Brooks PureGrit 3 Trail Running Shoes Review

TMS Ambassador Mike Tebbutt is an avid adventure runner and member of the Donner Party Mountain Runners. Follow Mike on Instagram at @irontebby. Mike really puts his gear to the test with his outdoor exploits and the following is a great, inside look at the Brooks PureGrit 3 Trail Running Shoes…

Trail Running Shoes Reviewed: Brooks PureGrit 3
Color: Electric Blue / Greenery / Junebug
Size Reviewed: Men’s Size 10.5

Since this is the first version of this shoe that I have run in, I did a little research on it, to find out that the PureGrit 3 is the result of a major redesign of the PureGrit 2. The changes include a much more aggressive outsole that handles the gnarliest terrain you can find, an added rock plate and toe guard, and they changed the tongue from being semi-gusseted tongue to un-gusseted. They have a 4mm drop and weigh in at 9.9oz.

Outsole
The hexagonal shaped lugs that blanket the sole provide superior traction in all conditions and really excel in the technical and steep terrain. The lugs are also impressively durable; as you can see I have still have plenty of tread left on them after about 310 miles on them. I have worn them for up to a 15 hour day of of steep and technical running and off-trail navigating that would have left other shoes falling off my feet and the PureGrit 3s came back only slightly worse for the wear. The rock plate and toe guard are great additions that provide extra protection.

The Upper
There is a slightly off-centered lace pattern that distributes the pressure comfortably over the top of the foot. The un-gusseted tongue stay in place well, is comfortable and does not pinch at all. The Nav Band is a strap that wraps around the entire upper and provides a snug fit throughout the midfoot and gives the shoe a very responsive and fast feel.

The Midsole
Brooks beefed up the cushioning a little bit with their eco-friendly BioMoGo midsole that helps soften the ride while still allowing you that comfort of being able to feel the trail beneath your feet. BioMoGo is made from a material that will apparently bio-degrade in just 20 years as opposed to the 1000 plus years it takes for many plastic based midsoles.

Overall Impressions
While I am fortunate to have a foot that fits most shoes well and enjoy many different brands and models, I especially like the Brooks PureGrit 3 and plan to stockpile a few pairs as I have heard the new model will again have several major changes. They provide adequate cushioning while still allowing you to feel the trail, great traction with enough rubber on the lugs to last longer than most shoes and great overall comfort and performance. Something that I didn’t notice at first, yet certainly appreciate now, is the lack of rocks and debris that make it into the shoe. And very surprisingly, as they have been through some extremely rocky and scrappy terrain, the uppers on my shoes have only a couple small tears that do not go through to the inside of the shoe. I expect to get 200 more miles out of this shoe before I retire them.

As much as I like this shoe, I ran into to a friend at a race the other day who could not stop singing praises for them and plans to stock up on some extra pairs also before they become unavailable. I suggest you give this shoe a try and do the same!

Come into Tahoe Mountain Sports to try these shoes on for your next Trail Running Adventure or buy them online from one of our partners.