WearTesters WearTesters WearTesters
  • Best Basketball Shoes
  • Reviews
    • All Performance Reviews
    • Basketball Shoe Reviews
    • Running Shoe Reviews
    • Cross Training Shoe Reviews
    • Casual Shoe Reviews
    • Apparel Reviews
    • Sporting Goods Reviews
    • Tech Reviews
    • Best Basketball Gifts 2020
    • Best Fitness Gifts 2020
    • Best Gifts for Runners 2020
    • Best Gifts for Athletes 2020
    • Scoring
  • Bball Shoe Reviews
  • Brands
    • Nike
      • Nike Basketball Shoes
      • Kobe Bryant Shoes
      • LeBron James Shoes
      • Kevin Durant Shoes
      • Kyrie Irving Shoes
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Shoes
      • Paul George Shoes
      • Nike Running Shoes
      • Nike Training Shoes
    • Jordan
    • adidas
      • Adidas Basketball Shoes
      • James Harden Shoes
      • Damian Lillard Shoes
      • Derrick Rose Shoes
      • Donovan Mitchell Shoes
    • Yeezy
    • Under Armour
      • Under Armour Basketball Shoes
      • Steph Curry Shoes
      • Joel Embiid Shoes
      • Under Armour Training Shoes
    • Puma
      • Puma Basketball
    • Reebok
    • New Balance
      • Kawhi Leonard Shoes
    • Converse
    • Brooks
    • Saucony
    • ON
    • Other Brands
  • Deals
  • Join
  • Shop
WearTesters WearTesters WearTesters

WearTesters is reader-supported. When you make purchases using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

BrooksKicks Off Court

First Look: Brooks Levitate

October 5, 2017October 5, 2017

The Brooks Levitate and its debut (which has been covered with increasing attention by WearTesters) is finally here. And from looks alone, there’s a lot to like.

The silver TPU-covered DNA AMP midsole, the blue Fit Knit upper, the streaming lines that race across and around the shoe — the Brooks Levitate has the makings for an instant hit.

A true WearTesters review is forthcoming, but since this early shoot commenced and wrapped, some brief testing has been done.

Let the record show that the Fit Knit is excellent; it stretches well around the foot while still retaining a snug fit (even the laces stretch to accommodate a custom fit). It’s a true neutral runner as well.

More importantly is the DNA AMP, the new foam cushioning from the creators of Boost, BASF. It has a feel that’s familiar if you’ve run in Brooks’ cushion-heavy DNA shoes (think the Glycerin), but it has a bounce that’s reminiscent of the adidas UltraBoost.

The major exception in the Boost comparison is that DNA AMP feels controlled, reigned-in, and more dense. It’s soft and it’s easy to move in, but it has a firmness that Boost lacks and a kind of underfoot support that you won’t get from the UltraBoost.

It’s premature to say much else, but there’s a lot of potential in DNA AMP. Considering Brooks’ own success with all of its other products in the running category, it’s not hard to believe that the new cushioning could be a part of that. It’s too early to tell, however.

Continue to stay tuned to WearTesters for more on the Levitate. You can find the new silhouette at Eastbay.com and your local Brooks retailer for $150.

 

Photography and post-production by Sandy Dover. Exclusively for WearTesters. All rights reserved.

Sandy Dover

Sandy Dover is the special features photographer and creator of the WearTesters x "Test Shoot" series; he also serves as a social media manager and review writer for the outlet. Formerly of ESPN, SLAM, and Yahoo!, Sandy is a White House-vetted and U.S. Senate-recognized media multihyphenate with extensive, multifaceted work in communications, strategy, and marketing in boutique/startup, corporate, and nonprofit spaces throughout multiple industries, including footwear.

Featured Posts

Puma-Clyde-All-Pro-Performance-Review

PUMA Clyde All-Pro Performance Review

Nightwing2303
January 19, 2021January 19, 2021
New-Balance-Kawhi-PR-Feature

New Balance Kawhi Performance Review

lookatleak
January 14, 2021January 13, 2021
Nike-LeBron-18-Performance-Review

Nike LeBron 18 Performance Review

Nightwing2303
December 17, 2020January 5, 2021
Curry 8 Flow

Curry 8 | Everything You Need to Know

Drew
December 9, 2020January 5, 2021
Scottie Pippen Shoes Guide Featured Image

Scottie Pippen Shoes: A Complete Guide

Evan
December 9, 2020January 19, 2021
How to Cop on Release Day

How to Buy Limited Shoes for Retail

Drew
November 25, 2020December 14, 2020
adidas-Don-Issue-2-Performance-Review

adidas DON Issue 2 Performance Review

Nightwing2303
November 5, 2020January 5, 2021
Air-Jordan-35-Performance-Review

Air Jordan 35 Performance Review

Nightwing2303
October 16, 2020October 18, 2020
Puma-RS-Dreamer-Performance-Review

PUMA RS Dreamer Performance Review

Nightwing2303
October 6, 2020October 16, 2020
Under-Armour-Embiid-1-Performance-Review

Under Armour Embiid 1 Performance Review

Nightwing2303
September 29, 2020October 26, 2020

Now you can join our community and help support WearTesters’ mission while getting some amazing benefits. Learn more.

About WearTesters

Contact

WearTesters is reader-supported. If you buy products using links on our site we may earn a commission.

COPYRIGHT © 2009-2020 WEARTESTERS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Best Basketball Shoes
  • Reviews
    • All Performance Reviews
    • Basketball Shoe Reviews
    • Running Shoe Reviews
    • Cross Training Shoe Reviews
    • Casual Shoe Reviews
    • Apparel Reviews
    • Sporting Goods Reviews
    • Tech Reviews
    • Best Basketball Gifts 2020
    • Best Fitness Gifts 2020
    • Best Gifts for Runners 2020
    • Best Gifts for Athletes 2020
    • Scoring
  • Bball Shoe Reviews
  • Brands
    • Nike
      • Nike Basketball Shoes
      • Kobe Bryant Shoes
      • LeBron James Shoes
      • Kevin Durant Shoes
      • Kyrie Irving Shoes
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Shoes
      • Paul George Shoes
      • Nike Running Shoes
      • Nike Training Shoes
    • Jordan
    • adidas
      • Adidas Basketball Shoes
      • James Harden Shoes
      • Damian Lillard Shoes
      • Derrick Rose Shoes
      • Donovan Mitchell Shoes
    • Yeezy
    • Under Armour
      • Under Armour Basketball Shoes
      • Steph Curry Shoes
      • Joel Embiid Shoes
      • Under Armour Training Shoes
    • Puma
      • Puma Basketball
    • Reebok
    • New Balance
      • Kawhi Leonard Shoes
    • Converse
    • Brooks
    • Saucony
    • ON
    • Other Brands
  • Deals
  • Join
  • Shop