| Gender | Men , Women |
| Runner weight | Light , Medium |
| Surface | track |
| Use | Racing , mixed |
| Year | 2017 |
Ideal for Cross Country or trail running, the Mach edition of Brooks has stood out for offering maximum functionality in a lightweight and comfortable design, which has led them to become one of the best options in shoes of this type. However, the Brooks Mach 18 edition comes with a complete renovation to what we had seen in the predecessor shoes, with a more efficient design and better performance.
We will see a renewal in the upper design, as well as in the construction of the soles and midsole. The result is a lighter, more agile shoe with excellent performance. Thanks to its new features, the Mach 18 offers better grip on technical terrain, allowing us to move with greater speed and safety.
The upper is made with a very closed mesh that prevents dirt or loose ground material from hurting our feet, but at the same time allows air to pass through to the inside to maintain a cool and comfortable environment. Both the upper design and the mesh chosen for the construction allow the shoe to hug the foot securely.
The construction is now slightly lower which makes the shoes lighter; the collar is the point where we will notice this design change, allowing greater mobility for the ankles. In the heel area, thermoplastic reinforcements have been placed to help anchor the foot more securely inside the shoe, preventing the shoes from accidentally slipping out.
The Brooks Mach 17 shoes use an asymmetrical lacing that allows for more support and makes the upper fit comfortably to the natural contours of the instep. The flat laces allow the shoe to fit tighter and more securely.
For the midsole, Super DNA technology is used, a compound that Brooks has recently manufactured that offers better characteristics than the predecessor BioMoGo DNA. This new compound is up to 25% lighter than the previous rubber, but with the same cushioning characteristics. The main quality of this rubber is that it adapts in a personalized way to the pressure that the runner exerts on the shoe to provide the cushioning that is needed depending on the conditions of the race.
When we run we do not exert the same pressure on the midsole as when we are standing. Thanks to its memory capacity, the Super DNA compound molds to the amount of pressure our feet produce and then returns to normal conditions when the pressure is removed, ensuring maximum durability of the midsole over time.
The soles of the Brook Mach 18 are made of a highly abrasion resistant rubber. From the midfoot section towards the toe, more aggressive lugs have been placed that allow the shoe to have better grip on technical terrain; the lugs are 6 millimeters in size and are designed with a pointed toe for maximum performance.
To make the shoes more adaptable to the most challenging terrain, five 6-millimeter spikes are included that can be attached and removed to the front of the shoe according to our needs, for this a special key is included.
With a new design and improved performance, the Mach 18 has undoubtedly improved over previous editions. Now we will have a lighter shoe, which will allow us to move with speed, but will also be aggressive enough for the most challenging races.