Brooks Addiction 9 vs. New Balance 1012 review

Learn what the difference is between New Balance 1012 and Brooks Addiction 9 in this review, and compare prices to find the best deal.

In two previous articles I reviewed the Brooks Addiction 9 and the New Balance WR1012 motion control running shoes.

The New Balance WR1012 is a motion control running shoe that is similar to the Brooks Ariel, so theoretically speaking it should be slightly superior than the Brooks Addiction 9.

These two motion control running shoes are made by two different running shoe manufacturers (New Balance vs. Brooks), so naturally they will differ. Let's compare them and take a look at where these running shoes are similar and how they differ.

Looking at the Brooks Addiction 9 and the New Balance WR1012 side-by-side gives a good comparison of these two motion control running shoes.

Both the Brooks Addiction 9 and New Balance 1012 have a Rollbar, which is a plate that is designed to keep your foot in a neutral plane during the gait cycle and control pronation.

Durable rubber is evenly distributed on the outsoles of the Brooks Addiction 9, while on the New Balance 1012, it is located more on the "landing areas" such as the outsides of the forefeet and heels.

If you’re a heel-striker and tend to land on the outsides of your heels and then transition over to your forefoot, you’ll enjoy the separate compartments on the outsoles of the heels of the New Balance 1012. These separate rubber compartments will absorb and keep the shock in the heels, and thus give you a smoother and more stable transitioning, which in turn means an overall smoother ride.

While the Brooks Addiction 9 has flex grooves in the heel area, it lacks separate rubber compartments so offers a more evenly distributed shock absorption. If you’re not a heel-striker (for example, if you’re into chi running), you needn’t worry about whether running shoes offer shock absorption in the heel or not, so the Brooks Addiction 9 would serve you equally well.

What’s also visible from looking at the outsoles of the two running shoes is that the New Balance 1012 has slightly more flex grooves than the Brooks Addiction 9, so is expected to give you more flexibility in the forefoot area.

And finally, the outsoles of the New Balance 1012 nicely follow the natural shape of your feet, so would make for a better running shoe than the Brooks Addiction 9 would.

Looking at the uppers of the two running shoes, you can see that the Brooks Addiction 9 has slightly more mesh than the New Balance 1012, making it slightly more breathable. In addition, the mesh of the Brooks Addiction 9 does not only let air through, but also manages moisture, so will keep your feet dry. However, the New Balance 1012 does have a liner that will also help keep your feet dry.

But more mesh also means a somewhat looser fit. This loose fit is counteracted by the addition of synthetic overlays. Both the Brooks Addiction 9 and New Balance 1012 hug your feet well from heel to forefoot, but the Brooks Addiction 9 offers slightly more wrapping around the midfoot. However, while not visible, the New Balance 1012 has a liner that is integrated into the lacing system to provide a custom fit.

The biggest difference between the Brooks Addiction 9 and New Balance 1012 will probably be in how they feel on your feet and the amount of cushioning, stability, shock absorption, and comfort they provide. In addition, the Brooks Addiction 9 has shoe laces made from recycled material and midsole material that is environmentally friendly, while the New Balance WR1012 does not.

The Brooks Addiction 9 weighs 301 grams (10.6 oz), while the New Balance WR1012 weighs 323 grams (11.4 oz), which is 22 grams (0.8 oz) heavier. So if you’re looking for a light motion control running shoe, the Brooks Addiction 9 would win in this department.

If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly and lightweight motion control running shoe that provides good stability and control, the Brooks Addiction 9 would be a good option.

If you’re a heel-striker looking for a slightly heavier, but flexible motion control running shoe that provides a comfortable ride and good stability, then the New Balance WR1012 might be a better option.

The suggested retail price difference between the Brooks Addiction 9 and the New Balance 1012 is almost $30 with the Brooks Addiction 9 being the cheaper running shoe. The Brooks Addiction 9 costs $100 and the New Balance 1012 costs almost $130.

Disclaimer: This running shoe review on www.motioncontrolrunningshoe.org is based on personal research and analysis, and is not claimed to be accurate and/or complete. While the information presented in this review is intended to help you better understand the differences between running shoes, we shall not be held liable for any purchasing decisions you make based on this information. Please use your own good judgment before making a purchase. The owner of this website receives a small compensation whenever you buy a product after clicking a product link on this website; that's how we keep this site online. Read our full disclaimer.