Customer Reviews Brooks Beast '20

I hate shoes with white trim and soles. I love my old beast but my wife ordered these and never again.

Disappointed in the Beast 20. The wider toe box too loose less support than the Beast 18. the flat laces are a struggle verses the round ones when racing triathlons. I've had at least 20 pairs over 15 years . Sadly the Beast 20 is a downgrade. Every serious runner knows

I have been wearing Brooks Beast since they came out and this is the most flimsy, weak pair i have ever had, I went on line to see if there was a sturdier version but i cant fine one so...not sure what to do next. They do fit and so far are wearing well but they are not what i expected.

What a disappointment with the 20. My son and I both wear the Beast and have been for years. I often buy upwards of 8 pair per year. I was always able to justify the price because previous models offered the necessary support we both needed. We both have issues with our feet and have only found true comfort in the models prior to the 20. My plantar fasciitis is beginning to return with the 20. I scoured the internet and have been unsuccessfull in my search of the 18 in my size. I am truly at a loss with this new design. I am hopeful they discard this design and go back to a design that actually worked for what this shoe is marketed. I am truly appreciative of the great years my son and I both had with comfortable BEAST shoes however I must now begin a quest to find another shoe that provides better comfort.

I'm just not sold on the new design and color. They are so light, mentally it takes away my trust in the support they have always given in the past. Who's idea was it to put a white sole on a black shoe? Terrible idea, I want dark shoes, not dark with a bright sole!

If you are looking for the same reliable shoe I?m afraid to inform you it is no longer here. I have worn beast for 7-8 years. Owning 10-15 pairs. After trying two pairs of the ?20 over the last 9 months I can definitely say the ?20 do not hold up to the quality and expectations I have come to rely on with the Beast model. I am now in search of a replacement.

I like Beast. Period. Way more than my Adrenalins. The support in them has helped me in my posture and has been better for my back than for my knees. I've been wearing beast for over 15 years and I have always appreciated the way the shoe has evolved in these many years, not only in looks but also in the features but most importantly it became an environmentally responsible shoe. However, in this rut of evolving the features of the shoe, unfortunately the company compromised on the quality of the material used. My last shoe was Beast 18 which wore off in 5 months of normal walking. I was travelling to Dubai and while running for the metro, the mesh ripped and my foot came through the front! How embarrassing was that! Given that I only wear the beast, it was a herculean task to find a shoe store that carried brooks in Dubai. There was none! Well, luckily someone guided me to a discount shoe store and I found a previous generation of the beast, beast 14. Boy! Was I happy!! Again, unfortunately the insole of that shoe has a big hole and the sides of the mesh is getting ripped. I am so so disappointed. So, I am sorry to say, dear beast we had a good run but unfortunately our love has run its course. :(

Shoe hurts my toes, this is my second pair ,first did not hurt ,same size Not happy.

I don't like the white sole - I'll wait for the next version hope it looks better. Still have a few hundred miles to go on my '16 pair.

The shoes squeak! I thought it would be temporary. But they still squeak!!

I have been wearing the Beast for many years as it was always marketed/designed as Brook's most supportive and sturdy shoe for stability, arch support, over pronation, etc. Until now, the Beast has lived up to the promise. The new version 20 is a big disappointment. Brooks seems to have gone the way of many manufacturers who can't decide whether to make truly supportive and healthy footwear or sell out to the house shoe trend; form over function. The immediate differences in the 20 is the lack of arch support, stability/foot guidance, and the material is so soft and stretchy thin that if the other qualities did exist it wouldn't matter because the foot would slide around and be out of place. The inadequacies cause stress on the foot and I would not trust it for any length of mild walking or otherwise. In previous versions your foot was cradled and supported properly; you could run, step or hike with confidence and no pain or stress. Brook's shoes, materials and craftsmanship stood above other manufacturers before now; I hope they will reconsider bringing back at least the same qualities that existed in Beast 18.

I've been wearing Brooks Beast exclusively for over 10 years. Except for one bad re-design, I think was in 2014(?), I've always loved them. I never even considered any other shoe. But in the 2018 version, the material on top of the toe box seemed to get thinner and for the first time I had my toe go through one pair. And I can see in the second pair where the same thing is only a matter of a little more time. Both of these pairs were purchased new in 2019. Unfortunately, the 2020 version is even worse. They do not seem as comfortable and supportive as past ones. The worst part is the toe box has shrunk. Instead of buying a second pair, I've gone back to mixing in one of my old pairs of the 2018's. The one pair that my toe hasn't completely come through yet, until I can find another brand. Very disappointing. I understand you're trying to make them lighter, but compromising quality and fit is not the answer. I guess we had a good run together. Good bye and good luck.

I have been wearing the Beast for many years as it was always marketed/designed as Brook?s most supportive and sturdy shoe for stability, arch support, over pronation, etc. Until now, the Beast has lived up to the promise. The new version 20 is a big disappointment. Brooks seems to have gone the way of many manufacturers who can?t decide whether to make truly supportive and healthy footwear or sell out to the house shoe trend; form over function. The immediate differences in the 20 is the lack of arch support, stability/foot guidance, and the material is so soft and stretchy thin that if the other qualities did exist it wouldn?t matter because the foot would slide around and be out of place. The inadequacies cause stress on the foot and I would not trust it for any length of mild walking or otherwise. In previous versions your foot was cradled and supported properly; you could run, step or hike with confidence and no pain or stress. Brook?s shoes, materials and craftsmanship stood above other manufacturers before now; I hope they will reconsider bringing back at least the same qualities that existed in Beast 18.

Brooks Beast Runner for over 25 years. I've put 50 miles on the new 2020 and struggle with the fit, feel, support, and trying to rationalize the performance. For a quick Con/Pro here then a more detailed subjective analysis below. CONS: 1, Mesh is super lose on top of foot allowing feet to slide between rails on slopes causing skin irritation on bottom of my right big toe area. 2, the laces are longer than needed, feel light in construction. 3, Feels like all the support has gone away. The arch support from older models are gone and the rails do nothing to make-up for the difference. I've had planter fasciitis in the past and my left foot feels painful like cramps during a portion of each run. 4. I run size 8.5 and an 8 if shoe is on sale. The Brooks site said the run big so I got my usual 8.5. The fit seems HUGE with the mesh because there is no support over the entire foot with even pressure. To compensate, I tighten the laces and it causes uneven pressure distribution over the foot. 6. Price, seriously too much for a shoe that may not last as long and is completely different. (Side note: I'm broke, I usually buy older models to save money but I'm 56 years old and run a pace of 7:30 miles while training. I've always suffered injuries when switching away from the Beast and use a "NEUTRAL" model (Shin splints, planters, knee, hamstring). The BROOKS buying guide and RunnersWorld examination all say I need a Neutral shoe but I have found with the Beast I never get these injuries. That being said, because of the change in the 2020 I was excited to try another brand but wanted to give Brooks Beast a chance. Pros: 1. The weight and materials are lighter, may not last as long, but breath more, and feel better on longer runs (8 miles+). 2. Reputation of having the Beast be the most prescribed shoe by doctors for those that have feet/leg pain. 3. Ummm.... Hopefully after the additional 30 miles I put on this week I may find one more. In Summary, I hate the change, maybe they should have renamed it and kept the original arch and foot supporting system. Is it possible that having my foot feel like it flops around the inside be a good thing for long distance running? Hard to say, is my left foot pain happening because it's adjusting and it will get better? Should it feel like I'm standing between two rolled up socks on each side of my foot with uneven support pressure from the upper? So confusing.... I may need to buy five pairs of the 2018 to last for the rest of my running carrier or I may get lucky and find a better alternative from another brand....

even going from size 15 which is normal and have worn the Beast since the late 90s because they were great shoes and originally fairly priced. Now they have tripled in price, and the 20 is horrible compared to the 18 series. I walk up to 10 miles in 5 hours at work, Just tried the 20 series and took a nice walk about 2.5 miles and started feeling tension in my heel, the toe room vertically for the big toes was very shallow. After I got home and sat for a few minuets my arch still hurts. I was thinking that with it being a full size larger then normal that there would be greater toe toe space but it really didnt seem like much. Having size 15 4E sucks and also a heavy person. Also having to replace shoes every 3 months has gotten really expensive. Let me know where I can get 18's and I will probably be a happy camper again??????????

I've been in the Brooks running shoes since the mid 90's and this latest version of the Beast may force me to look elsewhere. When I turned 50 I needed more support for my feet, knees and hips and I moved from the GTS to the Beast about nine years ago. As we all have learned in buying running shoes almost every year will bring a new update, style or some sort of change. This new version has a much lighter weight, more cushion and less stability. I have now put on just over a 100 miles on my 20 version and it has put much more stress on my feet, knees and hips and even in my lower back. I'm 5'11 and 185 lbs. and I need the stability to help with the kinetic feedback that comes from running on the pavement and come up from my shoes into this 59 year old body, that runs about 8:45 to 9:00 pace a mile. I Just went online and ordered a pair of Beast 18 from Holabird Sports. If you have any suggestion's, I would welcome the input. I need the stability of a 13 to 15 ounce shoe, without all the cushion.

The ball of my feet gets sore during the day it needs more padding under the front of my feet.

This was my 12th pair of beasts, and I feel disappointed enough in them that I just returned them. Sizing runs smaller than past beasts, in width and height of the uppers. Hoping as some others that Brooks goes back to fit and design of older models, and maybe some better color choices.

Looks good but honestly should have kept the old design I?m a bigger guy and these soles where to soft and allowed to much flex and didn?t look near the quality as previous years!! I was really disappointed and that is why I have since returned them! Please go back to the old style or make some durable shoes for big guys again please!

Have owned 4 pairs of Brooks. Newest styles are cheap junk. I doubt if I'll ever buy again. Really disappointed