Brooks Ravenna 10 Review

Light and fast with a touch of support for overpronators

The Brooks Ravenna 10 will leave you feeling fast and nimble. It’s a great racing shoe for overpronators or a standard trainer for runners who mildly overpronate. It’s an ideal trainer for high school and college athletes. Like past versions of this shoe, the Ravenna stays light and fast. The addition of guide rails provide support for runners who overpronate while increasing the overall durability.

PROS:

Zippy, fast ride
Comfortable, secure fit
Guide rails for support

CONS:

Color/style is meh
Lacks cushioning for long runs

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Check Women’s Price on Amazon

Brooks is one of the leading manufacturers of athletic shoes – especially running shoes. The Ravenna 10 is one of Brooks’ new road models, an upgrade from the Ravenna 9. Made for both men and women, it is not Brooks’ top-selling shoe, although it is still popular, coming in a close second behind the Adrenaline.

The Ravenna 10 is made to give you extra support and to energize your stride. It is an excellent shoe for neutral runners, or even for those who might overpronate (roll inward) just a little. Runners with flat to medium arches, or those who prefer, or even need, extra support would also benefit from the Ravenna 10.

Since the Ravenna 10 is a road running shoe, it is going to be best for paved surfaces that have minimal to slight uneven areas. This shoe is pretty light, but with the extra cushion it will wear well on hard, even surfaces, and is comfortable enough for long runs right out of the box.

Upper

Brooks knew what they were doing when they designed the Ravenna 10’s upper. Brooks shoes often run slightly small, but most runners have found the Ravenna 10 to provide ample room without being loose. The internal bootie of the shoe is nice and fitted, but it isn’t too tight, so it doesn’t over control.

The mesh upper is one solid piece and it’s rather flexible while maintaining a sleek look. Other reviews have mentioned how the look and design is stylish. More importantly, the mesh is made to provide great airflow but also to protect the feet by mitigating cold temperatures and damp or wet conditions, even when running in winter.

While most runners have noted that the snug fit of the upper was comfortable and just right for support, there were some complaints of a small or narrow toe box. This can come down to personal preference and of course each individual’s feet, but the one-piece upper mesh can feel a little stiff to some, while others may really enjoy the snug feel.

The design and color of the upper mesh is the primary difference between the men’s and women’s models of the Ravenna 10. The men’s shoe weighs 9.4 ounces (268 g) and the women’s shoe weighs 8.3 ounces (235 g). Both models are extremely light for the stability they offer.

The mesh color options are not bright or flashy, so they aren’t going to stand out in a race. The colors are very mild and neutral in nature, so whether you like the color options will depend on what kind of look you are going. The Ravenna 10 is designed to have a modest yet modern look to it.

Midsole

The most important upgrade to the Ravenna 10 has been the GuideRails holistic support system. This system replaced the medial post system that was used in the Ravenna 9 model, which was a little firmer and less flexible, almost to the point of over-controlling the natural foot stride.

This was a really smart move by Brooks designers, to develop the benefits of this shoe to giving extra support to the knees where a lot of runners tend to have injuries over time. This is done by stabilizing movement in the heel and ankle, allowing your joints, hips, and knees to move naturally.

Some runners may not realize that there are many factors that can influence running injuries or strain. It’s not always just about the feet. The science Brooks puts into their shoe designs, particularly the Ravenna 10, is with the intent of taking the whole body into account, to minimize discomfort.

The technology that’s in the GuideRails helps minimize extra movement in the foot, in turn allowing for maximum comfort during a run or workout. The rails run along the side of the heel area of the shoe, helping the foot feel surrounded with total support, without forcing your stride. This minimal control helps you keep a natural movement.

Plus, this newest Ravenna 10 has an improved midsole from the previous versions. Brooks has added more foam under the forefoot, which is what gives it a great deal of firm, yet springy cushioning. Runners with a neutral stride may also notice experiencing less fatigue through the legs on long runs.

Brooks put their BioMoGo DNA in the Ravenna 10, which is intended to adjust to a runner’s weight, gait, and pace. This is not a gel insert, it’s a blend of the Brooks traditional foam cushioning and their BioMogo midsole compound. The end result of this combination is more adaptive cushioning all through the midsole.

Between the BioMoGo DNA cushioning and the GuideRails, the shoe creates a more energized step, helping you run longer with less fatigue. You’ll find the Ravenna provides a more responsive heel to toe transition through the Midfoot Transition Zone than the Ravenna 9.

Outersole

The Ravenna 10 is made of a durable, springy, blown rubber compound outsole to help give you extra bounce on your run, plus durability to last many miles on the road. The outsole has a great tread to minimize slipping, even in wet or snowy conditions. The 10mm heel-to-toe drop also provides ample cushioning.

The tread on the Ravenna 10 is designed around an X pattern, which helps create quick heel-to-toe transition. The sole is firm, yet still has enough flexibility to it to maintain comfort during your run, largely due to the deep flexible grooves in the tread.

Summary

Brooks is a great shoe designer as a whole. You typically can’t go wrong with their shoes, no matter which model suits your running style. The Ravenna 10 is a great model that delivers on the Brooks reputation. They are perfect for long runs or shorter speed work, delivering an all-around great performing shoe.

The Ravenna 10 is an improved model from previous versions, and is well-reviewed for neutral and overpronating runners. The majority of runners feel like the shoe is also well worth the price tag.

Through the majority of the reviews on the Ravenna 10, the shoe fits true to size. For the most part, the heel width and toe box fit best for a medium-width foot. The comfort rating was also high with a very comfortable fit overall. Try them out for yourself and see what your own verdict is!

Brooks Ravenna 9 vs Ravenna 10

The biggest change from v9 to v10 is the introduction of guide rails for stability.

Traditional stability shoes use a dense chunk of foam called a medial post. This sits near the inside back of the shoe by the front heel and part of the arch. The medial post supports the foot when it rolls in, preventing overpronation. This is what was used the Ravenna 9.

The Ravenna 10 has guide rails in place of a medial post. These firm plastic rails sit just above the midsole near the back of the arch and front of the heel on the inside portion of the shoe. A smaller piece sits on the outside of the shoe above the heel.

The guide rails provide the same level of support as a medial post but with some unique advantages. It lightens the shoes a bit (9.4 oz – v10 // 9.5 oz – v9). It also provides more even wear on the shoe. The foam in medial posts degrades slower than foam in the of the shoe. As you run, the foam becomes uneven, resulting in an uncomfortable ride.

They also provide a more customized type of support. If you think of the guide rails like bumpers at a bowling alley, they realign the foot as it overpronates. If you don’t overpronate, the Ravenna provides no support. If you overpronate slightly, it provides just enough support. The stability increases the more you overpronate.

Other changes… new foam is built into the midsole that increases durability while still providing that energizing zip the Ravenna is known for.

A new internal bootie in the upper provides a more secure, yet softer fit.