We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back: The Launch 7 hits that sweet spot between the more cushioned Brooks Ghost and Hyperion racing flat—not too soft or too firm.
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- Brooks’s Launch 7 Is the Cushioned Racing Flat of Your Dreams
Price: $100
Type: Road
Drop: 11mm (M, W)
Weight: 9.8 oz (M), 8.0 oz (W)
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With the exception of a new one-piece, single-layer mesh upper and slightly narrower fit around the saddle, not much has changed with the Launch as it turns lucky number 7. In a world of sock-like uppers with ribbed heel collars, carbon-fiber plates, and air-injected foams, the familiarity of the Launch is both nostalgic and refreshing. A member of Brooks’s speed class, the Launch has a cushier platform compared to its counterparts, the Asteria and Hyperion (not to be confused with the speedier Hyperion Elite). Oftentimes, I recommend the Launch as a lighter option when certain runners lament how even the Ghost is just too much shoe.
Pros
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Cons
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The Launch is an everyday mileage trainer that’s forgiving on the legs with the right amount of plush. Its midsole contains the brand’s proprietary foam, BioMoGo DNA, which molds to your foot shape, providing support and responsiveness on your run. Its “energize” cousins, the Levitate and Bedlam, may deliver impressive rebound, but the Launch can help you dial in when it comes to speed, as well—without the bulk.
Responsive Ride
Our wear testers, who ran hard 10-mile tempos and sprints on the track, found the shoe’s cushioning protected their lower legs, its midsole delivering a light and bouncy ride. According to our shoe lab, energy return was in the upper percentile, categorizing the Launch as “more responsive” compared to the other trainers we’ve tested. It’s both surprising—and yet, unsurprising—that a trainer absent of a propulsion plate or thick, TPU-based foam can still produce some spring and bolster your run. It just so happens my second fastest 6-mile office loop was run in this shoe. The proof is in the pudding—and on Strava.
A Narrower Fit
The 7 is updated with a single-layer mesh upper that’s more lightweight than its predecessor’s. The fit seems narrower around the saddle, yet remains roomie in the toe area. This observation was also made by our testers.
“The width seemed a tinge narrow, at least more narrow than I’m used to, especially in the toe box area and through the midfoot,” said one. “[However], I didn’t feel like my toes were cramped and I didn’t end up with any blisters.”
The 7’s tongue is not as plush, compared to previous Launches. I embraced this new detail, since this style eliminated friction around that area of my foot. Nevertheless, my fondness for the tongue wasn’t shared by every runner.
“The tongue of this shoe needs more padding,” said a tester. “I had to wear thicker running socks when using this shoe because the tongue would not stay in place.”
More Tester Feedback
Ashley S., tester since 2017
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“The Launch 7 is a lightweight, very responsive shoe. I loved the traction that this shoe provides since I tested it on wet road surfaces and gravel rail trails. I felt that this shoe provided enough cushioning to protect my lower legs and feet on long runs, yet was light and bouncy for shorter, tempo runs.”
Doug H., tester since 2012
Arch: Medium | Gait: Neutral | Footstrike: Heel
“There was plenty of cushion in the forefoot and heel areas. This is part of the reason I chose the shoes in the first place. I didn’t have any trouble stepping on rocks and feeling them, and the overall cushion was nice for long runs. It definitely didn’t have a spongy feel—more of a firm cushion feel, and more responsive. I’d probably be okay racing with these at a 5-mile or more distance.”
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
