Details
Brand
Brooks
Heel To Toe Drop
12 mm
Breathability
7/10
Latest Version
No
Terrain
Trail
Type
Stability
Key Features
• Rugged outsole provides great traction on• and off-road• Heel-to-Midfoot Segmented Crash Pad improves transitions for a smoother ride• Anatomical Brooks DNA gives form-fitting cushioning• Progressive Diagonal Rollbar helps prevent over-pronation• BioMoGo midsole that covers the entire midsole cushions landings and provides bouncy takeoffs• GORE-TEX lining allows the foot to breathe and is waterproof• 12mm drop
Upper
The waterproof upper is made of synthetic material and mesh. Some overlays are stitched on, while others are welded on to reduce the risk of irritation and hot spots. The mesh covers most of the shoe and allows air to travel around the foot, keeping it cool and dry. The soft and comfortable GORE-TEX lining adds waterproof breathability. The ankle collar and tongue are padded for additional support and comfort. The laces help give a snug fit and allow the user to tie them tight enough to suit their preference. The heel has thicker material for stability. The rubber in the outsole extends over the toe for durability and protection against rocks and debris. The upper is flexible enough to allow the foot to move comfortably, but stable enough to slow over-pronation.
Midsole
The dense foam midsole uses a few different technologies to create bouncy takeoffs, smooth landings, and slow over-pronation. It uses Anatomical Brooks DNA to form the foam to the shape of the foot for a customized fit. BioMoGo technology adds cushioning and responsiveness to the full length of the shoe. The Progressive Diagonal Rollbar works to slow over-pronation by using a tri-density foam to limit rolling. There is a good level of arch support to help stabilize the foot.
Outsole
The outsole is made of rubber. It uses two colors to highlight the more durable outside edges in high-abrasion areas and the softer but still durable inside rubber. The lugs have a stripe pattern on the outside and diamond patterns on the inside allow the shoe to grip both roads and off-road trails alike. The third color is for the grooves, which make the shoe flexible enough for comfortable movement. Together, the grooves and the Heel-to-Midfoot Segmented Crash Pad create smooth transitions for a comfortable ride. The outsole helps support the foot from below and protects the user from feeling objects on the ground.
Breathability
Breathability comes from the upper. The mesh covers most of the shoe and allows air to travel around the foot, keeping it cool and dry. The overlays do not take away from the breathability, although some parts have stitching, which increases the risk of blisters or hot spots in those areas of the foot because they block air flow. The upper is also waterproof, which keeps the foot dry on rainy days.
Comfort
Testers thought that the Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX was a comfortable shoe. The outsole makes transitions smooth and is flexible enough to bend with the foot and allow comfortable movement. The midsole cushions landings and helps slow over-pronation, which improves comfort by preventing injury, and forms to the shape of the foot giving the shoe a customized feeling. The upper also allows comfortable movement, and the lining material is lightweight and plush, giving it a sock-like feel. The mesh and waterproof properties keep the foot cool, dry, and comfortable even on bad weather days. The welded on overlays prevent blisters and hot spots. The laces and padding in the heel collar and tongue add extra comfort. The only issues that reviewers had with comfort was that the ankle collar was a bit high, which caused irritation for a few reviewers, the fact sizes were too narrow for those with wider-than-average feet, and that the shoe was slightly heavier than some other shoes, although this is a trade-off for the trail and stability features.
Style
The classic style appeals to many runners. It’s mostly a dark color to suit runners with a more neutral preference, and the bright accent color pleases those who like bright colors. The men’s shoe has a silver logo and a light green accent color. The women’s shoe style is called Vintage Indigo/Midnight/ Purple Cactus Flower. The downside is that there is only one style option. This shoe is unavailable in most stores, as it has been discontinued.
Durability
As a stability and trail shoe, the Brooks Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX is very durable. The outsole allows runners to go on paved roads or trails with technical terrain. The outside edge is more durable than the inside in order to allow runners to go over rocks or debris without bits and pieces falling off. The midsole is dense and continues to do its job absorbing shock and helping runners pick up speed for many miles. The upper is very durable and maintains its shape for many runs, locking in the heel and preventing the ankle from rolling.
Protection
The Adrenaline ASR 11 GXT offers protection at all three levels. The outsole is what contacts the ground and protects runners from feeling objects in the road. The rubber even extends over the toe in the upper to protect against accidentally kicking rocks or debris. The midsole protects joints by absorbing shock, with special protection to the heel because of its extra-thick padding due to the high drop. The stability features protect against rolling and sliding. The upper protects against wind and cold, and is waterproof so it protects against rain or humidity. While mostly a protective shoe, some reviewers thought the upper could protect better against rocks and debris.
Responsiveness
The Brooks Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX moves with the foot and allows runners to pick up some speed on trails. It is a little heavy for racing, but responsiveness is provided at all three levels. In the outsole, the rubber bends with the foot, and the Heel-to-Midfoot Segmented Crash Pad creates smooth transitions. The midsole has BioMoGo technology to create bouncy takeoffs. The upper allows the foot to move freely while also stabilizing it.
Support
The Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX surrounds the foot with support. At the bottom is the outsole, which helps lift the foot off the ground. The midsole adds to the lower support and provides a stability level of arch support, good for mild to moderate over-pronators with normal arches or runners with fallen arches. The upper’s overlays provide some lateral support, the heel is locked in, and the padding in the heel collar and tongue support the top of the foot.
Terrain
The rugged outsole and stability features allow users to go on- or off-road. Testers have used this shoe successfully on dirt roads, paved roads, gravel, paths, light trails, and technical trails. The shoe is waterproof which allows runners to go over wet terrain, but they should be careful when going over slippery terrain.
Price
This is a slightly expensive shoe, costing up to one-and-a-half times the price of an average running shoe when it was initially released. The stability features that prevent over-pronation and the durability features that allow runners to go on trails make it so that many people are willing to pay the extra cost. This has been discontinued and is not a latest-edition shoe, so prices can range from one-third the MSRP value up to full price. Availability is extremely limited due to being discontinued, most sizes are unavailable and the ones that are not have a few pairs or less in stock.
Drop
The heel height is 32mm and the forefoot height is 20mm, giving the Adrenaline ASAR 11 GTX a standard drop of 12mm. This gives extra padding in the heel compared to the rest of the shoe, which helps promote forward momentum and favors heel strikers. It also takes the strain off the Achilles heel and the extra padding helps runners with plantar fasciitis. Runners who would prefer a lower drop are midfoot or forefoot strikers, and runners who prefer the natural motion of the foot and want to build their foot muscles by using a zero or very low drop.
Stability
The Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX is a stability shoe. The outsole has a few grooves but is mostly very stable to allow the shoe to go over bumpy terrain. The midsole uses tri-density foam called the Progressive Diagonal Rollbar that prevents the inward rolling of the foot and stabilizes the arch. The upper stabilizes the heel and ankle to prevent sliding or rolling. This shoe is great for neutral runners and mild to moderate over-pronators, but heavy over-pronators or over-pronators who are overweight may need to consider a motion control category shoe.
Flexibility
As a stability shoe, the Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX has a minimal level of flexibility. It allows the shoe to move with the foot, but at the same time stabilizes over-pronation and keeps the foot level while going on trails. The outsole has grooves that allow it to move with the foot while going on uneven terrain. The midsole foam forms to the shape of the foot. The upper received positive reviews on flexibility, allowing the toes to splay and push off the foot without feeling restrained.
Traction
The outsole uses diamond- and rectangular-shaped lugs in order to provide traction on a variety of surfaces. Runners can go on pavement, asphalt, concrete, hard or soft dirt, uphill or downhill, and safely push off and land. The shoe does not have spikes, so users will slide if they try to go on snow or ice. Some testers were able to successfully go on some slightly slippery surfaces without any problems.
Bottom Line
The Brooks Adrenaline ASR 11 GTX is a nice trail running shoe. It gets great traction on many different types of surfaces. It has good cushioning to soften landings while going over hills or debris, and the extra padding in the heel is helpful to runners with joint pain or plantar fasciitis. Its waterproof properties allow users to run in rainy weather, and it has decent durability and breathability. Its stability features are great for over-pronators or injury -prone runners, but the extra weight makes it so it’s not a good racing shoe. Its minimal amount of flexibility allows users to go on trails without having to worry about losing their footing on uneven ground.;The price is a bit higher than average, but the stability and trail features make it worth the extra money for those who need them. Possible areas for improvement include making wide sizes, a lower ankle collar (fixed in the next edition), and thicker material on top to better protect against rocks and debris on the trails. In short, this shoe is a great choice for injury-prone runners who want to go on trails on their daily runs.
