Revision as of 07:52, 29 November 2014

The Brooks PureCadence 3 is an acceptable, though not great, shoe. It has good longevity due to the extensive hard rubber outsole and firm foam, but these features also mean that it's rather heavy for the cushioning it provides. The PureCadence has 4mm of drop and some anti-Pronation, but neither caused me any problems.

Brooks PureCadence 3 top

Brooks PureCadence 3 bottom

Brooks PureCadence 3 inside

Brooks PureCadence 3 outside

1 Characteristics

• Why you’d buy it. The PureCadence would make a good shoe for someone looking to transition from a more traditional shoe, though I'd suggest the Saucony Kinvara instead, as it's lighter and more softly cushioned. If you're not looking for a transition shoe, then the Hoka Clifton is lighter and much better cushioned, or the Altra One² lot lighter and more softly cushioned.
• Cushioning . The PureCadence is nicely cushioned, but a little on the firm side, especially given its weight.
• Drop. The PureCadence has 4mm of drop, which did not impact my foot strike unduly. Swapping between the PureCadence and a zero drop shoe highlights the difference that 4 mm makes, and it does create tend to move the foot strike towards the heel, but I was able to adjust.
• Structure. This shoe uses multiple densities of foam, with firmer foam on the inside (medial) of the heel. (This is intended to reduce Pronation, but these features don't actually reduce pronation significantly and are likely to cause problems.) This is quite mild and I didn't find it interfered with my biomechanics at all. There are some moderate grooves to improve flexibility. The area under the arch is slightly raised, which could put pressure on the arch and cause problems. (Arches are strong structures when loaded from above, but can be broken easily by pressure from below.)
• Flexibility. The PureCadence is nicely flexible due to the midsole groves and the gaps in the outsole.
• Outsole. The hard rubber outsole overs the contact areas of the shoe, which improves longevity and grip, but adds to the weight. As you can see from the pictures, the outsole is in patches. This helps keep the shoe flexible, as the harder rubber of an outsole is quite inflexible, so a continuous layer is not only heavier, but less flexible as well. The outsole rubber used is a nice combination of hard wearing and grippy, and is fairly thick. Of course this is also the Achilles' heel of the shoe, as the outsole is probably the reason the shoe is quite heavy when compared with the Hoka Clifton, or Saucony Virrata.
• Shape. The shoe of the shoe is closer to the human foot than many designs, but it's not quite right. It's like someone described the shape of a human foot to the designers, but they couldn't picture it. I'd recommend cutting open the toe box for comfort.
• Upper. The upper is inflexible and overly complex, with quite a number of seams. The seams did not cause me any problems, but I think they could be an issue for some runners. The ankle opening is well padded, but the rest is thin and breathes reasonably well. The PureCadence has Brooks' "Nav Band" which is an elasticated band over the middle of the shoe, going from where the upper meets the arch of the foot, over the top and down to the outside edge of the midsole. This elasticated band is intended to keep the shoe secure, but it just puts extra pressure on the top of the foot. I didn't like this band at all, but it's easy to cut it open where it crosses the tongue. Overall the shoe is slightly less comfortable than average.
• Tongue. The PureCadence has a tongue that is attached to the inside of the upper, with the outside free, a combination that I like. It keeps the tongue in place without the problems of a sock style upper. The tongue has a slight degree of soft padding which should be enough for most runners.
• Lacing. The laces are bumpy, which helps them stay tied, but also makes it trickier to get the tension right when tying the shoe. The laces also have an asymmetric pattern, which I didn't find made any difference when compared with other shoes.
• Heel Counter. The heel counter is quite solid, with hard edges that might cause some people problems.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy the Brooks PureCadence at Zappos.com.

2 Comparisons

Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.

2.1 PureCadence and Hoka Clifton

Comparing the PureCadence and the Hoka Clifton, the Clifton wins out due to its lightness and cushioning.

• Similarities
  • Shape. Neither has a good toe box.
  • Drop. Both are around 4mm drop though the softer cushioning of the Clifton makes the drop far less noticeable.
• Advantage PureCadence
  • Flexibility. The PureCadence is a bit more flexible.
  • Grip. The PureCadence has slightly more grip.
  • Price. The PureCadence is cheaper.
  • Availability. The PureCadence is widely stocked.
  • Longevity. The extra outsole on the PureCadence improves longevity.
• Advantage Hoka Clifton
  • Cushioning . The Clifton has far thicker, softer cushioning.
  • Weight. The Clifton is lighter.
  • Trails. The Clifton has a little more protection on rocky trails.

Brooks PureCadence 3 top	Brooks PureCadence 3 bottom	Brooks PureCadence 3 inside	Brooks PureCadence 3 outside
Hoka OneOne Clifton top	Hoka OneOne Clifton bottom	Hoka OneOne Clifton inside	Hoka OneOne Clifton outside

2.2 PureCadence and Altra One2

Comparing the PureCadence and the Altra One², the Altra wins on weight and cushioning, but the PureCadence will last longer:

• Advantage PureCadence
  • Price. The PureCadence is cheaper, especially when longevity is considered.
  • Grip. The PureCadence has more grip.
  • Availability. The PureCadence is widely stocked.
  • Trails. The PureCadence has more protection from rocks.
  • Longevity. The PureCadence lasts longer.
• Advantage Altra One2
  • Cushioning . The Altra is a lot more softly cushioned.
  • Weight. The Altra is a lot lighter.
  • Drop. The Altra is zero drop, the PureCadence has 4mm.
  • Shape. The Altra has a much better toe box.
  • Flexibility. The Altra is more flexible.

Brooks PureCadence 3 top	Brooks PureCadence 3 bottom	Brooks PureCadence 3 inside	Brooks PureCadence 3 outside
Altra One2 top	Altra One2 bottom	Altra One2 inside	Altra One2 outside

2.3 PureCadence and Saucony Virrata

Comparing the PureCadence and the Saucony Virrata:

• Similarities
  • Shape. Neither has a good toe box.
  • Availability. The both are reasonably easy to find.
• Advantage PureCadence
  • Grip. The PureCadence has more grip.
  • Longevity. The PureCadence lasts longer.
  • Trails. The PureCadence has more protection from rocks.
  • Cushioning . The PureCadence is more softly cushioned.
• Advantage Saucony Virrata
  • Drop. The Virrata is zero-drop, the PureCadence is 4mm.
  • Weight. The Virrata is a lot lighter.
  • Price. The Virrata is a little cheaper.
  • Flexibility. The Virrata is more flexible.

Brooks PureCadence 3 top	Brooks PureCadence 3 bottom	Brooks PureCadence 3 inside	Brooks PureCadence 3 outside
Saucony Virrata top	Saucony Virrata bottom	Saucony Virrata inside	Saucony Virrata outside

3 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.