Customer Reviews Brooks Beast '16

My old pair of Brooks Beast is totally worn out. I bought a new pair, same size, same width, and they are really bad and hurt my feet. I tried inserting orthotic soles, but that didn't help much. So I am returning them.

Ive been purchasing the Beast for many years and the 16 is too small. Both width and length are small. Still have a pair of the 14 model....

This would be my 4th. pair of Brooks Beast but this time the sizing is not accurate. Normally order a size 11 but this pair is jammed up against my toes. Returning for the next size up. You may find the need to up a size as well.

The BEAST just isn't what it used to be. I owned these for about 3 weeks before I returned them. Before you read my review, I just saw that Brooks has created what looks like the original BEAST. Unfortunately they are not selling it in wide sizes, but for those looking for the way way back version they are doing something called the Heritage Collection and the shoe name is called "BEAST 1". At least some of you will be able to get their beloved BEAST's back. ******* I have written BROOKS on several occasions about how much my once loved shoe is now my biggest disappointment. Like many, I purchased the BEAST starting a decade ago because it was the most supportive shoe on the market that also held up to my weight. I am fat but I am active. Over the years, I have used the BEAST on everything from racquetball to hiking to mud runs to just getting around and it took the punishment without flinching. It was the first shoe that I could put 500 miles on. In fact, I would usually crush through anything else I bought within a month or less so that is really saying something. Needless to say, BEAST was everything I ever wanted and more. But ten years and many changes later, I found them getting narrower, tread wearing out faster, holes at the toes, and the eyelets ripping out after half a year. So, I decided that this year was going to be my last go with the BEAST if there were anymore issues. Well .... I had issues. 1. The eyelets didn't line up well towards the top and that meant two separate rows actually crossed back over each other making it a bit awkward to pull tight before tying. Those oddly placed eyelets also created a situation that made the tongue bulge in the middle. And also all that made the tongue slide to the side over and over again. Very uncomfortable! 2. I ordered my regular BEAST size and it was distinctly narrow from usual. My foot actually kept overlapping the outside edge of the shoe and it painfully rubbed with every step. Very uncomfortable! 3. Not only was I going outside the sole, but the actual toe box was tighter as well. My toes rubbed and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed. Try enjoying that sensation on a 6-7 mile hike. Very uncomfortable! 4. The best for last. I was walking down a steep dirt path and from out of nowhere my right shoe just looses all grip and flies out from under me and I hit the ground hard. What happened you say? I nice sized section of tread had actually come unglued from the shoe. I imagine that the tread quick release was not an intended feature. Very much more than uncomfortable! So, I now bid farewell to the shoe I once thought of as perfect.

This is my 4th pair of beasts. In 2017 they changed the shoe design. These shoes feel lighter and possibly have a little more cushion. But... They changed the material used for the soles of the shoes. This may be why the shoes are lighter, but, this material does not stand up to heavy use. I'm a 6-2, 230 pound guy and I'm running about 8-9 miles a week. I do not believe these shoes are going to last three months!! I've had them for two months and the heel tread is smooth and thinning such that by the time I hit three months, it will be entirely gone! Brooks is using the same tread I had on my last couple pairs of Saucony running shoes. What do you know, Beast's lifespan is now comparable to my Saucony shoes. Problem is, I'm paying 50 dollars more for Brooks Beast. The reason I liked Beasts is because they could take the wear and tear of a heavier runner and last for four months. Also, when my OLDER Beasts were no longer good for running, I could still wear them as casual shoes for years. With the 2017 Beasts the tread will be gone and they will go into the trash. Seriously, tread completely gone, but only on the heels where my feet land when running. So I guess I'm going to look at New Balance again. Very disappointing with Brooks. They put out a shoe designed for heavier active people, then crippled them by putting on soles that wear out too quickly.

The most expensive, and also worst shoes I've ever bought. I usually don't spend more than $60-80 on shoes, but when my doctor realized that my plantar fasciitis was partially due to overpronation, he recommended shoes with higher arches. The guys at the local shoe store said the Brooks Beast was great for that, so I spent the extra money. I have to admit, while the arch support wasn't mind blowing, it was better than most shoes, and it did start to alleviate some foot and leg pain for me. The shoes were quite comfortable overall, at first. However, the build quality is another story. While my $60-80 shoes from other companies normally last a year or more, these much more expensive shoes started literally falling apart in about a month. The soles started to come loose, threads started fraying, and the mesh areas on the sides started tearing out. I wasn't even doing anything abusive to these shoes, only wearing them to work in a clean, office-like setting where I walked a moderate amount. By the end of the second month, they looked absolutely terrible, and were making squeaking noises when I walked. Also, that arch support that I loved had almost completely flattened out, and the insoles were hard and uncomfortable. At that point I stored them in the closet, and bought another "cheap" pair of sneakers, that have lasted much longer despite a new job that exposes them to harsher conditions. I definitely won't be buying Brooks shoes again.

This is an update to a recent review. Ordered a size larger than usual based on other reviews, but these were much too big. Returned and got my normal size - and they are indeed, very uncomfortable. Having worn Beast '14s for the past few years, I was expecting a similar feel, comfort and stability, but these shoes are just off. As others have said, they are too snug on the sides, and there are over-pronation issues. These Beast '16s are going back, and I'm going back to my Beast '14s.

I love Zappos and I especially love the free delivery. What I don't like is that Brooks Beasts have progressively gotten worse with each passing year. I have purchased 6 pairs of Brooks and still have shoes from 2009 which I wear when doing yard work. The prices have steadily climbed while quality has declined; the material of construction in 2016 isn't what one one expect for the price. Come on Zappos, are you really going to sacrifice long term customers over higher profits from 2nd rate suppliers? I wish I could buy Brooks Beasts that were made in 2009.

Fits true to size on length but is wider than the Brooks '14, which is my last Beast. I've been wearing the Beast shoes since the Beast '11. Overall this is a disappointment and step back from the Beast '14 and older models. You're better off buying an older model and passing on this '16 model.

I've had at least 1 pair of these previous to the pair on my feet right now. This pair is now just shy of 3 months old. These are now starting to hurt my feet from typical "BREAKDOWN"...usually around the 9 month mark for me. Just called Zappos and informed them of this and asked about the Brooks warranty...he immiediately said he'd have another one on the way and to throw these away when I get the new pair. Weird how these broke down so fast compared to the other pair or pairs I've had. Kudos to zappos customer service on these though... Hopefully I just got a defective pair and the new ones will be ok...but who knows.

My husband is returning these shoes because of the extreme change in the appearance. They look more like orthopedic shoes than athletic now.

Do not like it that the sizes shrink from year to year. Especially when you do not make them larger. Now one must continue to order, try them on and them ship them back when they don't fit. Recommend establishing a sizing process that checks manufactured shoes against a standard to eliminate the guesswork.

Not a good shoe. No cushioning. Felt too narrow and a really strange fit. Brooks dropped the ball on these. I"m waiting for the Beast 18. Hopefully they will be more like the Beast 14 which was a great shoe.

Probably the worst model of the beast, it felt terrible no support and a size to small.

terrible shoes. the beast 14 and earlier were great and they totally screwed up this design. One 5 mile walk in these caused my feet to bleed and so I couldn't return them and gave them away to the red cross.

This is the second pair of brooks beasts that I have bought. I wear 11 d and I purchase 12.5 EEEE They fir perfectly, The style is great and the arch support is excellent!!!!!!

Once again, manufacturers and designers tinker with designs that have proven to work only to mess up their latest and greatest iteration. Take the Beast 16 and add it to that category. Brooks strayed away from having a sock-liner, tongue-attached design and went back to a free-floating tongue. As a runner that experiences tongue riding (when the tongue slides from side to side), this is more than annoying. It impacts the quality of my performance. The Beast 14's tongue was attached via sock-liner and was a much more superior product. Sad thing is now that we have to wait another two years to see if Brooks addresses this issue.

Left shoe fits, right show is about a inch too short. I always buy this sky, but every year Brooks tweaks it. Unless it's an error, this might the last time I buy the Brooks Beast! Get it right people.