Shoe Review: Brooks PureGrit 3 – Third Time Lucky

I was looking for a shoe to wear for the West Highland Way race in June; the PureGrit2 had brought me success at the 53 mile Highland Fling (the first “half” of the WHW) the previous year, but I wasn’t confident that it could protect my feet for the full 95 miles.  While I am used to the low profile (4mm heel to toe drop) and minimalist feel of the PureGrit, the thought of crossing the expansive Lharig Mhor, over 80 miles into the race, with its carpet of rocks, caused me some concern about what state my feet would be in at the end.

The new, definitely improved, PureGrit 3

And then up popped news of the PureGrit 3, with its new rock plate, added toe protection and improved traction – just the added improvements I had been looking for.  I was lucky enough through the generosity of Adrian Stott at Run & Become in Edinburgh to get hold of a pair of the shoes in time for the race, as they weren’t due to be released in the shops until a month later. I’d finally found my race shoe, and one that I was confident would get me round with no issues.

Other reviews of the PureGrit 3 have described the shoe as "beefier", "grittier" and "rugged" - words which sum the shoe up nicely.  The new Brooks PureGrit 3 raises the bar of the PureGrit family, establishing it firmly as a “proper” trail shoe.  Much as I love the PureGrit2, which up until now has been my shoe of choice for training and racing on trails (the PureFlow3 being my preferred choice of road shoe), the PureGrit 3 exposes the flaws of its predecessor, raising it up to join the ranks of the big boy trail shoes.

Improved hexagonal lugs for maximum traction

The PureGrit 3 has a chunkier, more rugged appearance than the slipper-light fit and feel of the PureGrit2.  The biggest improvement for me however, is the more aggressive lug pattern of the outsole – it appears to be third time lucky for Brooks who have finally produced a PureGrit with reliable traction.

80+ miles into the West Highland Way Race - feet still happy :)

The new shoe also feels sturdier, with added toe protection and a built in rock plate.  Perfect for the more technical sections of the West Highland Way and added protection from the cobbles of Rannoch Moor and the rubbly expanse of the Lhairig Mhor.  I had time for a couple of runs to try out the shoe before the race.  Sizing wise, no change from the previous models, a mens UK8.5 fitted perfectly (I have big feet for a girl...), good enough to run in straight from the box.  First impressions were that it felt slightly more padded than the previous model.  Its appearance (but not its feel) reminds me more of the Brooks Cascadia, and it definitely felt more robust than the PureGrit2.  My first test run was in the Kilpatrick hills, just outside Glasgow.  I found the shoes to have much better grip, with the more aggressive lug patterns being a noticeable improvement and providing better traction on the grassy downhills sections.  Running through some of the boggier patches however, I noticed that the shoes don’t seem to drain quite as well as the older model; perhaps down to a slight increase in cushioning.  Not really too much of an issue though, it’s more of a “squelch” factor as opposed to the shoes actually filling up with water.

In terms of appearance, I do miss the split toe design and the burrito wrap tongue of the older model, but that’s just an aesthetics thing and doesn’t affect the feel of the shoe in a negative way.  The toe box still feels roomy and the reversion back to traditional tongue design makes the shoe more accessible to a wider range of users.

So, how did the shoes perform for me?  95 miles of West Highland Way trail and the shoes felt great from the start.  The improved traction gave me the confidence to fly down some of the steeper segments such as Conic Hill and the other side of the Devil; the added toe protection and rock plate meant I could cover Rannoch Moor and the Lhairig Mhor with no complaints of bashed toes.  I finished the race blister-free, with a new PB and podium finish!

The verdict: happy feet! 

The geeky bits:

Main differences vs PureGrit 2:

Forefoot rockplate

Toe guard

Traditional tongue (vs burrito wrap design)

New outsole with a more aggressive lug pattern

Stats:

Heel to toe cushioning: 14mm – 10mm

4mm heel to toe drop

Weight: Size 8.5 mens ~10oz (when weighing my post-soggy run on kitchen scales..!)

(Lots and lots of) Thank you(s) to: Adrian Stott at Run & Become and Eric Muir at Brooks for getting hold of the PureGrit 3's for me before they even hit the shops!
And obviously my fabulous, fabulous crew who supported me during the WHW race - Debbie Martin-Consani and Sharon Law, and of course, my Dad, Charlie :)