Brooks Distance - Women's Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Soft fabric, affordable
Cons: Fairly heavy, not very breathable, odd cut-out
Manufacturer: Brooks
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
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Brooks Distance - Women's | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Price | $14.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $45.00 at Amazon | $45.00 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $39.00 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $25.93 at REI Compare at 2 sellers |
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Pros | Soft fabric, affordable | Super comfortable, breathable, quick drying, versatile | Ultralight, super breathable, packs small, smooth and stretchy fabric | Lightweight, breathable, packs small | Relaxed fit, breathable, quick drying |
Cons | Fairly heavy, not very breathable, odd cut-out | Expensive | Delicate fabric, not as versatile, pricey | Snaggable fabric | Seams run along the shoulders, no odor control |
Bottom Line | Although not optimized for running, it's still soft, comfortable, and fairly quick to dry | This shirt combines lightweight, high performance with exceptional durability | This shirt is the hands down winner for your hottest running days | An ultralight tee for your hottest runs | Comfy, casual, and breathable, this is an easy-to-wear tee |
Rating Categories | Brooks Distance - Women's | Salomon XA Tee - Women's | Capilene Cool Lightweight Tee | Echo S/S | Nike Miler |
Comfort (30%) | |||||
Breathability (30%) | |||||
Drying Speed (20%) | |||||
Features & Versatility (20%) | |||||
Specs | Brooks Distance -... | Salomon XA Tee -... | Capilene Cool... | Echo S/S | Nike Miler |
Weight | 3.88 oz (size S) | 2.93 oz (size S) | 1.69 oz (size XS) | 1.9 oz (size XS) | 3.25 oz (size S) |
Material | DriLayer 88% recycled polyester, 12% lyocell | 89% polyester, 11% elastane | Polyester double knit | 100% polyester | 100% polyester |
Reflective Areas? | No | Yes | No | Yes | Chest logo, back logo |
Seam Type | Overlock | Flatlock | Flatlock | Flatlock | Flatlock |
UPF? | No | No | No | Yes, 15 | No |
Odor Control? | No | Polygiene | Polygiene | AirVent | No |
Zip Neck Option? | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The best feature of the Distance is its super soft fabric, but this tee is lacking in performance across the rest of our metrics. It's a comfy hang out shirt, but not our top pick for real running workouts.
Performance Comparison
Comfort
Comfort is key in running apparel, and while the fabric on this shirt is certainly soft, the fit lets us down in this category. There is a triangular-shaped cut-out on the back of the shirt at the base of the neck, and the top of this cut-out is spanned by a piece of binding in the same fabric as the shirt. Our testers found that this feature caused some odd pulling in the fit of the shirt, and it can rub uncomfortably when worn underneath a running vest — an absolute no-go for long days! Additionally, it's just a strange spot to have to remember to apply sunscreen. That said, we do like the length of the sleeves, found the sizing to be accurate, and the overall quality seems decent.
Breathability
Though the looseness of this shirt allows for some good airflow, the fabric itself doesn't feel that breathable when running. When weighed, it is heavier than most of the running shirts we test, and it isn't our top choice for heat.
Drying Speed
Drying speed is a metric we look at it because it plays a factor in both how quickly your sweat will wick away, as well as how quickly your shirt will dry if you're caught in a rain shower or if an alpine lake is calling your name. The Distance is a mid-pack performer when testing this feature. It dries faster than some other shirts that are a bit lighter, but not as quickly as shirts that are really aimed at running on trails or in the heat.
Features & Versatility
This is a simple shirt without many of the performance specific features we look for, such as a UPF rating or odor control. However, the softness and looseness of the Distance gives this a bit of versatility and would make it comfortable for activities such as yoga or indoor climbing. We'd probably skip this one when packing for any backcountry adventures, but it is a good gym-to-daily-life top.
Value
The price point of the Brooks shirt isn't at the top end of the spectrum of the shirts we test, but it does feel a bit expensive based on the fact that it isn't really a shirt we'd choose to run in. Without the running-specific features, it just feels like a casual top that you could also do an easy workout in. If you're looking for a high performer, there are other shirts we'd recommend investing in, and if you're on a tight budget, other cheaper shirts perform better than this one.
Conclusion
There are aspects of the Brooks Distance that we like, mainly the softness of the fabric, but it just isn't our pick for running. It's moderately breathable and dries decently quickly, but the issues with the cut-out that affect the fit and cause rubbing outweigh the pros. Wear this one to watch your favorite inspirational running film from the comfort of your couch or to do your post-run stretching, but it's not the best choice to log all your weekly miles.
— Paige Klugherz