Shoe Review: Brooks Aurora

By the Fleet Feet Review Team. With over 80 years of combined experience, our review team is dedicated to providing in-depth gear and shoe reviews to help you find the best shoes and gear for your next run.

Expect the unexpected. That’s exactly what Brooks brings to the table with the Aurora.

Inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, designers at Brooks Blue Line created the Aurora with an otherworldly aesthetic.

The Aurora fuses conceptual design with biomechanical feedback to create a running experience unlike any other. The Brooks Aurora is a concept model for Brooks’ newly engineered DNA Loft v3 foam.

DNA Loft v3 is nitrogen infused for a lightweight, bouncy feel that doesn’t compromise under pressure. In combination with the decoupled heel and forefoot, the Aurora performs like a moon shoe as much as it looks like one.

Our reviewers loved the sleek, lightweight design and the new-age cushioning of the Aurora.

Available on limited release on June 17, this is a drop you’ll want to add to your calendars.

Tech Specs	Brooks Aurora
Weight	7.6 oz (W) 8.5 oz (M)
Drop	6 mm
Category	Cushioned, Neutral
Surface	Roads
Use	Everyday training, Looking cooler than everyone else.

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Women's Brooks Aurora Running Shoes

1 Colors

$200

Designer Dive

We sat down with Brooks Blue Line's Senior Manager of Product, Nikhil Jain, to get the backstory of the inspiration and design process behind the Aurora.

A runner wearing the Brooks Aurora running shoes

Brooks Blue Line development labs were created about three and a half years ago, as a way for the company to get ahead of the curve in technology and consumer needs. You are probably already familiar with their work: The Hyperion and Hyperion Elite 2 were both born in the Blue Line labs.

“Our goal with the Aurora is to create a running experience akin to running in space. We named it the Aurora after the Aurora Borealis, way up in the atmosphere, as close to space as possible,” says Jain.

Brooks' design is typically informed by runner’s biomechanics. While the Aurora may look like nothing you’ve ever seen before, it’s performance is uniquely Brooks.

“We want to provide a natural running experience. We’re looking to create a rolling sensation with easy turnover while adding more cushioning without compromising the weight,” says Jain.

It’s safe to say the Brooks Aurora exceeds expectations.

One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap for Brooks

The Brooks Aurora has traffic-stopping good looks, and crowd-wowing performance.

At the core of the Aurora design model lies a decoupled heel and forefoot. Jain explains that through Brooks’s biomechanical studies, designers have uncovered that the forefoot and heel behave differently on the run.

“The Brooks point of view is primarily informed by biomechanics. We want to provide a natural running experience, and we noticed that the heel and forefoot often want to work independently of each other naturally,” says Jain.

A photo of the Brooks Aurora running shoes

If you’re a heel striker or a forefoot striker, you already know what this feels like.

The body places different amounts of pressure on different parts of the foot as you run, depending on your unique gait pattern.

“So when designing the Aurora, we implemented a dramatically decoupled heel and forefoot with neutral cushioning to accommodate this,” says Jain.

The Aurora’s decoupled heel allows for strategic tuning of the heel and forefoot cushioning, independent of each other.

That’s revolutionary.

Together with the exaggerated bevel shape of the heel, the Aurora promises a rolling, cushioned run unlike any other.

Our team of reviewers were nothing short of wowed by the Aurora’s performance on the run.

“The Aurora isn’t billed as a speed shoe, but they’re surprisingly fun to run fast in and they work well for picking up the pace,” says one reviewer.

The nitrogen infused DNA Loft v3 foam was a hit as well. Reviewers loved the lightweight, bouncy feeling on walks and runs.

Plus, the exaggerated, rounded shape of the midsole foam garnered plenty of compliments.

Great Scott! These Shoes Look Good

The Aurora’s instantly gave our review team big Back to the Future Vibes.

The spacey-cool design was inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 2019, but the Aurora’s could easily be a Marty McFly favorite.

A person bends down to tie the laces on the Brooks Aurora running shoes

Brooks designed the Aurora with a monomesh, see-through upper that is unbelievably lightweight and breathable.

“These shoes perform exceptionally well in the heat thanks to the lightweight upper, super breathable mesh and smooth, seamless bootie construction,” notes one reviewer.

The monomesh works seamlessly into the bootie construction. An attached tongue and super soft, stretchy laces let you dial in the feel whether you’re stepping out on the town or taking your Aurora’s for a jog.

“The upper has a completely different feel than the traditional Brooks trainers I’m used to. It’s see-through and looks cool, but it feels more stiff than soft. Luckily, it completely disappears from my awareness once I start running. I love how breathable it is,” says one reviewer.

Reviewers were particularly impressed with the roomier feel the Aurora offers compared to other Brooks models.

“The fit of the Aurora feels longer and wider to me than most Brooks shoes. Maybe even a half size long. I put it on alongside a Ghost 13 and the Aurora is definitely roomier. Despite the roominess, I didn’t have trouble with heel slippage, rubbing or blisters,” says a reviewer.

In addition to the ultra-lightweight upper, Brooks designers continue to pull inspiration from astronaut space suits by including contoured padding throughout the heel, and reflective accents across the heel counter.

Final Thoughts

Brooks Blue Line designers have raised the bar once again with the limited release of the Aurora.

Cutting-edge engineering resulted in ultra-light, nitrogen infused DNA Loft v3 midsole foam that delivers a flighty feel and unbeatable cushioning.

A monomesh upper and reflective accents work with the exaggerated blobs of midsole foam to deliver an out of this world feel and aesthetic that is sure to wow wherever you go.

Jain says of the Aurora, “Ultimately, the Aurora is a concept car for runners to interact with. Technology from the Aurora will be brought to future Brooks models to bring a sense of advanced cushioning to more runners.”

It’s safe to say we’ll be on the edge of our seats waiting for what Brooks Blue Line cooks up next.