The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a solid stability trainer with dedicated support features for over-pronators. Raised sidewalls extending from the heel to the midfoot act as guide rails to prevent excessive pronation, and the midsole is sculpted to be relatively soft and cushioned toward the interior of your foot, but much firmer on both the lateral and medial sides, in order to guide your foot into a neutral position. In both fit and feel, the Adrenaline GTS 25 is quite similar to the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24, and it maintains the Adrenaline GTS line's character as a beginner-friendly shoe, offering a consistent and secure ride, but with very little bounce. It's the Honda Civic of running shoes: a popular, dependable model that offers few surprises and little excitement, but gets the job done.
Our Verdict
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a poor choice for marathon racing. The already mediocre cushioning becomes even less protective over long distances, and the limited energy return from the midsole will make each step feel even more labored as your legs fatigue.
Bulky and heavy.
Cushioning bottoms out too quickly.
Limited energy return.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a sub-par shoe for shorter races. It's heavy for a running shoe, and its relatively rigid structure is designed to neutralize problematic strike patterns rather than add any spring to your step.
Bulky and heavy.
Limited energy return.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 has poor responsiveness. The DNA Loft midsole has little bounce, so the ride feels flat but controlled. The firmness of the posts pushing your foot from the medial side also contributes to a sensation of being bounced sideways rather than forward.
Limited energy return.
Landings feel dull and flat.
The cushioning in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 isn't bad, but this isn't the softest shoe. The heel is decently cushioned, but the comparatively steep heel-to-toe drop leaves much less stack, and thus much less protection, in the forefoot.
Decent protection under the heel.
Cushioning bottoms out too quickly.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a very stable shoe. The flared midsole helps accentuate an already wide base, creating a broad landing platform, especially under the heel. Rising up from this platform are guide rails that wrap from heel to midfoot to counter any side-to-side movement. The exceptionally firm forefoot also ensures a solid, planted feel when pushing off.
Very wide outsole platform.
Very firm forefoot.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 fits very close to true to size, and most runners can confidently buy their normal size. If you have tall toes, though, the forefoot could feel a bit cramped.
Length is true to size.
Very accommodating width.
Toe box isn't very tall.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jun 09, 2026:
We've updated the text of the Responsiveness box to reflect updated scores and added text to the True To Size box.
- Updated May 26, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.11, adding two new rocker measurements to the Design section, and three new responsiveness tests to the Performance section. The Energy Return usage score has been replaced with Responsiveness. Check out the details in our changelog.
- Updated Mar 25, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.10, adding a new set of fit tests to the Design section and an overall fit performance usage. Check out the details in our changelog.
- Updated Dec 05, 2025: Review published.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We purchased and tested this shoe in a men's US size 9, as shown here on the label of our pair. The pair shown here is the White/Black/White colorway, and the shoe is available in a variety of other colorways depending on your region. This shoe is available in a variety of widths, ranging from 2A (Women's Narrow), B (Women's Medium) to D (Women's Wide; Men's Medium), 2E (Men's Wide; Women's Extra Wide), and 4E (Men's Extra Wide). The design section applies only to the exact model we tested, but we expect other sizes and gender variants to perform similarly.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a traditional stability shoe with a combination of dedicated support features like sidewalls and medial post, integrated into an inherently stable midsole platform. It's an incredibly popular shoe among novice runners and those who struggle with overpronation because it manages to ensure a stable and controlled ride, while still feeling reasonably comfortable. That said, it's very much a classic stability shoe, in the same class as the Nike Structure 26 and the ASICS GEL-KAYANO 32; it's designed to correct over-pronation rather than to enhance propulsion. While this is fine for runners who are primarily looking for support from a stability shoe, there are alternatives like the Saucony Hurricane 25 and Saucony Tempus 2 that pair mild stability features with a more performance-oriented design. For runners who don't need overpronation correction, but who still want a shoe with good structural stability, the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 is an example of a shoe that has great inherent stability.
Within Brooks' daily trainer lineup, the Adrenaline GTS is the main stability trainer. The Brooks Ghost 17 is a classic daily trainer that has the same DNA Loft foam as the Adrenaline, but without any medial post. The Brooks Glycerin 22 is a premium daily trainer that has softer DNA Tuned foam in its midsole for a livelier, more forgiving ride. There's also a GTS (Go To Stability) version of the Glycerin, which incorporates the same support features into the softer midsole of the Glycerin.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best running shoes, as well as the best running shoes from Brooks. If you're after shoes well-suited for long runs, check out our recommendations for the best long-distance running shoes.
The Brooks Ghost 17 and the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 share more similarities than differences: they both have a rather firm DNA Loft midsole, and thus similar levels of cushioning and energy return (or lack thereof). Both are built on a broad, stable platform, but the Adrenaline GTS goes further with dedicated support features, including a medial post, to correct overpronation. The Adrenaline also has a more pronounced heel-to-toe drop, so while both shoes are more suited to heel-strikers, the GTS 25 gives you practically no choice but to land on the backfoot.
The Brooks Ghost Max 3 and Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 are both comfort-focused Brooks trainers, but they're built for different runners. The Ghost Max 3 is the neutral max-cushion option, with a wider, higher-stack platform that provides more forefoot protection and a softer, more cushioned feel for easy runs or walking. The Adrenaline GTS 25 is the stability shoe, using guide-rail-style support and firmer sidewalls to correct excessive overpronation. Neither shoe feels lively underfoot, but the Ghost Max 3 is the better pick if you want a relatively stable, neutral-cushioned option. The Adrenaline GTS 25 makes more sense if you need dedicated support.
The HOKA Arahi 8 and Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 are both stability trainers, but they tackle the task very differently. The HOKA is the lighter, more cushioned option, with the brand's H-Frame support system and a smoother rocker that makes it feel less like a traditional corrective shoe. It still doesn't offer much bounce, but it provides good underfoot protection and a less bulky ride for daily miles. The Brooks is the more classic stability shoe, with guide-rail-style support, a firmer forefoot, and a more controlled feel underfoot. You'll likely prefer the HOKA if you want lightweight stability with more cushioning, while the Brooks makes more sense if you want a dependable support shoe with a more traditional feel.
The HOKA Bondi 9 and Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 are two daily trainers, though they have different applications. The HOKA is a premium daily trainer that provides excellent cushioning and protection, making it a reliable companion across easy, long, and recovery runs at relaxed paces. Conversely, the Brooks is a support shoe intended to assist with excessive pronation, with sidewalls and a medial post baked in, making it a stability-first option.
We buy and test running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes so team members can log in miles. This real-world testing is conducted at various paces and conditions, across different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 weighs almost exactly the same as the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24. It's in the same weight class as other stability trainers, like the Nike Structure 26 or ASICS GEL-KAYANO 32, although much heavier than the Saucony Tempus 2, a more performance-oriented stability trainer.
While Brooks has reduced the heel-to-toe drop in their other daily trainers, the Adrenaline GTS 25 maintains a very steep drop. This is fine for heel strikers, but it will likely get in the way of mid to forefoot strikers.
The heel of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 doesn't give much energy back. The midsole is sculpted to pop your foot back into a neutral position if you over-pronate rather than to propel you forward onto your toes.
The forefoot of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 has similarly awful energy return. If you're expecting a springy push-off, you'll be disappointed.
The cushioning in the heel of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is satisfactory for most heel strikers, as it absorbs shock well, even under heavier loads. It sits solidly among other stability shoes like the Nike Structure 26, the Saucony Tempus 2, and the ASICS GEL-KAYANO 32 in its ability to protect your heel from impact.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 has disappointing forefoot cushioning. It's not bad at easy paces, but turns harsh and brick-like if you apply more force.
The heel of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 isn't excessively firm, and under lighter loads, it's more malleable than its predecessor, the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24, but as the applied force increases, the 25 is actually much firmer than the 24.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25's forefoot is exceptionally firm, even for a stability shoe. This firmness helps keep your foot stable as you plant and push off, but it can quickly start to feel harsh.
The cushioning in the forefoot of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 doesn't start out impressive, and it quickly deteriorates, becoming much less protective after the first 10 kilometers. Runners wanting to do long runs but needing some stability features would be much better served by the ASICS GEL-KAYANO 32 or the Saucony Hurricane 25.
