Editor rating:
8/10 on
JON OBER
User's rating:

PROS

  • Comfortable, stable ride.
  • Complete sole overhaul thanks to Guide Rails.
  • Sturdy construction.

CONS

  • Drastic changes may upset longtime fans. Ride feels noticeably different.
  • Long breaking period.

OUR VERDICT

The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 remains true to its acronym being a "Go To Shoe". In a bold move, the sole is completely revamped with Guide Rails giving a new approach to stability.

Loyalists will either fall in love again or shun it away. This longtime user is a fan.
SHOE INFO
Brand
Adrenaline GTS 19
Model
Type
11 oz. (312 gr.)
Weight
130 US$
MSRP
12 mm
Heel Drop
Nov / 2018
Release Date
Previous model
WHO IS IT FOR
This shoe caters to moderate to severe overpronators. People training for half marathon and up will appreciate this shoe; especially for the longer days and recovery runs.

Brooks is not messing around for the 19th edition of the Adrenaline. The fan favorite returns this year with a redesigned sole unit; fresh with Brooks’ Guide Rails support system.

On the surface, the shoe looks the same. Similar upper, same drop, and around the same weight. However, the ride feels remarkably different. It will either make you fall back in love with or have the shoes go back to where you got them.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 General Info

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 - Lateral Side

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 – Lateral Side

This is a flagship shoe from Brooks. It is one of their most popular shoes and continues to be a major contender in the stability shoe game.

It competes against other max support lines such as Asics’ Kayano, Adidas’ Solar Glide ST, and Mizuno’s Wave inspire. The Solar Glide ST is the closest competition in terms of tech.

Unboxing was somewhat underwhelming. the first thing I noticed was the chunkiness of the sole and how heavy they felt in my hands.

The upper looked near identical to last year short of some neon streaks. From a style standpoint, it felt like a side step. I couldn’t pull these off in jeans for sure.

Cosmetics aside, the shoes felt great the first time lacing up. They felt and rode comfortably.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 Sole Unit

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 - Sole

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 – Sole

Significant updates have been made to the sole. Brooks has ditched dual density and have gone all in with Guide Rails to aid against over pronation.

Guide Rails are best compared to bowling with bumpers. They are there to not land a gutter ball – but the ball (or in this case your foot) can move freely without them.

The midsole is extended further up. The ‘rails’ on each side of the shoe cradled my foot. The Bio degradable BioMoGo foam complemented the guide rails nicely. It felt soft to the touch.

Brooks doesn’t want you to think this new system corrects your stride and instead gently guides you along. I didn’t buy this because it sure felt like my stride was being corrected on every strike!

On every step, I could feel the rails correcting me. I was landing on my midfoot and my foot wasn’t rolling in which was great! it still felt awkward because other parts of my body were being corrected though.

It took at least 30 miles before I was familiar with how it handled. I experienced tightness in my obliques for probably the first time ever and it was not particularly fun.

The outsole has plenty of grip and performed well in bad weather. The material is remarkably durable and there was minimal wear after putting over 100 miles in them. I can see these shoes easily going beyond 500 miles.

The high heel drop continues to be bothersome but not as much as usual. I found my transitions to lift off weren’t as stiff and I wasn’t overworking my quads. I can thank the guide rails for this, but 12mm is still just too high for me. Sorry!

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 Upper Info

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 - Toe

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 – Toe

The upper’s material is breathable mesh that stretched to the shape of my foot. It’s somewhat water resistant and dried fast when I took them out in the rain.

It looks and feels nearly identical to last year’s model. It’s incredibly comfortable and feels great. The heel unit is soft with structure added to it. It goes against the back of my foot nicely and caused no slippage.

The toe box has enough room to move around, but does not press down and cause any discomfort. The fit is true to size and I felt no need to size up or go with a wider size.

The lacing feels great. No hot spots, no inconsistent fit, no discomfort on the top of my foot. The Tongue is light and plush.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 Conclusions

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 - Heel

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 – Heel

Leading up to testing these, I blew the dust off of my 18s to get familiar with them since the 19s were going to have major changes.

I was a little worried after reading product info for the 19. I had just finished testing the Brooks Bedlams which have Guide Rails and they were a huge disappointment.

The shoes came right after my autumn A race so they were used for recovery and in the base building for the Spring. I was not a fan at first. The GuideRails My foot was landing differently and I couldn’t get in a groove.

Thankfully the distaste went away. I couldn’t go especially fast in them, but my easy to moderate days were a breeze. Once I put them in a rotation with my other shoes, I grew to appreciate them even more.

Bottom line, give these shoes a chance. Don’t immediately write them off. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and they remain to be my Go to shoe.

We purchased a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 Price Comparison

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