The Brooks PureFlow 7 is Brooks neutral trainer in their Pure line. The idea of the Pure line is that these shoes keep you connected to ground. This means the line has lower stack heights and less rubber on the outsole.

These things coupled with well positioned grooves allow for a very responsive ride that allows you to feel the ground throughout your heel-toe transition. This creates a very responsive ride for the entirety of your run.

Brooks PureFlow 7 General Info

The Brooks PureFlow 7 is the flagship of the Brooks Pure line. This neutral trainer is designed to be a lower-price offering designed for experienced runners, who want to feel more connected to the ground.

Brooks PureFlow 7 – Lateral Side

It provides a good amount of cushion while staying lightweight and remaining flexible. The PureFlow competes against shoes the likes of the Nike Free RN, New Balance Fresh Foam Zante, Adidas AeroBounce, and Under Armour Charged Bandit.

When I received the shoe, I thought they looked quite nice. However, the colorway I received (black/white) is a little boring. There are other colorways available which are much more exciting (black/copper, steel/black, yellow/blue).

When I put them on, they were great. They are light but cushioned. When I wore them at school, my feet felt great all day, there was no let up. And on my first run, they were light, cushioned and responsive.

Brooks PureFlow 7 Sole Unit

The sole unit of the PureFlow is where Brooks has committed to the Pure line. In advertising more connection to the ground, the company better deliver a responsive and flexible ride. And with the PureFlow it delivers.

Using Brooks’ both BioMoGo and DNA technologies to create a full sole unit that is responsive and flexible for each runner.

It adapts to where you put more pressure as you go through your run.The shoe uses the BioMoGo midsole with DNA cushioning on the top layer to help the ride.

Brooks PureFlow 7 – Sole

As we move down, the shoe includes Omega Flex Grooves to increase the flexibility. I was actually able to roll this shoe into a roll and then let it release with no real issues.

These grooves are a part of the rounded sole unit that is designed to encourage more of a midfoot-to-forefoot strike. This is something that is promoted as helping a runner stay connected to the ground through their run.

The outsole uses a flex grid with sections of blown rubber to allow for increased flexibility laterally as well. This grid lets you move your feet in whatever manner you need with the surface on which you choose to run.

The rubber helps with traction and while upping the durability. This shoe is rated to be able to handle 200-300+ miles depending on the runner.

With a 4mm heel-to-toe drop (24mm-20mm), the sole unit could be a problem for some runners used to the traditional 8-12mm drop. This lower drop is part of Brooks’ promise to stay connected on your run.

Brooks PureFlow 7 Upper Info

The upper of the PureFlow 7 is redesigned from earlier models. The updated upper uses a stretch-woven fabric which allows for natural foot movement and still allows proper ventilation.

Brooks PureFlow 7 – Top

Inside of this material is a super-soft bootie which molds to the foot. This bootie allows you run without socks and stay comfortable. It was perhaps the most comfortable run I’ve done without socks.

The material of the bootie extends to the collar which creates a very soft and comfortable enclosure for your ankle and Achilles.

If you run sockless or in no-show socks, this is a great feature. The softness of this collar is often overlooked, but there are few things as annoying as a collar which irritates your ankles or Achilles.

The one drawback to the upper is that the way it molds to the feet means it can run a bit tight in the toe box. I noticed this on my longer runs as my feet would feel a little pressure on the outside of the balls of my feet.

It was not painful, but slightly irritating as I wished they would have a slightly wider base.

Brooks PureFlow 7 Conclusions

Overall, I loved running in these shoes. They are not the best shoes I’ve work, but they are very solid. With many advanced technologies that makes for a great ride.

There was no break-in time, these were just ready to go straight out of the box. The upper was incredibly comfortable and molded to the feet.

However, this is the one drawback I found in these shoes. They could get a little tight on my longer runs and I wish that Brooks would put these on a slightly wider toe box base.

They were responsive, light and agile. With plenty of cushioning for double-digit runs for me, the PureFlows showed themselves as worthy of staying in the rotation.

The fact that they retail for $100, and can be found for less than that with very little work, is just icing on top of the cake.

As a price-to-quality ratio, these shoes are up there with any other offerings on the market, and I would recommend them to any experienced neutral runner.

We purchased a pair of Brooks PureFlow 7 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.