Customer Reviews Brooks Ariel 14

These are horrible! Do not waste your money! These fit nothing like the Ariel from a few years ago. They are cheaply made and heavy. My feet are raw from the stitching on the inside of the right shoe. Bottom line is that these are much different than the earlier version.

Zappos is great! However, I'm very unhappy with Brooks. They took a great shoe and ruined its fit. I have had 4 previous versions of Ariel, always in the same size (7W). I am sending these back because the 7W is very tight across the top of the foot. I thought about ordering 7WW, but I'm so angry with Brooks for ruining my long-standing favorite shoe that I'm going to find another brand.

Brooks, what did you do? This once comfortable shoe is no longer the same shoe. I have been wearing Ariels since the model came out and have always worn a 9.5B. So I read the reviews which I generally take with a grain of salt and just decided to order my regular size. When it arrived yesterday I could barely get my foot into it. For years we have been asking for a variety of colors - this "renew" of the shoe is NOT good. I have re-ordered a full size up and I am hoping that it will work. After all these years I hate to think of changing to a different model of shoe. Note to Brooks: If it's not broke, don't fix it. This felt like a totally different shoe.

This is my 3rd pair of Brook Ariels. My second pair were so much smaller in the toe box so I was thinking I would get a wider size. I don't know who is redesigning these sneakers but I was absolutely disgusted with this shoe. A previous review said the Ariel 14 ran small so I ordered my usual size but in a wide and one size up also in a wide. The look of the shoe is fine but I couldn't even get my feet into either of the sizes. Someone had the BRIGHT design idea of sewing the tongue of the shoe to the sides so when you loosen the laces you cannot pull the tongue up and out. It's like trying to squeeze into a pair of tight slip on shoes. Also the laces are way to short. After a fight,I finally got my foot into the larger size. They still felt snug and no cushioning in the sole at all. I couldn't believe that they were calling them the same Ariel brooks. For a pricey shoe/sneaker they should feel like comfortable slippers. I am returning these and will have to find a new brand.

I had worn an Ariel 12 with no issues. I ordered the Ariel 14, thinking it would be a similar shoe. I was wrong. I could not even fit my foot into this shoe. The tongue is now tacked down, so you cannot move the tongue up to get your foot into the shoe. Also it is clearly much narrower now than the 12. I am very disappointed that these shoes keep getting narrower and claim that they are the same size. There are many people, like me, who have a wider foot and it is getting very difficult to find shoes that fit.

I have worn the Brooks Ariel for many years and used to love this shoe because of the wonderful support. Like many of the other reviewers, I was very disappointed with the changes made with the Ariel 14. I ordered my usual size of 8½ medium. (I normally wear a size 8 in a regular shoe.) However, the 8½ was too short and when I compared this new shoe against my previous Ariel I discovered it was ½" too short. So I exchanged it for a size 9 medium. This one is too long but I decided to keep it and just wear a thicker sock. But overall, I am disappointed with the changes to the Ariel and will be looking for another brand.

Brooks has changed the Ariel in the last few months, I bought a blue extra wide in July and it was perfect, I bought and returned three this month because they are all too narrow and shallow. I tried switching colors, I even tried a half size up. Brooks changed these shoes or manufacturers - someone is doing something wrong.

I bought a pair of extra wide Ariel 14's in July from Zappos they are perfect in width and depth. I have tried ordered the same sneaker 3 times this month and they are all shallow and narrower Brooks changed these. I even tried a half size bigger lengthwise - still narrow and shallow.

Runs small. I'm a wide, even getting it in wide it was too narrow. Moving to a size bigger and getting it wide to see difference. Did wear for one day to give it a feel. Plantar fasciitis acted up all night. Didn't get any sleep. Might need more time to break things in with the bigger size. Nice style.

I was hoping that other reviewers' reports that the 2014 redesign of this shoe had made the toe box unwearably narrow would prove to be exaggerated. Alas, they were absolutely right. I have worn the Brooks Ariel for years, but I can barely squeeze my feet into this new version. Now I'm desperately seeking a new brand of walking shoes. Suggestions, anyone?

I got this shoe because I love Brooks and thought this would be as good as the rest. But to my disappointment they are not. The tongue of the shoe is sewn in and makes it hard to get my foot in. So I thought I would just cut the tongue free and that would help. It did but then I realized that the space between the lacing is wider so I do not have enough lacing to lace up the shoe even with a 54 inch lacing. I have not problem with my other Brooks which I love but very disappointed with this design. And, yes, I have wide feet; that's why I got the Wide size. Really disappointed.

I highly recommend these sneakers but if you have had my experience with finding the right size and width for you be patient and keep on determining your fit. I normally take a 8.5 W in new balance but haven't been happy with their support. I bought a Brooks Ariel in size 9 and Double E which surprised me (yes, I originally had 8.5 w; 9 w). So from my experience I'm glad I stuck in there to determine my correct fit. I had an ice skating injury about 10 years ago, and these are the best in terms of support (I don't feel my arthritis when I wear them!). In addition, the $450.00 full length orthotics that I bought, I don't use. I think many of us with problem feet might start challenging podiatrists who tell us we need orthotics. (It is amazing to me that many podiatrists have a disconnect/ignorance with sneaker knowledge.) I never could find comfort in any sneaker wearing these orthotics. So reverse logic is this: good sneakers take the place of super expensive orthotics for many of us. Could many podiatrists out there not be sharing this?

I've worn Ariels for ten years. I won't be buying another pair. The back of the shoe comes up higher on the ankle, and makes blisters. They don't lace up the same. I've never had to break in a pair of Ariels before. Not going to now either.

Unfortunately when a good thing gets "updated" sometimes it loses what made it good. I wore out my Ariel 12's and can no longer find them. While the Ariel 14's are well made, they have lost the space in the toe area and are too snug all around. Using a wider width doesn't help as the heel is then too large and they slip. The heel isn't nearly as well cushioned and after testing them out for only two days, my heels are painful, the sides of my feet are burning and my knees hurt. So very disappointed.

I have been wearing Brooks shoes for years. This is the first time I've had a problem. The size 8 that I got is a full size larger and I have to return it. It's surprising after reading some of the other reviews where customers rated the shoe size as small. I can't evaluate the width of the shoe.

I'm with the 56% that think this feels significantly more narrow than labeled. I've worn Brooks for years and this is the first time I could not even get my foot into the shoe! The other Brooks shoes that I purchased along with this model fit fine, but I'm happy that Zappos has such a consumer friendly return policy.

Didn't like the Brooks Ariel 14. Tried the shoes in my regular size. Shoes were too short. Didn't like the new design feature of attaching the tongue to the sides of the shoe as it doesn't allow people with thick instep/high arches to open the shoe far enough to put it on. Tried half a size bigger - the length was now a little too long. Because the longer shoes fit poorly, there wasn't enough arch support. Did not like the tongue being attached to the shoe at all. Returned both pair and will look for something else.