Details
Brand
Brooks
Breathability
8/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Trail
Type
Stability
Key Features
• Comfortable, adaptive BioMoGo DNA midsole• Progressive Diagonal Rollbar for pronation correction• Flextra, HPR Plus and blown rubber outsole is very durable• Water repellant upper• Mid-foot saddle provides adjustable, secure fit• Comfortable plush tongue and collar• Segmented Crash Pad for additional flexibility
Upper
The upper is made of a breathable mesh with synthetic overlays, but what makes the Adrenaline ASR 14 unique is that the upper is water repellant. The material in the upper is treated with DWR, which stands for Durable Water Repellant. The lining is a soft material and the tongue and collar are plush and quite comfortable. The upper also features an adjustable mid-foot saddle which helps get that secure, but comfortable fit by adjusting from both the heel and the arch section, rather than just the top mid-foot area.
Midsole
Like many Brooks shoes, the midsole of the Adrenaline ASR 14 is fully loaded, with a mix of Brooks’ top of the line technology to give the user an ultimate running experience. The midsole in this shoe is Brooks’ BioMoGo DNA midsole. This eco-friendly midsole is cushy and claims to be 30% more cushioned than a traditional EVA foam midsole. But don’t let the cushion fool you. The adaptive cushioning provided by DNA midsole is also very springy, providing plenty of energy return. The midsole section also features a full-length segmented crash pad that allows a lot of flexibility, which compliments the flexible sturdy outsole. And for all the overpronators out there, you’ll find Brooks PDBR which stands for Progressive Diagonal Rollbar, in the midsole. The PDBR helps with a smooth transition and provides pronation correction. And last but not least, let’s not forget about the removable insole in case you want to swap it out with one of your own.
Outsole
The outsole of the Adrenaline ASR 14 is made of Brooks’ own HPR Plus as well as a more traditional blown rubber in the forefoot area. The HPR Plus is a flexible and very durable rubber that also provides a lot of grip on most trail surfaces. The blown rubber is also very durable and provides a solid layer of cushion underfoot. Both rubbers are flexible, allowing the Adrenaline ASR 14 to be a surprisingly responsive trail shoe (which I’ll get more into later).;Also in the outsole is yet another rubber by Brooks called Flextra. This piece of the outsole provides enhanced flexibility and provides a customized support depending on your weight and gender. On top of that, the rubber materials are pretty light, keeping the overall weight of the shoe down. Between the three types of rubber Brooks used, the outsole is super durable with little signs of wear after plenty of test runs. The mix of durability and flexibility makes the Adrenaline ASR 14 stand out from other trail running shoes.
Breathability
When I saw the words “water repellant” I immediately thought that breathability would suffer. But not so! Luckily, the DWR treated upper did not take away from the breathability of the shoe. Don’t be expecting tons of airflow, but there was enough airflow that my feet didn’t get overheated. The upper provides a solid layer of protection, a good amount of breathability and a nice barrier if you have to go through a puddle or get caught out in the rain. Kudos to Brooks for finding a good combo of water resistance and breathability.
Comfort
Let’s start with what’s comfortable. The plush tongue and collar are great. The BioMoGo DNA midsole is cushy, but not so cushioned that my foot “sinks” into it. It also has a comfortable, secure fit thanks to the mid-foot saddle and lacing system. What’s not comfortable? The toe box. I found it to be way too narrow. Had I known, I would at the very least have size up a half size, possibly more. For longer runs especially, my toes were not happy.
Style
This is a pretty sharp looking trail shoe. The design is very recognizable with the big Brooks logo on the side and the bright color choices make it a stand-out trail shoe. So what’s the downside? The lack of color choices. Right now, there is only one for men and one for women. The women get the neon pink/purple/black combo, while the men get the mostly bright blue and black combo. It would be nice if there were at least a couple of other color choices to choose from. That being said, I did like the color choice they offered.
Durability
This is where the Adrenaline really shines. Between the Flextra, the HPR Plus and blown rubber, the outsole is extremely durable. There were hardly any signs of wear after a good amount of use. The traction and grip are great. The upper was durable thanks to the synthetic overlays and durable DWR treated material. The BioMoGo DNA midsole, although adaptive and cushy, stood up to some good mileage. I don’t see this shoes breaking down anytime soon. The durability of this trail shoe will keep you protected on the trail for a long, long time.
Protection
Protection comes in many forms for the Adrenaline ASR 14. The outsole provides good traction, keeping you (or at least helping you to stay) upright on the trails. The water repellant upper will help keep your foot dry if caught in the rain or splashing through a puddle. All the materials Brooks use in this shoe are very durable which means your foot will be protected from the elements on all sides. The PDBR will help correct overpronation and the mid-foot saddle will provide a secure, stable fit. Both of these features will help reduce the chance of injury. The Adrenaline ASR 14 is a well-designed stability trail shoe that is sure to keep you protected on your runs.
Responsiveness
Some trail shoes have a tendency to lack responsiveness, mainly due to the rigid nature of many trail shoes. Luckily, Brooks made it a point to provide this trail shoe, a stability trail shoe, with enough flexibility and adaptive cushioning, for a responsive ride. The outsole features three different types of flexible rubber: Flextra, HPR Plus and blown rubber. The blown rubber is at the forefoot of the outsole for a nice toe off, but all three rubbers allow for a smooth transition. The midsole has Brooks’ own BioMoGo DNA midsole which is comfy, but also adaptive and provides some springy energy return. Being that this is a trail shoe that corrects overpronation, I didn’t expect a super responsive shoe, but I was very surprised with the amount of responsiveness this shoe had. Overpronators will be pleased.
Support
Support is going to come in the form of control, more specifically pronation control in this shoe. The Progressive Diagonal Rollbar in the midsole corrects overpronation. The adaptive midsole cushioning also provides support underfoot. Your foot will be pleasantly cushioned, but support won’t suffer. Underfoot, the outsole will provide a stable platform with good traction to keep you steady on uneven terrain. If you need additional arch support, the insole can be removed and replaced with an orthotic or store-bought insole.
Terrain
Trails, trails and yes, more trails. You won’t find super aggressive lugs on the outsole, but the design of the treads will allow you to take on a wide variety of trails. However, runners will probably have issues with muddy or extremely soft terrain. The Adrenaline ASR 14 will be comfortable on almost any trail and since there are no lugs, I found it did okay on the road too.
Price
In terms of price, the Adrenaline ASR 14 isn’t the most expensive running shoe from Brooks. There are plenty of shoes by Brooks that debut $20 or $30 more than the price of the Adrenaline ASR 14. However, just in terms of durability, the price is so worth it. As I mentioned, this shoe is going to last a long time. And if you think of it that way, the price tag seems pretty fair.
Drop
The drop of this shoe is 12mm for both men and women. This is a little higher than a standard 10mm drop. If you are used to running in a 10mm drop shoe, you shouldn’t find a problem with the slightly higher drop.
Stability
From the moment I slipped my foot into this shoe, I could definitely feel that this shoe was going to give me some serious stability. Designed for overpronators, this shoe will correct your pronation, predominately thanks to the PBDR or the Progressive Diagonal Rollbar in the midsole. The mid-foot saddle also secures the foot down by pulling from both the arch and the heel. The BioMoGo DNA midsole will provide additional support by adapting to the wearer’s foot. Those who do not need any type of pronation correction might find this stability to be too much. However, for us overpronators, it does the job well.
Flexibility
Brooks incorporated as much flexibility into the Adrenaline ASR 14 as they could, especially considering its a stability shoe. Starting with the outsole, all three rubbers are pretty flexible. There is a full-length segmented crash pad in the midsole which also allows this shoe to be flexible. Just by looking at the outsole of the shoe, you can see the deep grooves that will allow for some good flexibility. The upper is pretty sturdy though, between the mid-foot saddle and the synthetic overlays, but it still has a good amount of flexibility. Needless to say, I was impressed with how flexible this trail running shoe was.
Traction
While you won’t get good traction on soft, muddy or icy terrain, this trail running shoe will work on most trail running surfaces. The treads in this version of the Adrenaline provide better traction than its predecessor. The grippy rubber allows running on traverse trails. You can even do a bit of road running in this shoe as well. The Adrenaline ASR 14 will even provide traction on wet surfaces thanks to the outsole redesign and the grippy rubber.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for an everyday trail running shoe that can take what you throw at it, then the Adrenaline ASR 14 is for you. The fully loaded midsole with adaptive, flexible cushioning and the flexible, super durable outsole will keep you energized and protected on the trails. Brooks’ signature plush collar and tongue, along with the BioMoGo DNA midsole will keep you comfy. And even though it has plenty of cushion and stability features, the Adrenaline ASR 14 is a responsive shoe. Overpronators will be happy with the amount of stability in this shoe, though it probably will be too much for those who do not need pronation correction. The downsides of this shoe are the narrow toe box that will potentially make for some unhappy toes (consider going a half to a full size up) and the lack of color options. All things considered, the positive features of the Adrenaline ASR 14 far outweigh the negatives.
