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Why this Shoe Works
Plush underfoot, mile after mile
Step in and the Glycerin 23's DNA Tuned midsole does the talking — a nitrogen-infused foam with bigger, softer cells in the heel for plush landings and smaller, firmer cells up front for a poppier toe-off. It's a soft, premium feel that doesn't turn mushy or unstable. This isn't a springy, propulsive race foam, and we won't pretend it is — it's plush, easygoing cushion built for comfortable everyday miles. Soft where you land, steady where you leave.
An upper that makes room for your foot
The Glycerin 23's engineered triple-jacquard knit is soft, breathable, and accommodating, with a wider toe box and plush padding through the collar and tongue. It gives wider and higher-volume feet room to settle without pinching or hot spots, while still holding your midfoot securely so your foot doesn't slide around. Roomy where you need it, secure where it counts.
A smooth, stable cruise
The Glycerin 23 keeps things refreshingly simple: a wide, stable platform, a reworked heel bevel that smooths out your landing, and a flexible forefoot that bends with your foot instead of forcing a ride on you. There's no aggressive rocker here — it's a heel-friendly, natural-feeling cruise that just gets out of the way. Predictable, planted, and easy to log miles in.
Built For How You Move
The everyday-easy default
Most of your miles aren't fast, and the Glycerin 23 is built for exactly those — the relaxed, conversational, just-get-it-in runs that make up a training week. The soft DNA Tuned foam quiets the impact of hot Arizona asphalt, and the flexible forefoot lets your foot do its own thing instead of dictating a ride. There's no rocker pushing you along and no guidance steering you; it simply cushions, lap after lap. The kind of shoe you stop thinking about a half-mile in.
Off the clock and on your feet
The Glycerin 23 doesn't clock out when your run does. It's one of our most-recommended shoes for nurses, teachers, and service workers across the West Valley who spend all day on hard floors — and it carries the APMA Seal of Acceptance to back that up. On a recovery day, an easy walk, or a long loop of errands around Glendale, that same plush foam gives tired legs a soft place to land. Run in it, work in it, walk in it — it handles all three.
When the run goes long
A couple of hours into a slow, steady effort is where plush cushioning earns its keep, and the Glycerin 23's deep 38 mm of DNA Tuned foam keeps your legs feeling protected as the miles add up. It won't snap you to a quicker pace — that's not its job — but it will keep landing after landing soft, so you can stay out there longer. Pair it with an early Phoenix start before the heat and it's a dependable long-run partner.
Who Is the Brooks Glycerin GTS 23 For?
The Brooks Glycerin 23 (men's) is for the runner or walker who wants soft, premium cushioning for everyday miles without any built-in guidance steering the ride.
The plush DNA Tuned foam and roomy knit make it a favorite for easy daily training, long runs at relaxed paces, recovery days, and long hours on hard floors — and with every width in stock, it fits broad and high-volume feet well.
It's happiest at easy and moderate paces; it's a comfort shoe, not a fast one. And if you already love the Brooks Ghost 18 but find yourself wanting more cushion and underfoot protection on longer days, the Glycerin 23 is the plush step up — the same easygoing daily-trainer DNA with more foam and a more premium DNA Tuned midsole.
Who Should Skip It
We'd rather point you to the right shoe than sell you the wrong one. Skip the Glycerin 23 if…
You want built-in guidance
If you'd like a little support steadying your stride, the Brooks Glycerin GTS 23 is this exact shoe with GuideRails added.
You want a lighter, lower everyday shoe
If the Glycerin feels like more shoe than you need, the Brooks Ghost 18 is firmer, lower, and lighter underfoot.
You want speed or race-day pop
At 9.5 oz with a soft, non-springy foam, it's a comfort trainer. For tempo and racing, look at a lighter shoe like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5.
You're heading off-road
It's a road shoe. For trails, look at the HOKA Speedgoat 7 or Saucony Peregrine 16.
You want a springier, more responsive ride
DNA Tuned is plush but not bouncy. For more energy return, a livelier foam like the Nike Vomero Plus will feel peppier.
How it Compares
Brooks Glycerin 23 vs. New Balance 880v15
Two cushioned neutral daily trainers that feel different underfoot. The Glycerin 23 (38/30 mm, 8 mm drop) rides soft and plush on DNA Tuned foam with a flexible forefoot and no rocker — a heel-friendly, natural-feeling cruise — in a roomy knit with a wider toe box. The 880v15 stacks taller (40.5/34.5 mm, 6 mm drop) on firmer Fresh Foam X and leans on a rockered geometry to roll you forward, in a snugger, more secure midfoot. Both are easy-mile, all-day shoes, and neither uses a springy supercritical foam.
Choose the Glycerin 23 for a softer, plusher, more flexible ride and a roomier fit. Choose the 880v15 for a taller, firmer, rocker-driven ride and a snugger hold. We carry both.
Brooks Glycerin 23 vs. HOKA Clifton 11
Both are go-to cushioned trainers for easy miles and long days on your feet, and neither is built for speed. The Glycerin 23 is lower (38/30 mm) and softer, with plush DNA Tuned foam, a flexible forefoot, and a heel-led, no-rocker ride, in a roomy knit upper. The Clifton 11 is taller (42/34 mm), a bit heavier, and built around HOKA's signature rocker that rolls you through each step on firmer compression-molded EVA, with a wider toe box and Standard/Wide/X-Wide options.
Choose the Glycerin 23 for a softer, plusher, more flexible ride. Choose the Clifton 11 for a taller stack and a rockered roll-through feel. We carry both — and can put them side by side on your feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the Glycerin 23 and the Glycerin GTS 23?
Same shoe, one difference: the GTS adds Brooks's GuideRails for a little guidance. The plain Glycerin 23 you're looking at has no GuideRails, so the ride isn't steered — just soft, plush cushioning. They share the same DNA Tuned foam, 38/30 mm stack, 8 mm drop, and knit upper. Want a touch of guidance? Go GTS. Want pure plush cushion? This is the one.
Is the Glycerin 23 a step up from the Brooks Ghost 18?
Yes — that's exactly how we describe it. If you like the Ghost 18 but want more cushion and underfoot protection, the Glycerin 23 is the plush step up: more foam, a more premium DNA Tuned midsole, and a softer ride. The Ghost is lighter, lower, and a bit firmer; the Glycerin trades some of that for plush comfort. We carry both and can put them side by side.
Is the Glycerin 23 good for walking and standing all day?
Yes — it's one of our top picks for it. The plush DNA Tuned cushioning takes pressure off your feet through long hours, and it carries the APMA Seal of Acceptance. Nurses, teachers, and anyone on hard floors all day do well in it.
Is the Glycerin 23 good for wide or high-volume feet?
Often, yes — the knit upper has a wider toe box and we stock every width Brooks makes (Narrow (2A) · Medium (B) · Wide (D) · Extra-Wide (2E)). Keep in mind "wide" is a blanket term: the foot is three-dimensional, with instep height, girth, and arch length all in play alongside width. Your foot should sit on the platform without spilling over; if it does, go wider, not longer. Best to have both feet measured in person.
Is the Glycerin 23 true to size?
Yes, it fits true to size with a slightly roomier toe box. Order your normal size and leave about a thumbnail's width past your longest toe. The accommodating upper handles a thicker sock or an orthotic well, and a little heel slip on the first few steps is normal.
Is the Glycerin 23 breathable enough for Arizona?
Its engineered knit upper breathes well and stays comfortable on warm Phoenix mornings, on the treadmill, and through all-day wear. It's a substantial, cushioned shoe rather than a thin summer racer, so for peak-summer speed work a lighter mesh will feel airier — but for everyday miles and long days on your feet, it's a comfortable warm-weather pick.
Is the Glycerin 23 good for speed or tempo runs?
Honestly, no — and we won't pretend otherwise. The DNA Tuned foam is plush and comfortable but not springy, the ride is heel-led with a flexible (non-rockered) forefoot, and it's a substantial daily trainer. It shines at easy and moderate paces, long runs, and all-day comfort. If you want pop for tempo and race day, look at a lighter, snappier shoe.
How does the Glycerin 23 compare to the HOKA Clifton 11?
Both are cushioned daily trainers for easy miles and all-day comfort, and neither is built for speed. The Glycerin 23 is softer and more flexible on plush DNA Tuned foam with a heel-led, no-rocker ride and a roomy knit. The Clifton 11 leans on firmer compression-molded EVA and HOKA's signature rocker to roll you through each step, with a wider toe box and Standard/Wide/X-Wide options. Pick the Glycerin for a softer, more flexible ride; pick the Clifton for a rockered roll-through feel. We carry both.
How durable is the Glycerin 23 — how many miles?
Plan on roughly 300–500 miles of running, typical for a cushioned daily trainer, and the durable rubber outsole holds up well. Walkers and all-day wearers usually get many months out of a pair. When the cushion goes flat, it's time for a new pair.
What's your return policy?
Our "You = Happy" policy gives you 60 days from purchase for a refund, exchange, or store credit. Refunds need the shoes in like-new condition; worn-but-not-worn-out pairs can still earn an exchange or store credit. Receipt or purchase-history lookup required. The Glycerin 23 isn't carbon-plated, so it's fully returnable (clearance and plated shoes are final sale). Online orders can be mailed back or returned in person in Glendale to skip shipping. Read the full policy →
Why Our Team Recommends the Brooks Glycerin 23
The Glycerin 23 is one of our easiest recommendations for the runner who just wants a soft, comfortable, no-drama daily trainer. We like that the DNA Tuned foam delivers that plush, premium feel without getting unstable, and that the flexible, no-rocker ride feels natural rather than gimmicky. It's a favorite for all-day-on-their-feet workers across the West Valley, for wider feet (we stock every width), and for Ghost 18 fans ready to step up to more cushion underfoot. It's not light and it's not fast, and we'll tell you so — but for plush, easygoing comfort, it's hard to beat.
It's a favorite for all-day-on-their-feet workers across the West Valley and for runners who want max cushion with a little reassurance. It's not light and it's not fast, and we'll tell you so — but for soft, supported comfort, it's hard to beat.
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Why Buy from Tortoise and Hare Sports
We're a locally owned specialty running store in Glendale, Arizona — not a warehouse. When you buy from us, you get the experience of a team that has fit thousands of runners and walkers across Phoenix metro and actually knows these shoes.
Expert, in-person fit help — we watch how you move and match you to the right shoe, size, and width on the actual pair, not a guess.
Our "You = Happy" Return Policy — 60 days. If your shoes aren't right, you have 60 days to return them for a refund, exchange, or store credit — and yes, you can run in them first.
We carry the alternatives — if a shoe isn't right for you, we'll tell you and put you in one that is. The goal is the right fit, not just a sale.
Real local knowledge — we run and walk in the same Arizona heat and on the same routes you do, so our advice fits your world.
Whether you shop online or stop by the store, you're backed by people who care that you get it right. Come see us in Glendale — we'd love to help you find your next pair.
