Details
Brand
Brooks
Heel To Toe Drop
12 mm
Breathability
8/10
Latest Version
Adrenaline GTS 17
Terrain
Road
Type
Stability
Key Features
• Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8• MoGo midsole cushioning material• Hydroflow fluid-filled pockets provide additional shock attenuation• Outsole composed of carbon rubber, blown rubber, and HPR plus rubber• Mesh upper is more resistant than before• Faux-leather overlays help secure the wearer’s foot inside the shoe• Polyester lining wicks moisture• Pod Tec construction helps to provide a smooth ride• Progressive Diagonal Roll Bar acts as a medial post• 3M reflective portions featured on upper
Upper
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8’s upper is outfitted with standard mesh and faux-leather overlays. Little has changed in terms of the material used but the fit of the upper has been adjusted slightly, particularly in the midfoot area. Inside the shoe, a polyester lining can be found. It works to wick away moisture and ensure you don’t run in sweat soaked shoes. The insole also adds an extra layer of cushion.;Some runners did complain about the shoe’s poor performance in terms of breathability. In this version of the Adrenaline GTS, the mesh has been strengthened to improve durability but this may have affected the breathability somewhat.
Midsole
The midsole of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 features MoGo cushioning. In fact, this part of the shoe has been changed up a little bit. The heel cushioning has been improved somewhat to ensure runners can heel strike more comfortably. The shoe features Hydroflow technology which consists of fluid-filled pockets inside the shoe to help attenuate shock.;In terms of its stability features, the GTS 8 also consists of a Progressive Diagonal Roll Bar which provides excellent moderate stability for wearers. When you look at the shoe from its side profile, you can see the stability component quite clearly. It’s the greyed out portion of the midsole, otherwise known as the shoe’s medial post.
Outsole
The outsole of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 remains the same. It’s made of carbon rubber and HPR Plus rubber. The HPR rubber is meant to provide an extra element of durability to the outsole. In addition, there are blown rubber components on the sole of the shoe to give the wearer an extra bit of cushioning underfoot. The GTS 8 also features Pod Tec construction which helps provide a comfortable smooth ride. Most reviewers commented on the shoe’s ability to perform well on dry pavement. Overall, the outsole is well-built and performs adequately.
Breathability
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 has all the trappings to ensure adequate breathability. The upper is made of mesh which is used often on running shoes to ensure air circulation. The shoe does feature several Synthetic-leather overlays, though, which may hurt the shoe’s ability to breathe as well as possible. The inside of the shoe wicks moisture well and there were virtually no complaints from runners about blister or hotspot formation.
Comfort
When it comes to the question of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8’s comfortability, there’s a bit of a split in opinion. Most newcomers to the Adrenaline line were unanimous in praising the GTS 8 as the most comfortable shoe they’ve worn so far. Loyalists to the GTS line were a little more varied in terms of their experience and thoughts on the eighth version of the shoe. Many found the cushioning was very rigid and the shoe was overall very stiff. They felt even with a breaking in period, the shoe did not become more flexible. Many GTS fans found this new update just not as comfortable as previous versions. The narrower toe box and inconsistent sizing drew complaints from a variety of runners. Keep in mind that the shoe is available in wide widths, so the narrower fit doesn’t need to be a total deal breaker.
Style
There’s not much going on in terms of style with the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 but Brooks has clearly made a move towards a sleeker style with this new edition. The aesthetic is more refined. A few little tweaks have brought the style up to speed but there’s still a lot of room for improvement. This is not a shoe that most runners would choose to wear casually. It screams “I’m a gym shoe!”.
Durability
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 update was tweaked slightly to incorporate a better fit and improved heel strike feel for rearfoot strikers. But little was done to improve durability. That’s likely because there wasn’t much to change in this area. Most reviewers reported that the shoe lasted a moderate 300 miles. Heavier runners were quick to comment that they found the midsole cushioning failed to provide much padding after a couple hundred miles. Out of everything, the cushioning was the first to go.
Protection
You’ll get standard protection with the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8. The upper consists of more resistant mesh than in the previous version. The outsole is made of HPR plus rubber, carbon rubber, and blown rubber all which should keep you well-protected from ground debris. The shoe also features 3M reflective portions to help keep you visible when the sun goes down.;The shoe’s MoGo cushioning material should also help to soften the impact of running. In addition, the medial post (also called the Progressive Diagonal Roll Bar) helps stop excess pronation in its tracks.
Responsiveness
There’s little mention of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8’s responsiveness. The Pod Tec construction does promote a smooth ride but the shoe is overall very stiff and rigid with a fairly thick midsole so there’s little ground feel. The MoGo cushion surely has some rebound capabilities but it’s on the low end of the scale. Most runners felt the shoe was pretty clunky when it came to trying it out for faster runs. Heavier runners, as well as newcomers to the Adrenaline line, seemed more pleased in general with the shoe.
Support
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 is very supportive. The cushioning acts as a stable platform underfoot and the outsole grips pavement effectively. Here’s the thing, though, the support of the shoe is, in large part, due to the stiffness of its construction. Its rigidness was one of the biggest complaints from reviewers. Sure, the stiffness ensures a super supportive base, but for many, it also made the shoe quite uncomfortable.;In this version of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8, the upper has been tweaked to provide a better bit. Some runners found the fit just wasn’t as comfortable but many found the support had improved. So, there’s a tradeoff here. A little less comfort but greater support. You’ll need to decide what’s more important for you.;On a positive note, many reviewers raved about the shoe’s arch support. It was suitable for flat-footed runners and high arched runners alike.
Terrain
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 is a road shoe, through and through. It’s white colored base isn’t meant to be dragged through the mud! Most reviewers were pleased with the shoe’s ability to perform on pavement, but no one seemed to try it out on the trails. For good reason, there’s no rock plate in the GTS 8 and the lugs are too flat to do well on uneven ground. Keep this for your daily runs in your neighborhood, because that’s what they’re for.
Price
The shoe is priced quite affordable considering it’s a mid-range stability shoe. It’s meant to be used as a high mileage trainer, so runners should feel like they’re getting a lot of bang for their buck with the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8. But do they? Previously, it was mentioned that most runners seemed to get about 300 miles on average in the shoe. That’s not bad, but the downside is that the cushioning seems to go flat pretty quick. It’s the first thing to go, it seems, from examining countless reviews. As runners, we all know it’s important to have enough midsole cushioning, especially on long runs. When that goes flat, we retire our shoes for casual wear or for walking the dog. It seems unlikely that most folks would use the GTS 8 for casual outings, though, since it’s not very stylish.
Drop
I could not find this information anywhere but it’s fairly obvious just by looking at the shoe that the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 has a standard drop. What’s more important to note is that the shoe was clearly intended for heel strikers. Brooks even chose to improve the rear foot feel and ride for heel strikers. Many runners commented on the fact that the shoe was not in any way intended for forefoot strikers and found the forefoot cushion seriously lacking.
Stability
There are loads of stability features in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8. It’s a moderate stability shoe and it doesn’t skimp in this area. The Diagonal Roll Bar (medial post) ensures that you stay centered and don’t roll inwards with each footfall. Most reviewers were extremely happy with the shoe’s stability performance. Heavier runners were especially pleased with the shoe’s ability to keep them stable and secure. The GTS 8 definitely does a great job in this regard. The improved upper fit helps to anchor the wearer’s foot down and the stiffer construction improves overall stability. Once again, it’s a tradeoff. You get excellent support and stability but the comfort might not be there for some runners.
Flexibility
Brooks found a way to improve the upper flexibility a tad in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8. But they failed miserably in terms of the shoe’s overall flexibility. The biggest complaint from runners was that the shoe was way too rigid and stiff. Many even commented that it felt that the cushioning wasn’t even there. The shoe doesn’t offer the smoothest ride out there so if that’s extremely important to you, you’d be better off looking elsewhere.
Traction
This shoe will give you a great amount of traction on dry pavement. The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 is probably best used in fairer weather. The different outsole rubbers provide padding, grip, and protection but are not going to perform well when removed from an urban or suburban setting. When it comes to rainy day runs, the outsole will likely perform adequately. But when winter comes around, your best bet is to retire these or grab yourself some crampons from the local running store.
Bottom Line
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 is a solid update to an already well-performing line of shoes. The upper fits more securely, the ride has been improved for heel strikers, and some slight design changes have modernized the shoe a bit. The GTS 8 offers better stability but with a stiffer more rigid construction, the cushion and comfort suffer a bit. Best for heavier overpronators, the GTS 8 is a good option for runners looking to run high mileage but who don’t mind a little bit of inflexibility. The road shoe should last between 250-300 miles when used by the average runner and is intended mostly for heel strikers.
