The Brooks Addiction 13's outsole is made of a HPR plus rubber. It is very thick. This helps provide toughness and support to the shoe's base. The outsole has some features that emphasize a smooth ride with extra support. The heel of the outsole is actually designed into a segmented crash pad. This provides extra cushioning when the heel strikes the ground on landing, which is where the most impact is in someone's stride. There are also flex grooves etched into the the bottom of the outsole. This adds some flexibility to the usually inflexible rubber. There are also small intersections among the treads in the bottom of the outsole that are designed to help disperse the impact of the ground for even more support.

The midsole of the Addiction 13 is jam-packed with features and technology that come together to create a stupendously comfortable ride. Brooks calls the material that makes up the midsole "DNA." This is a gel-like substance that reacts dynamically to your foot. This includes forming a comfortable cushion around your foot, as well as reacting to the impact of your foot against the road. There is also an Extended Progressive Diagonal Rollbar that runs from the midfoot to the heel. This is a hardened bar that guides the foot into a natural gait. It has been placed there to help with overpronation. These technologies come together to create a supportive, comfortable bed for your foot.

The Addiction 13's upper is made of mesh that is supported by microfiber and synthetic overlays. The mesh is built with an emphasis on breathability and the ability to wick away sweat. The mesh wouldn't be enough to keep the upper parts of the shoe supported. That's where the overlays come in. They house the mesh and give it structure. The material that the overlays are made of are meant to be lightweight while retaining enough support to keep the runner confident in their stride. The inside of the upper is lined with elements lining. Elements lining is comfortable and will keep your foot dry and cool.

Although the Addiction 13 is made up of the lightest materials possible, the shoe has been noted to be quite heavy. Heavy shoes can make your feet tired, as well as burden your stride your stride. This can reduce the effortlessness of your form. The Addiction 13 weighs 13.3 ounces in a men's size 9, which is an ounce or two heavier than many other running shoes. The upper of the shoe is made of light material, but the midsole and outsole are made of heavier and more complex stuff. Support shoes are often heavier than other shoes, because it takes extra elements of construction to support weak arches and problems like overpronation.

The Addiction 13 has effective breathability. There are many design elements that come together to keep your feet dry and cool. The most obvious is the breathable mesh in the upper. Of course, many shoes have breathable mesh in their upper these days, but where the Addiction 13 shines is that the material of that mesh is also absorbent. This gives it the ability to take sweat from your foot and transfer it out to the open air to evaporate. The other elements that help keep your feet cool are the element lining and the DNA midsole. The lining is also built to wick away sweat to truly assure that your foot stays dry. Finally, there's the DNA gel in the midsole which will transfer heat away from the common hotspots that runners always have to deal with.

The Addiction 13 is a very comfortable, but with some caveats that might affect you. The chamber of the shoe has been designed with comfort at the forefront. The DNA gel that makes up the midsole is also present in the upper cushioning of the shoe. It provides a dynamic fit for your foot. It will react and mold to your foot's shape. It redoes this every time you wear it so it will always quickly adapt to your foot, no matter what changes might occur to it. The other element of the chamber that adds to the shoe's overall comfort is the Element lining that is made of a more expensive fabric than you would often find in a running shoe. It feels very nice and light. However, there are some things to be aware of before you go off and buy this shoe right now. Many people with wider feet noted that the toe box of the Addiction is quite narrow. Most importantly, it is more narrow than the other editions of the Brooks Addiction. Another element they have changed for the worse is the ankle collar. It now curves inward and can rub against the skin of your Achilles tendon very uncomfortably.

The general style of the Brooks Addiction 13 is quite modern and sleek. It's color combinations have a chrome-like inflection to them that gives the shoe an almost metallic sleekness. The overlays are thin and streamlined looking. The men's color combinations are a black-grey with colors such as metallic gold and red. The women's are in a brighter grey with colors such as pink, pagoda blue, and royal blue.

Many reviewers note the comfort and stability of the Addiction 13, but something that is also very impressive about the shoe is its durability. The Addiction 13 will last you longer than many other shoes in the support shoe market. All of its individual parts are made of very strong materials. The upper is made of a stronger mesh than the market's standard. The gel in the midsole is extra long lasting due to its ability to absorb impacts. And then there's the outsole, which in its quest to make a supportive base layer for your foot, also made a very durable one. Some reviewers even mentioned that they had to decide to stop wearing the shoe because it wasn't going to fall apart any time soon.

The Addiction 13 does a good job protecting your foot from the damaging elements often found on the road. The shoe protects itself effectively with its thick rubber outsole. Your foot won't get worn down because of multiple elements in the shoe. The crash pad in the heel does an effective job diverting the force of those hard heelstrikes. Then the pods of tread on the outsole are also effective at dispersing impacts. Inside the foot chamber the DNA gel does a good job managing the spots where your foot will often rub against the shoe.

The Brooks Addiction 13 puts an emphasis on guidance and transition to get the proper amount of responsiveness out of the shoe. The gel in the midsole does a good job stiffening enough to give your foot something to bounce off of with every foot strike. The hard rubber of the outsole does a fine job of absorbing the ground's impact. These two elements make for a natural feeling ride, but the roll bar in the midfoot and the flex grooves are the things that help it become a properly motioned run. The roll bar keeps your foot in a good posture during its transition from heel to toe. Finally, the flex grooves etched into the rubber allow the natural motion of your foot to go ahead. This guidance system working in tandem with the materials of the shoe is what maximizes the Addiction's responsiveness.

The Addiction 13 lives up to its purpose as a support shoe very well. The roll bar that moves from midfoot to heel provides very good support for your feet. It raises your instep into a more natural alignment. It also provides good support for those with flatter arches. The outsole also helps here. The hard rubber has much less give than other materials used in outsoles. This strong base provides a little extra support for those who need it.

The Addiction 13 has been designed as a road running shoe. It would also be a very good shoe for the gym. There have been many complaints among runners about this shoe's status as a running shoe. It lacks some of the stability necessary for more serious runners. That, coupled with some issues in the ankle collar, can cause concern if you do plan on using it as a running shoe. However, it does unquestioningly succeed as a walking shoe. The emphasis on support and comfort make it ideal for those who like to go for a daily walk. This is a knock against the shoe, but many of its complaints can be ignored if you only plan to use it as a walker.

The Brooks Addiction 13 is an expensive shoe. There are other, comparable, support shoes on the market at a slightly lower price. Those shoes also don't have the issues that the Addiction 13 has if you are a more serious runner. On the other hand, when you account for its durability and the specific needs it meets, this shoe is great value for a specific niche. If you are outside of that niche then it might be better to look at other shoes, perhaps even other shoes in the Addiction series.

Traction is important in a support shoe to keep your feet firmly on the ground so that those support systems can do their stuff. The Addiction 13 has a detailed level of traction to achieve this. The outsole is made of rubber, which is one of the stickier materials that a outsole can be made of. This is obviously good for traction in any kind of weather. The pattern on the tread is very detailed. The flex grooves that are marked into the shoe give you adaptable grip for varying scenarios.

The flexibility of the Addiction 13 is actually kind of surprising. Support shoes aren't known for their flexibility, but this one does the best it can with what it has. Rubber is generally a very stiff material. This is a good thing for a support shoe, but it is not a good thing for liftoff when running. The Addiction 13 rectifies this slightly with the flex grooves. Notched into the side of the shoe, the flex grooves provide joint-like flexibility to the rubber. It doesn't match the flexibility of shoes designed out of more flexible stuff, but it does provide a good middle ground for those who need the support.

The stability of the Addiction is the other area that many runners had a problem with. The lack of stability is what may make it more qualified as a walking shoe. The segmented heel crash pad actually reduces the stability in the heel. The crash pad absorbs a lot of the pressure of your heelstrikes, but due to its decentralized nature it actually reduces your balance as well. Many reviewers had trouble running on it, and didn't feel very confident while running in this shoe.

The Addiction 13 is more of a heel striking shoe. It has a heel to toe differential of 12 millimeters. This doesn't make it an old school heel striking shoe, but in these modern days it definitely qualifies. It has a pretty standard stack height for a road shoe. You won't feel too far or too close to the ground.

-Dynamic comfort from DNA gel
-Diagonal roll bar guides foot into a more natural position
-Breathable mesh provides ample moisture wicking

The Brooks Addiction 13 does some things very right. It has very effective support and an ample amount of comfort. It will also last you a very long time. The issue is that it doesn't do much better than the earlier editions in the Addiction line. There have been odd changes in the toe box and heel that negatively impacted many users, and it is quite expensive for a shoe that might not be the best for running. But, if you only need a support shoe for your every day walking needs, the Brooks Addiction 13 is comfortable, breathable, well supported, durable, and well worth its price.