Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24: A faithful frontrunner in stability
Weight: 249.5g (UK 6)
Stack height: 36mm (heel), 24mm (forefoot)
Heel-to-toe drop: 12mm
Type: Road
Best for: Easy runs, recovery runs
The shoe
When you buy a Brooks running shoe, you’re not taking any risks. Forever a safe bet for most runners, if you like to err on the side of caution, you can breathe easy in the knowledge that Brooks will provide a comfortable shoe that cradles your foot and helps you to run happily, without any attention-grabbing razzle-dazzle.
The Adrenaline GTS 24 is one such Brooks shoe that falls into this category. Now on its 24th edition (which, in itself, speaks to its long-standing popularity and dependability), the Adrenaline GTS 24 is a solid shoe in every way. Offering an abundance of padding that envelops the foot like a sleeping bag, it is a stocky, reliable number that offers top-notch support for easy and recovery runs, especially for those who overpronate or have a more prominent heel strike. Even better, it is now lighter and even softer than before.
But that’s not to say that this stability shoe is completely error-free – so let’s pick at the details.
What’s new about the Adrenaline GTS 24?
‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ – a well-known saying that, for a long while, seemed to be a bit of a mantra for Brooks, which pushed out new shoes that were only modestly different from their predecessors. And yet, now, the brand is starting to be bolder with its running shoe innovations, with RW’s Ali Ball finding the Brooks Glycerin 22, for example, to be a surprisingly impressive step up on the Glycerin 21. While the Adrenaline GTS 24 is not as much of a leap up within its own line, there are some upgrades that deserve applause.
To start, the overall geometry remains constant between the Adrenaline GTS 23 and the 24, with the stack height and heel-to-toe drop measuring the same. So, nothing new to report on there – however, a preview of November 2025’s Adrenaline GTS 25 reveals that it will have 3mm of foam added to the forefoot (along with 1mm in the heel). For now though, the Adrenaline GTS 24 is noticeably lighter than the 23 – and this pleasant upgrade is largely thanks to the all-new midsole foam.
While the Adrenaline GTS 23 featured version two of Brooks’ DNA Loft midsole foam – combining foam, rubber and air to build a soft and cushioned ride – the Adrenaline GTS 24 features version three. The difference between DNA Loft v2 and v3? The third version infuses nitrogen (yes, essentially more air) into the mix, creating a four-ingredient foam that is even lighter and more responsive than before. Plus, it feels gloriously comfy underfoot.
Other improvements for the Adrenaline GTS 24 are the optimised mesh upper, which offers a touch more breathability, and the added rubber on the outsole, which enhances durability and provides an even greater level of traction on slippery roads.
How does the Adrenaline GTS 24 fit?
I wear a women’s UK size 6 and, lengthwise, I’ve found that the Adrenaline GTS 24 fits to a tee. The shoe is available in narrow, medium and wide options and the medium version that I ran in wrapped around my foot securely but by no means restrictively, which makes sense when you consider that my feet are quite narrow. Then again, I feel that the narrow version would have been too slim, so if you have narrow to medium feet like me, I’d recommend sticking with a medium. In a similar vein, if you tend to hover between a medium and wide fit, you’d probably do better to go for the wide version here.
There’s no denying that the padding is very much centred on the back of the shoe – the heel is effectively armoured with the stuff. As such, if you’re a heel or midfoot striker looking for some decent shock absorption, this shoe does a great job of dampening the impact of each foot strike as you run. By contrast, and as implied by the 12mm drop, this protection doesn’t exist in the same capacity at the forefoot, where the toes feel much closer to the ground. So, if you are a forefoot striker, you’ll be a fair bit worse off and miss out on the benefits of all that support in the heel (in which case, it might be worth holding off for v25 later in the year).
The relative thinness at the forefoot isn’t assisted by the narrow toe box. Without going into too much detail about my toes that you never asked for, my toes are small and tightly arranged – not ‘sprawling’, if you like – so I usually like a narrower toe box as I don’t need a massive amount space. However, here, my feet do feel a little compressed.
The cushioned tongue and padding around the lace system is luxuriously soft, although I have found that this extra bit of bulk around the opening makes it quite a tricky shoe to get on – not one that I can slip on in a couple of seconds. The laces, though, are smooth but robust and tie up securely each time.
As for how the Adrenaline GTS 24 looks, I’m a fan – at least when it comes to the White/Limpet Shell/Amparo colourway that I wore (until it got a little muddied by wet weather running). This is high praise for a brand that often falls a bit flat in the running shoe aesthetic department.
What’s it like to run in the Adrenaline GTS 24?
Overtly plush, if not plump, the Adrenaline GTS 24 provides a big buffer between your foot and the floor, reducing ground impact forces and any sense of unevenness underfoot. It’s a lovely, almost squidgy sensation that I’ve enjoyed for my easy runs – up to a point, that is. Even while testing this shoe in the UK’s bleak midwinter, the padding and relatively thick upper material do feel a little stifling by the end of a run. It’s worth noting, though, that I’ve been training for a marathon and doing runs that are rarely less than 7km in length – so if shorter runs are your preference, you should get on fine with this shoe.
The UK’s bleak midwinter often brings plenty of rain, too – and the sturdy rubber outsole of the Adrenaline GTS 24 has helped me to feel confident and in control when running on wet pavements.
While it doesn’t stack up, quite literally, to the ultra-cushioned Brooks Glycerin Max, which boasts a serious stack height of 45mm in the heel, the Adrenaline GTS 24 still offers max-cushioning in a shorter package. Thanks to the GuideRails technology, the shoe keeps your foot in place with every step, preventing wayward rolling and motions of the foot and ankle that could lead to niggles. (This GuideRails technology is also known by the brand as its ‘Go-To Technology’, or ‘GTS’ for short.)
I wouldn't even recommend trying to run fast in this shoe – it wasn’t made for that and will just leave you feeling lethargic as you try to overcome all the features that are there to keep you stable. Enjoy the Adrenaline GTS 24 for your easy and recovery efforts and pick a different pair of shoes for your intervals.
RW verdict
To be honest, this shoe is ‘Adrenaline’ by name, but not by nature. It is by no means the fastest shoe out there and it doesn’t make my heart skip a beat when I look at it or put it on. But let’s not forget that this shoe isn’t designed to be fast or flashy. It is meant to be a nurturing shoe that enables people to run in comfort and enjoy the experience while they’re at it. Simple.
In that sense, the Adrenaline GTS 24 fulfils its job description – and I respect it for that. It’s an excellent shoe to run in when you want to be kind to your feet (especially post-race, or if you have a pre-existing blister or two) and take things easy in a fuss-free manner. While, for me, this shoe feels too cumbersome and stuffy for longer runs over 10K or so, it is a great option for newer runners, overpronators and those who want to gently increase their mileage in a supported way, without any biomechanical consequences. In other words, if you’re a runner who wants to go out there and take things gently, give the Adrenaline GTS 24 a chance.
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