Facts
Road
Shoes best for road, track and light gravel. See the best road shoes.
Trail
Shoes best for trail, off road, mountains and other unstable surfaces. See the best trail shoes.
Good to know
As long as you stick to the road or path, and if you want just one running shoe, buy a road running shoe.
Neutral / cushion / high arch
Shoes for runners who do not need any additional arch support (Around 50% of runners). Best for people with high or medium high arches. See the best neutral shoes.
Stability / overpronation / normal arch
Shoes for runners who need arch support (Around 45% of runners). Best for runners with a normal arch. See the best stability shoes.
Motion control / severe overpronation / flat feet
Shoes for runners who needs a lot of arch support. Best for runners with flat feet. See the best motion control shoes.
Good to know
- Rule of thumb: If in doubt, buy neutral shoes to avoid injuries.
- More about arch support in this video.
- Find your arch type by following steps from this video.
Daily running
Cushioned shoes for your daily easy running. Great comfort. See best shoes for daily running.
Competition
Lightweight shoes good for races, interval training, tempo runs and fartlek. Here are the best competition running shoes.
Good to know
If you want just one pair of shoes, buy a shoe for daily running.
The height difference from the heel to the forefoot, also known as heel drop, toe spring, heel to toe spring or simply drop.
There are many opinions about what a good heel drop is. We do not recommend any in particular. Lean more in this video.
Road
Shoes best for road, track and light gravel. See the best road shoes.
Trail
Shoes best for trail, off road, mountains and other unstable surfaces. See the best trail shoes.
Good to know
As long as you stick to the road or path, and if you want just one running shoe, buy a road running shoe.
Neutral / cushion / high arch
Shoes for runners who does not need any additional arch support (Around 50% of runners). Best for people with high or medium high arches. See the best neutral shoes.
Stability / overpronation / normal arch
Shoes for runners who needs arch support (Around 45% of runners). Best for runners with a normal arch. See the best stability shoes.
Motion control / severe overproanation / flat feet
Shoes for runners who needs a lot of arch support. Best for runners with flat feet. See the best motion control shoes.
Good to know
- Rule of thumb: If in doubt, buy neutral shoes to avoid injuries.
- More about arch support in this video.
- Find your arch type by following steps from this video.
Daily running
Cushioned shoes for your daily easy running. Great comfort. See best shoes for daily running.
Competition
Lightweight shoes good for races, interval training, tempo runs and fartlek. Here are the best competition running shoes.
Good to know
If you want just one pair of shoes, buy a shoe for daily running.
The height difference from the heel to the forefoot, also known as heel drop, toe spring, heel to toe spring or simply drop.
There are many opinions about what a good heel drop is. We do not recommend any in particular. Lean more in this video.
Summary
We spent 6.9 hours reading reviews from experts and users. In summary, this is what runners think:
13 reasons to buy
- The Mazama is incredibly comfortable, according to most of the reviews.
- It is quite light for a trail shoe.
- Several runners felt the need to go fast in this shoe.
- It has decent cushioning for long runs, based on a handful of comments.
- The Mazama looks really nice, as noted by some runners.
- A number of runners loved the stable ride in this shoe.
- Breathability is excellent, as mentioned in a few reviews.
- The superb traction gathered praises from almost all of the reviews.
- More than a few runners valued the Propulsion Plate as it gives the shoe a snappy ride while it also protects the foot from the rugged terrain or sharp objects along the trail.
- It’s a trail shoe that some runners have used for road running without any issues.
- A handful mentioned that the midfoot fit is quite snug in a good way that it prevents the foot from moving forward when running fast downhill on technical or grassy terrain.
- The responsiveness is appreciated by more than a handful of runners.
- It offers superb ground feedback without doing away with necessary protection, as reported by several wear testers.
2 reasons not to buy
- It is expensive.
- A handful of runners observed that the shoe is a bit long.
Bottom line
The Mazama is a new trail shoe that Brooks offers to those who desire speed and stability in a lightweight package. While it does not have the most aggressive outsole, the traction shines on rocks, loose terrain, sand, and grass. Moreover, the grip continues to amaze in wet conditions. This is an excellent option for almost all types of distance during training or race day.
Rankings
Popularity
Ratings
My Rating
Expert Reviews
Experts are running shoe geeks, who post reviews at youtube, directly at RunRepeat or at their own websites. Each expert is categorized from level 1 to level 5 based on expertise. See stats on expert reviews and how we calculate scores here.
Are you an expert? Apply to contribute here.
87 / 100 based on 23 expert reviews
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75 / 100 by TheGingerRunner • Ethan Newberry • Level 5 expert
I was pleasantly surprised by the Brooks Mazama. This thing is a speedy little beast ready for some gnarly technical, fast trail running. Built with speed in mind, the responsive and fairly reduced midsole is great at propelling you up or down a mountain with relative ease.
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82 / 100 by Mayayo Oxigeno • Mayayo Oxigeno • Level 2 expert
It provides stability and guide on uneven terrain.
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96 / 100 by Road Trail Run • Jeff Valliere • Level 5 expert
The Brooks Mazama is a serious speed demon and screams to go fast. These are geared for racing on just about any terrain, at almost any distance, as they are light, stable, comfortable, well cushioned/protected, have great traction and unprecedented response at toe off.
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80 / 100 by Runner's World • Runner's World • Level 5 expert
Snug and stiff is how wear-testers described the new Mazama. That may not sound like something you want from your dirt-dancing partner, but it works well at full-tilt.
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100 / 100 by Active Gear Review • Kevin Fonger • Level 4 expert
While many minimalist shoes tend to skimp on the structural integrity of the shoe and primarily focus on weight, the Brooks Mazama has created the perfect blend of light weight and a shoe that you actually want to wear.
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95 / 100 by Triathlete • Brian Metzler • Level 4 expert
It’s a stable-riding shoe that serves up amazing proprioceptive “feel” for the trail while still having enough foam and protection (including a forefoot plate) against roots, rocks and other obstacles. It’s light and agile, yet it’s willing to be a true mountain mauler in short doses.
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80 / 100 by iRunFar • Bryon Powell • Level 4 expert
The Brooks Mazama looks to be a slicker, faster cousin of the famed Cascadia. Weighing in at 9.3 ounces with a 6mm drop, the stats definitely suggest such. So does the forefoot propulsion plate and some front-to-back rigidity (though maintaining torsional flexibility).
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100 / 100 by Running Shoes Guru • Henry Howard • Level 3 expert
It feels light like a road shoe but the sole allows the runner to quickly navigate through dirt, water, sand, rocks and other trail hazards.
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91 / 100 by Running Northwest • Running Northwest • Level 3 expert
Having spent several very intimate weeks with the Mazama in the mountains of Japan, I can safely say this is definitely my favorite Brooks trail shoe (sorry Cascadia). It’s lighter at only 9.3oz, has a 6mm offset, features a double layer of mess in the upper (which can be a little inflexible), and finishes with a sole that is sticky and has decently grippy bi-directional lugs.
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89 / 100 by Feed the Habit • Donald Buraglio • Level 3 expert
The Brooks Mazama was built for speed, and it delivers the goods with an ideal combination of protection, comfort, and agility. It’s an excellent choice for trail racing, or working on quick leg turnover on your regular training routes.
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84 / 100 by Kintec • Kintec • Level 3 expert
The Mazama is also a great option for someone who does a combination of road and trail running, as this shoe feels great on concrete and asphalt as well.
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83 / 100 by Running Competitor • Adam Chase • Level 3 expert
It’s a stable-riding shoe that serves up amazing proprioceptive “feel” for the trail while still having enough foam and protection (including a forefoot plate) against roots, rocks and other obstacles.
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87 / 100 by Front Runner • Front Runner • Level 2 expert
All in all, I'm a huge fan of the Mazama. It's a good shape, feels fast, responsive and accurate. It's light and robust so in my eyes these credentials make it an great shoe!
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74 / 100 by Outside Online • Justin Nyberg • Level 2 expert
The firm heel and stiff rock plate are a bit much for casual runs or flat terrain, and the long, narrow last put some testers off. But for tearing through technical terrain, the Mazama is straight ninja.
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92 / 100 by REI • Eric Schranz • Level 1 expert
Combine that platform with an independent forefoot and heel, and you’ve got a shoe that offers control and nimbleness on any type of terrain. The shoe far exceeded my expectations here.
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90 / 100 by Trek Tech • Milo Pierwola • Level 1 expert
Whether you run in the city or on the trails, this has been the most fun shoe that responds well, wears comfortably for a long time, and gives you a spring in your step that just inspires you to go another mile at the last turn home.
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90 / 100 by Colorado Runner • Cregg Weinmann • Level 1 expert
The Mazama has a snug, almost racer-like fit, a firm responsive ride, and great traction, which earned it our award for Best Trail Shoe.
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85 / 100 by Keep Try Review • Nick • Level 1 expert
In summary the function and practicality in this shoe is great! Its light, provides great support and is durable and well made.
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84 / 100 by iRun Shop • Billy • Level 1 expert
One thing you'll notice is that the design of the outer portion of the sole is designed to give it great flexibility, which is perfect for running on technical trails and uneven surfaces.
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83 / 100 by Mountain Weekly News • Dann Albright • Level 1 expert
Because of its mesh upper and lack of a Gore-Tex lining, it’s quite a bit lighter than the Ultra Raptor, and will have a more sprightly feel. That being said, it’s still a “rugged trail” shoe, so it’ll give you the grip you need to stay stable on any terrain.
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82 / 100 by Pinoy Trails • Franc Ramon • Level 1 expert
If you want to go light and pack some speed on the trails, go for Brooks Mazama. This can be your go to race shoes with sufficient traction for most trail surfaces.
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80 / 100 by Trail and Ultra Running • Emily • Level 1 expert
The protection under foot is solid, but with a lighter tread they are able to be worn on the pavement, if needed.
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70 / 100 by Keep Try Review • Melanie • Level 1 expert
The shoe took a little bit of getting used to and felt like the arch was too high for my foot. It is also a little narrower than most shoes I’ve worn in the past but was not uncomfortable.
Updates to Brooks Mazama
- The sleek upper features a very breathable mesh that is supported by extremely light overlays on both sides of the shoe. Besides being allowing optimal airflow, the upper wraps the foot in security and comfort as well.
- The sticky rubber in the outsole allows the Brooks Mazama to shine on practically all outdoor surfaces, even when it rains. With moderately-sized and aggressive lugs, the shoe offers excellent grip that can take the runner from the doorstep to the trails.
- A midsole plate doubles as protection against sharp objects on the trails and keeps the run very responsive. It works well with the decoupled midfoot to allow freedom of movement separately for the heel and the forefoot.
- Trail-specific protection includes a lace garage, a gusseted tongue, and a tough toe bumper. These help the runner have a more confident run on the rough trails.
Brooks Mazama size and fit
The fit of the Brooks Mazama is designed for those with medium to slightly wider feet. It holds the heel and the midfoot reasonably well. The fit is snug in a good way with adequate room in the forefoot for the toes to splay or to accommodate swelling. It runs true to size.
Outsole
The outsole of the Mazama is populated with opposite-facing arrow-shaped lugs from the heel to the forefoot. Running uphill or downhill is enhanced with this kind of outsole layout. Brooks uses a very sticky rubber compound in the outsole for great traction on almost all outdoor surfaces. The depth of the lugs is just enough that running on the road does not feel jarring or bumpy.
Midsole
Spanning the heel to the forefoot in the Brooks Mazama is the brand-exclusive BioMoGo DNA midsole foam, which delivers cushioning right where and when the runner needs it. It adjusts to the stride of the runner so that the run feels responsive and cushioned. Transitions from landing to take-off are enhanced by the full-length foam. Beneath this foam is a thin slice of TPU plate that gives more pop during toe-offs. It doubles as a protection against sharp objects when running on the trails.
Upper
Brooks utilizes a double-layered mesh for improved durability, structure, and support. The mesh is also very breathable as evidenced by the countless holes. There are numerous lightweight synthetic overlays on the lateral and medial side of the shoe for support and midfoot hold. The thin and gusseted tongue is lined with plush fabric to avoid irritation or blisters while the ankle collar has light padding. A rubber toe bumper prevents the toes from getting bruised. There is enhanced cushioning in the form of a thin Race Sockliner.