For the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon, I was running in new kicks. As the time approached and my latest pair of Brooks Ravenna 4‘s were nearing the end of their useful life, I started looking into what I would run in next. Brooks Ravenna 4‘s have been my running shoe since I got serious about running. So, to leave was a rough decision. I took a trip to Run With Us, my local running store in Pasadena to check out the Ravenna 5‘s. I had seen the Ravenna 5‘s on Amazon and loved the look of the red shoes I eventually purchased. If you’d like to see the other colors available, check out the Amazon site.

So, let’s look at this shoe. It seems like, as I’ve looked into various running shoes, I found myself sacrificing style to have a shoe that simply fit well and supported my foot while running. Not so with this shoe. I love the way it looks!

Pretty slick-looking back side of the shoe!

Side view in the back of the logo…

And you can’t forget the other side of the back….

Plenty of cushioning in the middle part. For an over pronator like myself, this is especially important.

As I would learn in the following video, the middle part of the sole of the shoe is one of the big improvements.

I liked this video the best on describing some of the technical stuff about the shoe. Here’s what Brooks says about the Ravenna 5...

Swagger your run out with the light and fast feel of these pumped up kicks. Riding the line between Neutral and Support, the Ravenna 5 gives you that just-right blend of cushion and stability. With BioMoGo DNA now gracing the entire midsole, the extended Segmented Crash Pad delivering full ground contact, and the adjustable saddle wrapping from the heel and midfoot, this shoe plans to take over the world, one foot at a time.

I can attest to how amazing these shoes have felt while running.

• BioMoGo DNA Midsole provides adaptive cushioning

• Diagonal Rollbar offers mild support

• Extended Segmented Crash Pad delivers fast heel-to-toe transition

• Omega Flex Grooves optimize flexibility

• Moisture-management mesh helps your feet breathe

At the Brooks site on this shoe, it says that this shoe is great for road running, ideal for medium to high arches and runners with mild pronation. So, it’s a great fit for myself. What I loved about the Brooks Ravenna 4 was how it felt like the shoe fit my feet like a glove. I loved the cushioning in the Ravenna 4‘s. The Brooks Ravenna 5‘s have the same feel to them. Here’s how Brooks explains the cushioning…called Brooks DNA…

Brooks DNA is made up of a highly viscous non-Newtonian material or more simply put, a material that adapts to the specific force you apply to it. Part of the brilliance is that this compound was engineered to perform at the molecular level (picture millions of resilient ‘nanosprings’).

If you looked at Brooks DNA through a microscope, you’d see that it’s made up of individual molecules connected in strands. These strands (which form chains) react to the amount of force placed on the foot, dispersing pressure and providing resiliency. Bottom line of this physics lesson: You get tailored cushioning that reacts to your specific weight, pace, gait, movement and running environment – “made-for-me” cushioning vs. “one size fits all.”

And, as with all good technology, we’ve taken it a step further (two steps actually):

• BioMoGo DNA is DNA technology blended with the BioMoGo midsole to provide adaptive cushioning throughout the midsole vs. just in the heel and forefoot.
• BioMoGo DNA midsole includes an organic, non-toxic additive that biodegrades the midsole 50 times faster than traditional EVA when it comes into contact with anaerobic landfill microbes (otherwise known as active, enclosed landfills).

• 30% more cushioning than standard midsole materials (gel or EVA)
• Twice as much energy return for more pep in your step
• Great performance no matter your weight or running pace
• Smoother transition from heel to toe

Here are the specs on this shoe…

• SHOE CATEGORY:Guidance
• PRONATION:Mild
• ARCH:Medium, High
• BODY BUILD:Small, Medium, Large
• PLATFORM:Universal Platform
• DNA LAYOUT:Biomogo DNA Layout
• CONSTRUCTION TYPE:Stroebel
• WATER-RESISTENT:No
• WATERPROOF:No
• LAUNCH DATE:January 1, 2014
• WEIGHT:10.3 oz

After running a few training runs and the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon in these shoes, I feel confident in saying that they are a good choice for those of us who loved the Brooks Ravenna 4‘s. My worries have been relieved with each run I finish in them. As a matter of fact, I love them so much, I’m planning on going out and getting the Nightlife/Black/Silver colors in addition to the High Risk Red/White/Black ones I currently own. That may or may not be part of my plan for the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend plans.

The switch from the Ravenna 4‘s to the Ravenna 5‘s has been smooth and seamless. I love these Brooks shoes and see myself as a Brooks runner for the foreseeable future. I want to conclude this blog post review of the Brooks Ravenna 5 mens running shoe by letting you all know that I purchased these shoes like everyone else. The shoes were not sent to me for a review and I am in no way being compensated for this post. So, the opinions expressed are completely my own.

By the way, I almost forgot. When I ordered these shoes online (Run With Us didn’t have the color I wanted), this came in the shoe box. I thought it was pretty fun! Great job Brooks on crafting a running shoe that I really love wearing!

What are some of the considerations you have when choosing a running shoe? Have you changed up the model or shoe company with a new pair of running shoes before? If so, how did the change go?