Brooks Revel Max Review | A Solid Daily Trainer With Few Surprises

The Brooks Revel Max is a supportive, cushioned shoe that is fairly light, making it versatile and appealing.

While it could work for many runners, there’s not much that stands out about it. In a world with so many unique shoes on the market, it’s hard to see what makes this one special.

When I saw “Revel Max,” I immediately thought it would feel like the Ghost Max or Glycerin Max. That was not the case, despite a high stack height. The cushioning is much less noticeable, which may be a good thing for some runners depending on your preference, because it offers a lighter and sleeker feel.

This shoe would work well for anyone looking for a light but somewhat supportive shoe for everyday miles or some long runs.

Brooks Revel Max Overview

The Revel Max is a comfortable shoe that works well for daily runs, especially for someone just looking to get in miles without a set pace. It’s cushioned, somewhat rigid, and has a soft upper. 

The shoe felt lighter than I expected, but wasn’t particularly responsive. It’s not something I would pull out for anything other than an easy run. It gets the job done, but there isn’t really anything that stands out about it.

I ran in a pair of regular Revels a few years ago, and these don’t feel drastically different, other than feeling a little more cushioning beneath your foot.

The shoe colors are not very exciting, but if you want something basic, you can go with different variations of white, black, or gray, each with some different accent colors.

Brooks Revel Max Fit

Length: True to size
Width: Standard
Toe Box: Adequate room
Arch: Neutral
Volume: Standard

The Revel Max has a standard fit, and sizing is similar to most other Brooks shoes. I had enough room in the toe box, but they don’t offer these in a wide fit for those who need it.

The tongue fell easily into place with no issues, and the laces are a good length. There is some nice padding around the heel, and my foot stayed in place nicely throughout my runs.

It has a similar fit to other Brooks shoes, so stick with the same size you would wear in others such as the Ghosts or Adrenalines.

Brooks Revel Max Feel

Despite these being a high-stack shoe with quite a bit of cushioning, I didn’t feel it as much as I expected. DNA LOFT v2 foam was used, so I may be used to more advanced foam in some of the newer shoes. 

There is a 6mm heel drop, which is the sweet spot for me personally, and I felt like that worked well in this shoe.

The sole has a rigid feel, but the shoe moves well in motion. It has a durable rubber outsole for traction and smooth transitions. I would expect to get plenty of miles out of these shoes.

I used these both outdoors and on the treadmill, and they worked well for both. I usually feel like I need less cushioning on the treadmill, so the fact that these didn’t feel squishy or too plush was good.

The shoe reminds me more of the regular Ghost than the Ghost Max, with enough cushioning to feel soft and comfortable but not so much that you feel like you are high above the ground.

Compared to the regular Brooks Revel, I don’t notice a huge difference even with the higher stack height.

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