Walk into any running shop in Australia and you'll get sold the same two brands on repeat: Brooks and Saucony. Both make excellent neutral trainers, both have loyal followings, and both get marked up hard at full-price retailers when the exact same shoe is sitting cheaper on Amazon Australia. If you're trying to work out which brand actually suits your feet — and which model is worth your money this week — here's the honest breakdown.
The short version: Brooks leans soft and protective. Saucony leans bouncy and energetic. Neither is "better" — it depends on what your legs are asking for. Below are five models worth a look right now, three from Brooks and two from Saucony, covering everyday trainers through to race day.
Brooks Ghost 16 — Women's
- DNA Loft v3 cushioning — soft landing without feeling mushy
- Neutral support, smooth heel-to-toe transition
- The benchmark "daily driver" trainer millions of runners default to
Current AU price: $195.06 | Best for: runners who want a forgiving, no-surprises everyday shoe
Brooks Ghost 16 — Men's
- Same DNA Loft v3 midsole as the women's version, men's-specific last
- Durable enough to handle 500+ km before it breaks down
- Slightly firmer ride than Saucony's equivalent — protective rather than springy
Current AU price: $170.61 | Best for: high-mileage runners who value durability over pep
Brooks Glycerin 23 — Women's
- Brooks' most cushioned road shoe — built for long runs, not speed
- Updated DNA Loft v3 midsole for a plush, protective ride
- The shoe to reach for if your knees or joints are the limiting factor, not your lungs
Current AU price: $229.36 | Best for: long-distance runners prioritising joint comfort over feedback
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 — Women's
- SPEEDROLL geometry plus a nylon plate for genuine tempo-day pep
- The carbon-plate racing feel without the carbon-plate price tag
- This is the Saucony answer to "I want energy return, not just cushion"
Current AU price: $140.55 (currently discounted — flagged as a Hot Deal on SoleScout) | Best for: tempo runs, threshold sessions, and race day on a budget
Saucony Cohesion 18 — Men's
- VERSARUN cushioning — plush, dependable, built for daily mileage
- The most affordable shoe in this lineup by a wide margin
- Wide-fit friendly, good for runners who've been squeezed out of narrower trainers
Current AU price: $99.99 (currently discounted — flagged as a Hot Deal on SoleScout) | Best for: runners who want a no-fuss daily shoe under $100
So which one?
If you're chasing comfort over a long run and don't care about shaving seconds, Brooks is the safer bet — the Ghost 16 and Glycerin 23 are built to protect, not excite. If you do tempo work, threshold sessions, or just want a livelier ride for the same daily miles, Saucony's PWRRUN-based shoes (like the Endorphin Speed 4) feel noticeably springier underfoot. And if budget is the deciding factor, the Cohesion 18 at under $100 is hard to argue with.
Australians routinely pay full RRP for both brands at bricks-and-mortar running stores. We track the Amazon Australia price on these models daily so you don't have to.
Browse all current deals at SoleScout → /collections/all