The Brooks Divide 5. All photographs: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

The Brooks Divide 5 ($110) is beginner-friendly, experienced-runner-approved, budget-conscious, gentle path shoe — with the soul of a street shoe, and underfoot safety worthy of trails. It’s straightforward to neglect about on the ft so long as terrain stays comparatively delicate, and your tempo is set extra by your temper than your watch.

The Brooks Divide mannequin has been a staple within the road-to-trail working shoe area of interest for the previous 4 years, however with this fifth iteration, it appears Brooks embraced what the Divide is. A couple of upgrades within the cushioning and higher permit it to totally transfer into the function of a shoe you’ll be able to comfortably run some paved bike path miles in, earlier than connecting to dust roads and fewer technical trails.

The brand new Divide appears like the proper mix of the softer cushioning and adaptability of the Brooks Ghost line from the previous a number of years, combined with the wonderful traction and extra secure platform of the Brooks Cascadia 18 (with out the stiffness and weight.) It’s a uncommon path shoe that doesn’t really feel clunky on pavement, but nonetheless feels balanced on much less technical trails. It doesn’t discriminate between heel and midfoot strikers and, no less than for me, it’s good for simple runs and tempo runs alike.

The Divide 5 has an 8-millimeter drop with an precise weight of 9.9 ounces (282 grams) for a U.S. males’s 9, almost a full ounce lighter than the Cascadia 18. For many who desire a Gore-Tex shoe, the Brooks Divide 5 GTX ($140) can also be out there, although we didn’t take a look at that shoe for this assessment.

Sizing observe: The Divide 5 is per my normal Brooks measurement and on par with what I put on in New Stability, La Sportiva, Asics, and Montrail. It’s a full measurement bigger than what I put on for Salomon.

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Brooks Divide 5 Higher

A lateral view of the Brooks Divide 5.

The higher of the Brooks Divide 5 is a gentle, snag-resistant, breathable mesh that permits for ample air flow however is lined with a easy internal layer to assist maintain sand and particles out and friction low. The impartial final and comparatively roomy toebox make for a really comfy setting for the ft to do their factor by way of the gait cycle. Skinny TPU overlays present a little bit of construction by way of graphics medially and laterally alongside the midfoot and heel. Thicker overlays on prime home the lacing slits that permit for a very snugly locked down midfoot, with out creating any eyelet strain factors alongside the highest of the foot.

The flat, woven laces keep tied higher than some footwear, however a good double knot is essential. The efficient, safe match by way of the midfoot and heel was particularly evident with cambered trails, washes, cross-prairie journey, and after I hit brief sections of extra technical path, I used to be in a position to keep the tempo and turnover I desired with the arrogance that my foot and shoe have been working collectively as most popular.

The well-padded ankle collar and durable heel cup additional enhance the consolation, safety, and confidence when working or mountaineering, and even straight out of the field, I had zero points with scorching spots or break-in creases. On street sections, the padding and easy inside maintain the foot and ankle stress and blister free even because the tempo and repetitive nature of the foot strikes enhance. The rand across the toebox is extra substantial than a street shoe, which is right for the occasional incursion into cement sidewalk lips and path options alike; it additionally helps present appreciated stiffness for shorter, steeper hills when being up on the toes is necessary. Toebox quantity is lofty sufficient that even with the protecting entrance, my toenails stay friction free and pleased.

Fortunately, Brooks hasn’t tried to reinvent the tongue as has been the case with another manufacturers. The usual trying tongue is comparatively low profile however has simply sufficient padding to guard the highest of the foot from locked down laces, but is skinny sufficient not to take in water when a rock-hopping stream crossing will get a bit splashy.

As a part of their dedication to sustainability, Brooks states that the higher is made with nearly 60% recycled supplies. In my 140 miles within the shoe, the consolation, flexibility, and performance of the higher continues to be nearly as good as when new out of the field. I see no put on patterns or creases within the higher and have but to have even one friction level, although I’ve worn them with traction units connected to navigate some latest persistent icy and packed snow sections of street and path. Highway footwear not often maintain as much as traction units properly with out placing odd strain on the toes and ft — the Divide 5, nevertheless, is performing flawlessly.

Brooks Divide 5 Midsole

A medial view of the Brooks Divide 5.

The midsole of the Brooks Divide 5 is the place Brooks appears to have spent most of their improve efforts. The dynamic cushioning is now 4-millimeters thicker and feels softer and extra responsive, due to the DNA Loft v2 midsole compound. The rockplate continues to be current, nevertheless it interacts seamlessly with the EVA and goes unnoticed aside from the safety provided underfoot. The elevated midsole cushioning stack comes at solely a 0.2-ounce enhance in weight, however no less than for me, it’s properly value it for the consolation it brings.

Earlier variations of the Divide have been typically recognized as being too agency or not feeling cushioned sufficient to deal with street miles properly. In my expertise with the Divide 5, after I did find yourself working some miles on the pavement to get to the crushed gravel or smoother singletrack, my legs nonetheless felt good and springy as if I had a correct street shoe on. But on the singletrack, the shoe offers the safety and torsional stiffness wanted to deal with the various angles and occasional chunks with out feeling overbearing. Returning to the pavement to attach again to the automobile, once more, the street shoe resilience and springiness nonetheless shines.

Heel-toe roll by way of is easy and simple and the shoe feels pretty gentle on my ft. I put on a pair different kinds of door-to-trail footwear, and the Divide 5 is the closest to the street shoe expertise out of any of them, whereas not sacrificing gentle path efficiency.

I didn’t take a look at this shoe past 15 miles at a time. It did appear that round that distance is the place the consolation began fading a bit. A part of which may be my physique’s distinct choice for extra elevation change and fewer flat, poundy terrain throughout longer runs, however I feel the midsole of this shoe might be extra of a daily-running-miles shoe relatively than an extremely/long-run shoe. Your expertise might range. I’d want a bit firmer resilience, significantly by way of the arch, to make use of this shoe on longer outings.

Brooks Divide 5 Outsole

The outsole of the Brooks Divide 5.

The Brooks Divide 5 outsole options glorious traction, due to the TrailTrack Inexperienced compound Brooks makes use of all through the underside. Multidirectional 3-millimeter lugs in various chevron and triangular shapes are properly spaced over the whole sole, besides the place useful grooves are carved to each lighten the load and enhance the pliability and torsional mobility by way of the outsole.

This compound works exceptionally properly on moist rocks, roots, dust, and pavement alike, and since the lugs aren’t too outstanding, they don’t stack clay-mud very deep earlier than you’ll be able to fling it off with a well-placed little mid-air kick. The traction additionally offers ample confidence on hilly crushed gravel and sand layers over exhausting dust street, path, pavement, and even on steeper descents.

Fall-winter gives such mercurial climate experiences, that on any given hour you might face a wide range of underfoot circumstances. This outsole makes it simpler to simply maintain working. Whereas the Divide 5 is just not essentially designed for snow, on well-packed snow, there’s simply sufficient grip from the lugs and the outsole compound to maintain slippage to a minimal, and the outsole works very well with a selected traction machine that permit the lugs do their factor with overlying small tooth.

The outsole would possibly simply be the best performing side of the shoe — rising properly above its “station” as a door-to-trail shoe. In case you occurred to take just one pair of footwear on a visit that would come with street and path working and mountaineering, the outsole alone would enable you get away with extra technical terrain in a pinch, though the Divide 5 actually excels on calmer surfaces.

Brooks Divide 5 Total Impressions

A prime view of the Brooks Divide 5.

At solely $110, the Brooks Divide 5 is a formidable choice providing street shoe vibes and path shoe traction in a really safe, comfy bundle. Whether or not you’re a street runner dabbling in trails, or an skilled path runner who connects pavement and dust roads to some gentler singletrack, the Divide 5 will get you the place you have to go with out fanfare or drama.

Presumably one of the best praise I might give this shoe is that once you lace them up and head out, you simply don’t take into consideration them very a lot. There are undoubtedly lighter, quicker, extra technical footwear on the market, however for the day by day miles on mild combined terrain, the Divide 5 is a terrific selection. To this point, I count on I’ll get the standard 350-400 miles out of those, based mostly on the sturdiness and resilience to date. Runner math positively holds up properly then on the cents-per-mile price accounting — they’re a fantastic deal!

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