Review; Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10

If you have read this blog for anytime you’ll know that I fell out of love with my Asics Kayanos 16s back in February and after a couple of hours in Road Runner Sports I left with a shiny new pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10s. After four months and a couple of hundred miles across two pairs now seems about he right time to post a review.

So first the technical stuff from Brooks’ website, the shoes offer several patented technical features; first midsole:

HYDROFLOW®–Dynamic viscous fluid units for heel and forefoot enhance midsole cushioning—attenuating shock with industry leading dampening and comfort.
BIOMOGO–We’ve taken the long-lasting cushioning of our MoGo midsole and made it environmentally friendly. How, you ask? By adding a non-toxic, natural additive to the MoGo compound that encourages anaerobic microbes to munch away once it hits the landfill.
DIAGONAL ROLL BAR (DR B®)–A high-density post at the medial arch is engineered for pronation control and creates a smoother transition from the midstance phase into the propulsion phase.
DRB® ACCEL –Enhances tunable torsion of the midfoot. Shank-like thermoplastic devices vary from single  units of a set modulus, to dual unit versions of varied modulus (tuned with higher stiffness for medial support, the lateral side less stiff to smooth the ride).

Next the outsole:

HPR Plus –A higher durability, abrasion-resistant rubber outsole compound that wears longer.
EN GINEERED STABLE POD CONFIGURATION–Midsole and outsole components are engineered to set the foot up in an efficient, balanced position from heel strike to toe-off, offering maximum stability and responsiveness.

And finally the upper:

ELEMENT–Upper technology featuring superior microfiber construction to provide weather protection in a light, supple, quiet fabric that doesn’t sacrifice breathability, durability, or comfort.

Yeah you might say, all that techo babble is great but how do they feel? Well the answer is of subjective and is inevitably a little in comparison to the Kayanos. But first off they feel light…really light. 11.1oz (vs 12.7oz for the Asics), despite being what I would call a distance shoe i.e. not a racing flat etc they make you pick up your pace.

Comfortwise, I sized up half a size and I prefer to wear cushioned socks, the standard width (D) fits my standard foot but they are available in B, D, 2E and 4E (and for women 2A, B, D and 2E). I have never needed extra widths and so I have never looked for them but this seems like broad range to me and combined with the half sizing should really allow you to dial in your fitting. I am not prone to blisters and have had no issues with hotspots of chaffing although to be honest if you are from any shoe it’s probably the wrong shoe for you.

The temperature has been slowly climbing round here so I have been able to get a feel for how they deal with the heat (and sweat) and they perform well, if you remember my review of the Pearl Izumi’s they got really warm, performance was decidedly unnoticeable,meaning my fee were neither hot or cold, so in my mind if I am not noticing it as an issue, it’s not one.

In addition to the their lightness these shoes are genuinely comfortable to run in, there is ample cushioning in the forefoot and heel and unlike the Kayano (16s) the heel is stable and the (15s) there is no sign of the forefoot going flat. They are a “Support” shoe and as a pronator they help me deal with that issue. I also wear them with my custom orthotics without issue. Obviously primarily a road shoe I did in fact wear them for my mid week trail run and the handled everything I could think of and in fact saved my toe a couple of times against some tree roots…of course they did get a bit dirty along the way!

The shoes are available in red/grey and white/blue as well as pink/white for the ladies and black for everyone and you can pick them up pretty much anywhere from a big box store to your local Mom and Pop to online, now 6 months old expect them to be retired I would guestimate within the next 2-3 months so the prices are pretty good, a Google shopping search for “Brooks Adenaline 10” drove the sticker price down from $100 to $79.95 (another big bonus vs. the Kayanos which were $135). They also received the Runners World Best Update last December.

All in all a solid shoe that’s comfortable, effective, efficient, well priced and kinder than some on the environment.

This product was purchased. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at quadrathon@gmail.com.