I LoveLoveLove this shoe! Out of the box, I knew I’d need to go half size up—and I never go up. Even though I still hesitated when I got the bigger pair, it kept the snug fit in the heel and midfoot, with just a touch more room for the toes, and is working great.

(What I really realized is that I need a 9 3/4 size in all the shoes. Can all of the companies make a 9 and 3/4 for me please? 😉 ).

The take away for you is that if you normally go up half size, you may want to try going up a full size from your regular shoes, especially if you have a medium to wide width foot.

One of my favorite aspects is the dynamic cushioning which includes a sock liner with increased padding right under the forefoot. This is a shoe well-suited for forefoot strikers who need that cushion into long runs.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 General Info

Purecadence 6 was reworked to correct the upper fit-issues that many had with the 5, and the result is a better-fitting shoe that still feels a bit small, in keeping with the intent to hug the foot.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 – Top

This shoe competes closely with The Fresh Foam Vongo from New Balance, with both shoes promising comfort, stability, and a snug fit, along with a 4mm offset.

PureCadence rides closer to the ground and offers a smoother upper fit; somehow Brooks was able to keep the foot supported with a soft feel while Vongo v2 felt soft yet lacked this benefit of support, a negative change from the shoe’s first version.

PureCadence wraps around the foot well enough to pull in the arch a bit as well, with its supportive overlay.

If you like the low offset and stability but want a higher shoe as well as a “rocker” feel to your step, HOKA ONE ONE’S Arahi is a shoe to try.

Arahi offers a more roomy (yet still narrow) upper fit; there’s more vertical forefoot room, with space for a med-wide width heel.

Adidas adizero Tempo 9 offers a similar feel of lightweight support in a more-minimal shoe, and comes with a med-high drop height of 10mm.

These are my two favorite shoes right now for faster training runs and even long runs if I’m not pre-fatigued. (When tired, I prefer a shoe with a bit more support, as is offered in ASICS’ GT-3000 or Dynamis, plus my custom insoles.)

I prefer the upper fit of PureCadence to that of tempo 9 but will probably go with tempo 9 for my upcoming marathon, as the 10mm drop offers the touch more support that I’ll be needing in those last race miles while still being lighter than a standard training shoe.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 Sole Unit

I loved the sole material in the three shoes from Brooks I’ve run in — Ravenna, Transcend, and PureCadence — for the feel underfoot, even before I found out how advanced it is.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 – Sole

“While a standard EVA foam will take approximately 1,000 years to fully degrade in a landfill, BioMoGo can biodegrade in roughly 20 years when placed in the same environment.”

Brooks Running Shoes: the Definitive Guide

The non-Newtonian DNA material used in the midsole of PureCadence feels soft when you want it to—walking around, easy runs—and turns responsive-cushion when you apply more pressure for speed https://youtu.be/CTqB1M1pfOw.

It actually adapts to each runner’s weight, stride, and biomechanics. No wonder I love these shoes! The midsole is bordered by Guiderails to keep the body moving in a natural motion throughout each stride.

The sole unit is quite a bit more flexible then I usually prefer in a shoe, but surprisingly this does not bother my foot…perhaps because of the adaptive properties discussed above.

The outsole’s Omega Flex grooves bend with your foot, and the Nav band running through the midfoot provides enough support for my foot.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 Upper Info

My foot is narrow except for a small bunion starting medially and one similar little knob on my lateral forefoot; the stretchy-snug upper of PureCadence has just enough give to it for a supportive feel without unforgiving friction.

I loved Brooks’ stability shoe Transcend, but the upper that never surrenders is a negative aspect (for my oddly contoured foot) that PureCadence gets right in its similarly 3D Fit-Printed upper.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 – Heel

Transcend would be a great option to try if you want more support in a shoe, with an 8 mm drop and more heavy-duty Guiderails to guide your step, as well as an overall mold that springs you forward.

But back to the shoe at hand, the silky-smooth upper hugs the foot, and an overlay pulls in the arch area for support that I appreciate.

It’s breathable, and while some have had problems with the shoe’s stretchy laces coming untied, double knots have stayed in for me. The heel is wrapped with a sturdy heel counter for motion control and a plush-snug collar for comfort.

Brooks Pure Cadence 6 Conclusions

This is a truly remarkable shoe with a sock-like fit that offers support and dynamic cushion. You’re going to want to order a half-size to even a full size up. Again, I never do, and I did for this shoe.

As wonderful as Purecadence is even into long runs, I will probably run my next marathon in adizero tempo 9 just because the higher (mid) drop height will be welcome in those final miles when my muscles are shot.

If you’re an efficient runner looking for a shoe that can handle speed and distance well, or you’re looking for a more connected experience but need a touch of stability, PureCadence 6 is the shoe to try.

We purchased a pair of Brooks Pure Cadence 6 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.