Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 Review: It’s in Brooks’ DNA (Loft)

Introduction to the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25

LINDSAY: During my research for this review, I learned some fun facts about Brooks.

Fun fact #1: In 1929, Brooks developed the little bumper on the front of roller skates that helps you stop.

Fun fact #2: Brooks primarily focused on cleat shoes until the 1970s! Fast-forward to the late 1990s, and you’ve got the start of the impressive lineage of the Adrenaline GTS.

Honestly, it’s wild to think the Brooks Adrenaline has been around almost as long as I’ve been alive. The first iteration was released in 1999. So, I’m just going to ask what everyone is thinking: how many ways can you make one shoe?

Well, the answer is surprisingly: a lot — twenty-five and counting, to be exact. The Adrenaline is Brooks’ stability option, and has become a “Go To Shoe” for all levels of runners. See what I did there? GTS actually stands for “Go To Shoe.” Go figure. Or should I say “GF?”

Throughout its history, the Adrenaline has been made to be a mix of supportive, flexible, and responsive. So, how does it compare to the tried-and-true features over a quarter century later? We’ll get into that, but first, a moment for Brooks’ lengthy history in footwear, please.

SAM: The theme of rekindling a lost love persists throughout time. Movies like Casablanca and The Notebook, as well as famous works of literature like The Odyssey, feature characters who are fighting to regain the love they once had.

When I received my pair of Brooks Adrenaline 25 GTS, all I could think of was a love I once had — a spark that burned bright throughout a summer and faded away just as fast. The gray upper with the green and blue midsole, the subtle flow of the outsole geometry, the inherent stability — all I could think of was my favorite stability shoe of all time: the Asics Gel-Kayano Lite. Did this shoe meet my expectations? Did I fall in love all over again?

What we like about the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25

LINDSAY: For the most part, I liked this shoe! It’s a relatively standard design — nothing flashy here. The upper is a breathable, flat knit that conforms well around the midfoot while remaining structured at the forefoot to allow for some toe wiggle. I did run in this one during an unexpected torrential downpour, and though they soaked through, I didn’t feel like it added too much weight.

The midsole has the same nitrogen-infused cushion as previous models, but there is more now: 3 mm in the front and one additional millimeter in the back. If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I generally favor cushion, so I’m here to tell you this one was enough for me. I felt like it was still soft without being an absolute pillow. It also felt like I wasn’t one with the road, per se. In other words, it wasn’t a flat ride. There was some energy return, and that was good enough for me.

The outsole is durable and provides great traction and grip even on wet roads. Something I experienced firsthand during my aforementioned downpour run.

SAM: If you have been following my work here as a stability reviewer at Believe in the Run, you may know what the first positive will be. The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 features my favorite stability technology: GuideRails. I love the GuideRails. I haven’t written about them in a while, so I will take an aside to do that here. The GuideRails are beautiful for their simplicity. They are strategically placed supports on the medial and lateral edges of your foot, and the raised sidewalls keep your stride going through the right path and allow for some natural pronation without obstructing your running motion. It is an elegant solution to a challenging problem.

Another perk of this shoe is its weight. For a shoe that has added 3 mm of DNA Loft V3 and has a very cushioned upper, this shoe only weighs 10.5 oz for my US M9.5. Despite that, it feels lighter in my hand and on my foot. It makes me happy that Brooks is using nitrogen-injected foams to move its shoes away from feeling like cinderblocks and towards the more modern style of light and cushioned footwear.

Sadly, the GuideRails and the weight are where the good section ends for me. The only other thing I can throw in is that I loved the light gray colorway I received. The gray is sleek, and the green and blue accents add just enough color to make the shoe fun without being overwhelming.

What we don’t like about the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25

LINDSAY: I think you’ll get a lot more out of Sam from this one, so I’ll keep mine short.

I felt like this shoe was only good for shorter to mid-distance runs. It seemed to lose its pep if I went longer than 5 or 6 miles.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of the massive amounts of cushion around the ankle area. New to the design of the Adrenaline 25 is a “cuff” around the ankle. It merges into the pull tab at the heel and gives a sock-like appearance. Like wearing a sock without a shoe, it got dirty quickly and gave the illusion that the shoe was very wide around the ankle, despite the cushion filling the faux gap spaces.

The laces were also tough to lock down well because of the tongue cushion. I was nervous about tying down too snugly, and later, I needed to readjust as the cushion flattened out. So, I would end up tying the laces cautiously loose to avoid that.

Lindsay complaining about cushion? Somebody buy a lottery ticket because pigs are flying.

SAM: I tried to like the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25. I really did. I put 50 miles into this shoe, and that is as far as I can go. I am honestly shocked and confused that Lindsay found this shoe cushioned. In my opinion, I have not had this little fun running in a Brooks shoe since the Levitate 6. The first run in the Adrenaline GTS 25 was extremely promising, and it all went downhill from there.

I found the DNA Loft bordering on hard instead of soft, and I imagined running in these is what it feels like to run in Doc Martens. To me, this should have been a shoe I could take out for easy miles, and the firmness of the ride made that impossible. Unless I was shuffling and barely touching the ground with each step, the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 was just plain uncomfortable. Maybe I got a bad production model. Maybe I am being too harsh. Maybe Brooks shoes just aren’t for me. There are plenty of questions I could ask here, but the answer to all of them would just be to wear another shoe.

Final thoughts on the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25

LINDSAY: I’ve been fortunate enough to try a few Brooks shoes over my time with Believe in the Run. In my opinion, the Adrenaline GTS 25 is closest to a Ghost-Glycerin crossover.

The ride is smooth, perfect for those easier, shorter runs, and the price is exactly what you would expect for this kind of daily trainer. Brooks always has a wide range of colorways, and this shoe is no exception. While most are neutral (blacks, whites, grays), they have one or two with neon pink and green if flashy is your style.

I would recommend this to any friend who is new to running or even non-running friends who want a solid walking shoe! Especially if you’re trying to find an affordable, durable, daily trainer without too much extra, the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is your guy.

SAM: After reuniting with a Brooks stability shoe, I remembered why we broke up in the first place. What I thought the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 was going to be is not the shoe it is. I expected a light, bouncy, yet cushioned stability shoe. That was not what I got. I found this shoe difficult to run in and generally uncomfortable. I believe there are plenty of better options right now that provide better cushion with equal stability. The Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2, the Asics Gel-Kayano, and the Saucony Guide all come to mind. If the Adrenaline is really your jam, I would recommend sticking with an older model or checking this one out in a running store first. Maybe I’m just crazy, but you be the judge.

You can pick up the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 for $145 on November 1, 2025, from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) using the buttons below.