Brooks Levitate Stealthfit 5 review

We recommend the Brooks Levitate Stealthfit 5 as an excellent choice for:

• Runners who prefer a low-to-the-ground shoe with a protective and lively midsole for short to moderate distances
• Those living in colder climates who need a daily trainer that remains reliable and comfy regardless of how low temperatures drop

Our smoke and freezer tests reveal the Levitate Stealthfit 5 to be an excellent wintertime companion. Conversely, however, the knit upper's lacklustre breathability makes it a less-than-ideal choice for toasty summer runs. The non-Stealthfit update to the series, the Levitate 6 boasts a much more well-ventilated mesh upper that we recommend for runners in warmer climates. 

The Levitate Stealthfit 5's low-profile midsole affords us lots of ground feel which isn't an issue when it comes to our short to moderate distance efforts. It's as we start pushing the mile markers that we find ourselves wishing for a little more protection from the sustained impacts against the road. We suggest checking out the Brooks Ghost 15 as an alternative with the cushioning needed to gobble up miles comfortably. 

At £160, the Levitate Stealthfit 5 is a little steep for a daily trainer. for a more budget-friendly workhorse, we recommend the Brooks Revel 6 instead. 

We pumped smoke into the Levitate Stealthfit 5 and found that the smoke struggled to filter through its knit-upper. It takes a substantial amount of time before little wisps finally escape the shoe, indicating that heat would be similarly trapped within the shoe. This leads us to give the shoe the lowest score of 1 out of 5 for breathability, making it a less-than-ideal choice for hot summer runs. For runners in need of a more well-ventilated option, we recommend checking out the non-Stealthfit update to the original shoe, the Brooks Levitate 6. 

The shoe's abysmal performance in our smoke test comes as quite a surprise as we can see that light is able to penetrate the seemingly porous upper. This finding would usually indicate better airflow than what we just saw. 

For further clarification, we turn to our microscope which reveals how densely woven the upper actually is. The gaps aren't nearly as large as our light test would lead us to believe, thus explaining the smoke's extremely delayed ability to exit the shoe.  

To simulate extreme wear and tear, we subjected the Levitate Stealthfit 5 to a number of thrashings from our Demel, starting with the toebox. With the abrasive element spinning at 5K RPM, we pressed our tool against the shoe for four quick seconds of grinding. 

While breathability may not be the knit upper's strong suit, it certainly is durable. We had no choice but to give it a perfect 5 out of 5 in this assessment as our tool was barely even able to scuff the toebox, let alone rip or tear it. As such, we don't expect any accidental bumps or scrapes to bring an untimely end to this shoe. 

Next, we pressed our Dremel against the heel collar under similar parameters and found it to be almost as durable as the toebox. 

With only a small rip left in the aftermath of the four-second test, the Levitate Stealthfit 5 earns a near perfect heel padding durability score of 4 out of 5. 

Pressing our durometer against the Levitate Stealthfit 5's outsole gives us a reading of 84 HC which is slightly harder than our current lab average. This indicates a good mix of grip and durability, the latter of which we will be putting to the test next. 

To test the outsole, we set the Dremel to spin at 10K RPM and set it against the Levitate Stealthfit 5 for twenty-two seconds of grinding. 

Once the time was up, we measured the indentation left by our tool and found that we had only shorn away 0.5 mm of rubber from the outsole. This is a much more durable result than average and means that we expect the Levitate Stealthfit 5 to outlast the expected lifespan of 400 to 500 miles of use. 

Using our caliper, we measured the outsole to be 3.3 mm thick which is right on par with our current lab average, This gives us no cause for concern regarding the longevity of the shoe considering how well it performed against our Dremel. 

Weighing in at 10.1 oz (285g), the Levitate Stealthfit 5 isn't quite as sleek on the scale as it looks on the foot. However, it doesn't feel overly burdensome during our less intense runs. 

At only 28 mm thick according to our caliper measurements, the Levitate Stealthfit 5's stack is shorter than our current lab average. This is still a good amount of foam to have underfoot to dampen the impact of short to medium-distance runs. 

The Levitate Stealthfit 5's forefoot stack is significantly shorter than average at only 18.7 mm thick. 

On the one hand, this is a fair amount of foam that still protects our landings while providing an intuitive and natural sense of the ground as we run. On the other, it isn't enough for the repeated beatings against the hard asphalt brought on by long-distance runs. Instead, we recommend the higher-stacked Brooks Ghost 15 instead. 

The difference in our stack measurements leaves the Levitate Stealthfit 5 with a drop height of 9.5 mm. This is slightly higher than the stated 8 mm drop, however, this discrepancy is quite small and will only be noticed by very attuned and experienced runners. 

At only 3 mm thick according to our caliper measurements, the Levitate Stealthfit 5's insole is just shy of our current lab average. This still provides us with a nice an soft footbed with a fair amount of arch support. 

Pressing our durometer against the DNA Amp midsole foam gives us a softer-than-average reading of 19 HA.

However, this doesn't feel overly plush by any means; with the shoe doing a good job of cushioning our landings without feeling too squishy underfoot and providing a balanced ride. 

The DNA Amp also has a nice snappy rebound that gives our toe-offs a lively and responsive spark. This means that we were comfortably able to push the pace for some speedwork, though we wouldn't use the Levitate Stealthfit 5 as a dedicated tempo trainer. We recommend the Brooks Hyperion as a speedier shoe that better fits that bill. 

We placed the Levitate Stealthfit 5 in the freezer for twenty minutes to observe the effects of cold conditions on the midsole. We had to make sure we hadn't blown the motor as the change was almost negligible. After confirming that the freezer was running correctly, we could finally trust our finding that the midsole had only become 2% firmer in the face of frigid conditions. As such, the Levitate Stealthfit 5 will feel just as soft and forgiving underfoot no matter how low the mercury drops. 

Thanks to its low profile, the Levitate Stealthfit 5 feels quite stable underfoot despite the softer-than-average midsole foam. That said, as a neutral trainer, it doesn't have any stability features that promote better alignment for those with overpronation. For runners in need of a more supportive alternative, we recommend checking out the Brooks Launch GTS 10.

The Levitate Stealthfit 5 is quite easy to bend and twist in our hands, leading us to give it a torsional rigidity score of 2 out of 5. This contributes to the shoe's natural feeling ride as it conforms with the movements of our foot from landing to toe-off. 

The heel counter is moderately stiff, earning a 3 out of 5 in our manual assessment. This strikes a good balance between stability and comfort as the structured heel holds our rearfoot in place delicately while still allowing for some natural lateral movements as we run. 

Using our caliper, we found the Levitate Stealthfit 5's midsole to be right on par with our current lab average at 113.5 mm wide. This gives us more than enough of a platform to be steady on our feet without feeling clunky while turning or taking corners. 

Back at the heel, the Levitate Stealthfit 5's midsole is a little shy of our current lab average at only 87.4 mm wide according to our caliper. This should still be enough of a base for heel strikers to land with confidence in this shoe. 

We secured the Levitate Stealthfit 5 to our workbench and used a force gauge to find that only 21.9N of force is needed to torque the shoe to 90 degrees. 

This is a more flexible result than our current lab average and means that the shoe is able to conform with the natural flexion of our foot with relative ease. This factors greatly into the shoe's smooth and comfortable ride as it doesn't constrict our foot and leave it feeling battered. As such, the shoe feels great to wear all day long. 

Much like the midsole, the shoe's longitudinal flexibility is almost entirely unaffected by cold conditions. Repeating our flex test after chilling the shoe in our freezer for twenty minutes reveals that it only became 4.3% stiffer. This change is insignificant in practical terms and further confirms the Levitate Stealthfit 5 as an excellent winter running companion. 

The muli-directional tread pattern on the outsole provided us with reliable traction throughout testing the shoe. Even wet asphalt didn't cause us to break our stride, though we did have a bit of a wobble on more slick surfaces like cobblestones. The grippy and durable nature of the outsole means that we were also able to go off-road on some mild trails without worrying about damaging ourselves or the shoe.

At 97.9 mm wide at its widest point according to our caliper measurements, the Levitate Stealthfit 5's toebox is right on par with our current lab average. This means that it should accommodate most foot shapes quite comfortably. There are also multiple width options available for runners with broader feet. 

The Levitate Stealthfit 5's upper is a one-piece construction that omits a tongue and has a sock-like fit

In that way, the shoe feels like it wraps around our foot for a snug and natural feel. However, while the elastic is strong enough to lock our foot in place decently, we did notice some slippage as we pushed the pace during speedier runs. 

With no actual tongue to speak of, we measured the bit of material above the instep and found it to only be 2 mm thick

This doesn't give us much clearance between our foot and the laces which do feel somewhat apparent across our instep once laced up and ready to go. That said, it's not too uncomfortable since the rounded laces themselves are quite soft. 

Sock-like shoes can be frustrating to put on but the Levitate Stealthfit 5 makes it a little easier with the inclusion of a handy little finger loop at the heel that makes sliding it on smoother and faster. 

The insole isn't glued in so replacing it with an aftermarket alternative or a custom orthotic for added arch support is possible if necessary. 

With no reflective elements to be found on the shoe whatsoever, we recommend using additional high-vis gear if ever running along the road at night in the Levitate Stealthfit 5.