Customer Reviews Brooks Ariel '20

I have been wearing Brooks Ariel for years. I do have foot, arch issues. Most people that order usually have some sort of problems. I just recieved my shoes and I am sadly dissapointed. You can tell as soon as you put the shoe on the stabilty is not there, is is soft and does not compair to other ariels I have had. Even the shoes strings and cheap! Something you could buy at Walmart! i Have to keep this pair as I have to have something to wear. This will be last purchase of Brooks. They use to have such a good reputation for support and quality, not anymore. I am sure there is something else out there, so I am on the search for something better. I just think for the price you should get what you pay for!

If you have wide feet and are looking for a roomy toebox, this is the shoe for you! Additionally, there is a noticeable difference in the amount of padding in this shoe—like walking on a cloud. I have osteoarthritis in both knees, and this shoe seems to help. Highly recommend

I love these shoes! I have worn the Aerial 18 before and I liked it, but my orthotics didn't fit well with them. The Aerial 20 has the three things that were missing for me in the 18: orthotics, longer laces that stayed tied. and light weight fabric for the mesh. I am a walker that walks 5 miles 6 days a week.

Diagnosed many years ago with rheumatoid arthritis, at age twenty-one, my feet are an area severely affected. After numerous surgeries, it is a challenge to find shoes in which I can walk comfortably. This Brooks allows me to do just that. They provide terrific support, especially in the heel/ankle. I am able to place my custom made orthotics in the shoe and still have room for my toes to not feel any pressure. I wish there were more than two color choices.

The new improvements to this shoe are a plus. I haver always loved this shoe and have been a loyal customer for 15 plus years, but the "side rails" of whatever they are calling the increased pronation prevention make the shoe even more comfortable. I too have issues with some "play" in the heel area, so I would love to know how to tie to prevent this as mentioned by the previous reviewer. Still, I see the changes as a significant positive in terms of comfort.

These are great! I like the wide toe box so I can wiggle my toes, and they just feel very sturdy (easier to balance on one foot). The footbeds are super comfy, but don't have much arch support, so I've added superfeet to mine which makes them perfect for me (I'm pretty flat footed). Walked a few miles in these after getting them which normally results in some hip pain for me, and I didn't have that this time! I've had a bunch of foot surgery and am missing some bones so walk a little unevenly, these must have evened me out some!

Here's the beef with the last two pair of the same shoes and same model: the fabric that begins before the last 3 holes of shoe laces at the tongue of shoe and wraps around the top of the shoe to the heel is defective in my humble opinion. I've had these for a month and already the fabric is worn through on both right and left shoes. There is nothing that I can see that would wear these spots out shoes. I'm not sure I'd buy them again. Unfortunately. s

Overall this gets one star because after only about 50 miles of running, there was a hole both toes where the sole had pulled away from the shoe. Meanwhile, my Brooks Ariel '18 lasted for 6-8 months of running without holes. In fact, I still wear the Ariel 18's when I am gardening.

I am really happy with my Brooks Ariel '20. They offer more side support than the '18 version. This time around I ordered size 8 ww which is perfect for me (I wear 7.5 w in dress shoes). I have ugly feet -- huge bunions and hammer toes on both feet and narrow heels. The double wide width with my custom orthotics and thick padded socks works great for my runs and walks (I average 10-15 miles jogging and 15 miles walking per week). I could only order the black with blue combination and wish the other color was available in my size.

Overall, I like the Brooks Ariel '20. This shoe is perfect for what I need; walking, home workouts, & aerobics. It is much more attractive than some of the Brooks shoes I have bought in the past. I have a wide foot and am a heavy woman (350 lbs.) I bought a size 11.5 wide. Initially, the shoe felt snug and my great toe seemed to be touching the edge. I thought, "Oh no, I should've gone up a size". Actually, after wearing them with a thin sock, it stretched and became more comfortable. I realized that my foot was swollen at first but then the swelling went down with the shoe in place. The support is great! The cushion is descent. The pronation support is strong. The toe box is roomy. The laces have a little give to them so that it is not too difficult to tie the shoes. Despite the few issues, I am very pleased with my new purchase.

I wore Ariels for many years until something changed and my feet didn’t like them anymore. I switched to Hoka about five years ago, now my “go to” Hoka model has way less cushioning than before. I’ve returned to Brooks Ariel they seem to have changed back to their original fit, which is great. I now have the cushioning, support and stability that I need. My feet are happy again. One thing..... I was surprised to see so many comments that they are true to size. Just like when I wore them before I take a size 9 and all my regular shoes and boots are size 8. They have always run a full size small on me.

Love the comfort of these shoes. Unfortunately less than two months in my big toe tore a hole through the top of the shoe fabric. I don't keep my toe nails long although I do realize I lift my toes when walking. The fabric must be too thin for me to be able to wear these shoes. I'm very sad about this as I do love the look and comfort of them. I'll have to see if there is a harder top fabric on Brooks shoes.

I love these Brooks shoes. I have not worn Ariel before but I am so glad I tried them. I usually wear a wide in Brooks and bought an 8 wide in Ariel. The toe box is very roomy which I need. I have had several toe and foot surgeries, so I can't stand pressure on my toes. This toe box is great for me. As others have stated the heel is a bit wide. If you lace the shoes using all the "holes" that will improve the heel slipping. These shoes are very comfortable right out of the box. I am not a runner but I wear these shoes all day long. I wish that Brooks would make Ariel in more colors. I would like an additional pair but no good color choices.

I've worn the Ariel shoe for decades because of the incredible support and the 2E width. The old size 8 2E fit me perfectly, but they've changed the fit in the '20 model. The 7.5 2E is long, so I'm keeping those for cold weather with thick socks. They still slide forward a bit walking downhill, but a salesperson showed me how to tie the shoe at the ankle to better lock the foot into the heel of the shoe. The 7 2E is perfect with thin socks, so I'll wear those in warm weather.

I am a serious pronator and I'm in my sixties I've been in Brooks for 30 years this is the best pair of ever had the support is amazing I'm already going to order another pair to make sure I have them as backup

I love these shoes!!! I have a wide foot with bunions so most shoes aren’t comfortable for my feet.

I am a big fan of these Brooks shoes and the Ariel 20 did not disappoint. They're so comfortable. Th only negative when comparing previous models, the back of the shoe is soft and collapses when you go to put it on. I feel like I need a shoe horn. I can live with that. They're great!

Shoes have been comfortable but almost immediately began to fray and degrade along the top inner ankle trim area. This doesn’t affect their utility necessarily but it doesn’t look good and makes me question the overall quality of the product. I have limited options for my wide feet and Brooks is a brand that fits me well, so I haven’t decided if I’m going to continue purchasing them.

Having the same issue with material wearing as other reviewer. Shoes are super comfortable but don’t understand why they keep wearing out at sides.

I ordered a 10.0 & 10.5 both in wide. . .normal size is 9W. . . on the advice of reviews. This shoe is out of the box supportive and comfortable. I am keeping the 10.5 W. . .as I like a heavier sock. Thank you Zappos for your generous try/return policy. . .this is the heart of your company! My husband liked my shoe so much he ordered the men's version!

Loved the lighter color for spring/summer. Supports my stride perfectly. Ankles are stable, pronation control excellent.

I LOVE the 2020 version of Brooks Ariel! I’ve been wearing Ariels exclusively for several years and Brooks must have listened to customers’ comments over the past few years. This version feels lighter and I didn’t have to fiddle with the laces to get the right fit. I got these right before the COVID19 crisis hit and I can’t thank Zappos enough for excellent customer service!

The color was great...usually Ariels are not in very drab colors however, the construction was not as strong. If you wear Ariels, you have feet with issues and the sides of the shoes were mess instead of a more structure material. Sorry to return