Brooks Ricochet 3

After testing the first Brooks with the Brooks Ravenna 9 model, we now get another Brooks a little lighter and faster prepared for those runners looking for a mixed model, but radical and especially focused on the competition, and that is how these Brooks Ricochet 3 could be defined in a few words.

Who is the typical user of these Brooks Ricochet 3?

Beginning to place these Brooks in its segment, these running shoes are focused for runners who want to look for a mixed shoe, so they are classified under the brand and everything you can read on the internet. In my opinion I share 100% this statement, because their numbers of 266 grams and 8 mm drop affirm it, however the sensations in race are a little different. In my case where we find a neutral runner of just over 60 kilos, ie an "extreme" case, because there are not many more users with less kilos than me, these Brooks offer me a feeling more of "Racing" or competition than training, of course once tried or tested they will stay for training too, but will be those quality workouts or that day you feel like taking off the typical training shoes, (in my case the latest ASICS GT 2000 9).

In conclusion and what I want to emphasize, is that they are more similar to a racing shoes than a training shoes, because in addition to its lightness and reactivity, it has values that remind me of the New Balance 1500, with that tongue attached to the chassis of the shoe.

I would not recommend these shoes to runners over 80/85 kilos, or those runners who regardless of weight, are looking for a perfect training shoe for their day to day, I think these Brooks Ricochet 3 should be combined with a 100% training or running shoes, as would be in the case of Brooks the perfect Glycerin or Ghost for a slightly lighter runner.

In relation to the tread, the shoes are 100% neutral, with no support at all, as era the case with the Brooks Racer ST5, in my opinion the best shoe I've tried from Brooks.

What is your ideal distance?

Very complicated and subjective question to answer, as this depends on two big factors, (weight plus pace of the runner). If I were a sales person for the brand, or a Brooks product manager, I would say that it is an ideal model for distances of 20km, or the half marathon, if we want to put a distance or race type. As we mentioned in the beginning, it is a shoe with a very racing DNA, with just enough cushioning for long distances, and no support or help in the footprint.

For the faster or lighter runners, those who can run or do their runs at little more than 4 per kilometer, I think it is a very good option for races like the marathon, and a little "heavy" for more explosive races like a 10K. If we talk about time and not so much distance, I think they are shoes that can hold perfect until 75 minutes, or until that time when fatigue begins to reach the legs. The most I've been with them has been 13km or an hour, and I think that if I lengthen the training, I would miss or miss the typical 100% training shoe, as in my case are being the ASICS GT 2000 9, or in the case of Brooks would be the Ghost, or Adrenaline GTS for pronators.

The best vs the worst of the Brooks Ricochet 3

Starting with the most negative side, I think the worst or what I liked the least is their fit. In the rear with that heel ending sock-like heel that has a great fit, but the front upper is in my opinion too tight. It's true that I'm still running with thicker socks than in summer, but these Brooks offer me a feeling of pressure in the toe area which is definitely what I liked the least. I have a fairly thin foot, so I think that for the runner with a much thicker foot there can be quite a bit of discomfort when running.

What I liked the most about these Brooks, are two aspects. On the one hand, that sock-like closure between the tongue and the ankle collar, which although it does not offer a very different feeling when running, it is the small details that often make the difference.

On the other hand, its cushioning in the race is the sensation that I liked the most, the Brooks has a hard and reactive cushioning very focused on speed . You don't notice at any time how the sole sinks into the ground, immediately there is response and in the minimum time the foot is taking off. You don't notice how the foot sinks into the shoe as you do with softer cushioning like adidas Boost. That's why in my opinion the sensations are more focused on competition or high quality training, rather than for running and those days when you usually go out to run without looking at the clock at all.

If we talk under the theory of the brand, the cushioning incorporated in these Brooks are the DNA foams, hard and reactive cushioning perfect for higher or faster paces.

Finally, the outsole has an arrow-shaped design combining two types of inserts or grooves. Especially 3 very wide holes that offer an excellent and very fast transition, we are talking about a racingshoes with extra cushioning.

Where can these Brooks Ricochet 3 shoes be improved?

Little to improve in these Brooks, perfect shoes in cushioning and especially reactivity, but where I think they have a little improvement is on the issue of fit. I think the mesh that Brooks calls Fit Knit, should not be so tight. It is true that with the passage of kilometers, the shoe gives a little bit, but it is so tight that even without fastening the laces to the maximum they offer too much adjustment. Just in the heel area they have a padding that pushes the feet forward a little bit, given the little support they have in the back part due to that sock-like cut, I think this padding is very logical and necessary, but I think it may also be a reason for that extra fit by throwing the runner's foot forward. Perhaps a slightly wider last, or simply another cut that is different from the Fit Knit, I think it would offer an extra comfort to the runner.

What model could be similar to these Brooks?

Some shoes that remind me a lot of these Brooks, which may have been the shoes that have suffered the most in competition, as an example were used in my first Ironman, are the New Balance M1500. I have had for many years the V3 and V4 versions, (I don't know now how the latest versions have evolved). But that tongue attached to the shoe and that racing character, (note that these Brooks are less flying than the New Balance) remind me a lot of these shoes. I think they would be perfect for triathlons as were the V4s, which had the BOA closure. This sock-like fit, and that reactive cushioning are very similar, it's as if these Riochet, were like the New Balance M1500, but with a little more weight, and therefore with a little more cushioning.

Final conclusions about the Brooks Ricochet 3

All in all, this third installment of Brooks Ricochet is a rocket of a shoes. Very valid option for runners who want a racing shoe, but leaving aside the radical options and with the minimum cushioning that often do notreach 200 grams of weight. They are comfortable if we leave aside the issue of excessive fit that I have seen in my case, and especially they are fast and reactive with the necessary cushioning for distances like the half marathon, or the full marathon, in the case of the fastest runners.

RUNNEA tester's personal rating

• Lightweight: 9.
• Responsiveness: 9.
• Cushioning: 8.
• Stability: 6.
• Flexibility: 9.
• Grip: 7