your redesign of the Ariel, Brooks. Or at least bring back the '12 as an option. The current version is a vastly inferior product.

Agree with other commenters; snug fit is too tight and makes difficult to get shoe on and toe box is narrower. Order 1/2 size up for sure. Colors and shoe bed feel are nice.

These used to be my favorite walking shoes, not anymore. They are going back, too uncomfortable, very narrow toe box, not as cushioning as the 2012 model. I wore B in the 2012 model (3 pairs), and in reading the reviews I ordered B and D, neither comfortable. Hopefully, Brooks will fix these issues in 2016. otherwise I will not try anymore and look for another brand. Thanks, Zappos, for your excellent service and return policies.