REASONS TO BUY
Top-tier lateral support
Grippy dry traction
Four width sizes available
REASONS TO AVOID
Narrow forefoot fit
Not super energetic
Weak wet traction
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 Review
A snug, stabilizing, and shock-absorbing shoe that lacks the energy needed to put a spring in your step
Credit: Arthur McMahon
By Arthur McMahon ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ November 10, 2026
RELATED: The Best Walking Shoes for Men
Our Verdict
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a shoe that's soft at heart but lined with supportive rails that'll keep your feet on track like a train car. Its midsole foam has a comfortable amount of squish to it, but the structured support doesn't allow your feet to sink too deep, and the combination of the two results in a lack of energy return that leaves your steps feeling supported but flat. And the traction, while great across terrains when the ground is dry, doesn't fare so well when things get wet. During testing, we found this shoe shone best during sunny conditions and short walks, but lost its luster after the first couple of miles were put underfoot.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Most Comfortable Shoe | Most Supportive Shoe |  Best Under $100 | Best Bang for Your Buck | |
| Price | $155 List Check REI (on sale!) | $145 List Check Price at REI | $170 List Check Price at REI | $75 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $70 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This fair-weather stability shoe can be good for walkers who stick to easy strolls in sunny weather, but it can slip when conditions get wet | A grounded, lightweight walking shoe offering excellent ventilation and supreme comfort that'll keep your feet happy over long days | A stable and comfortable shoe that does support right - it guides your steps and keeps you upright without overcorrection | At a wallet-friendly price point, this shoe is surprisingly comfortable for all-day wear across various uses | A basic, inexpensive walking shoe that's surprisingly capable but far from premium |
| Rating Categories | Brooks Adrenaline GT... | Altra Experience Flow 3 | Asics Gel-Kayano 33 | Under Armour Charged... | Asics Gel-Contend 10 |
| Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Support (25%) | |||||
| Durability (20%) | |||||
| Traction (15%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Specifications | Brooks Adrenaline GT... | Altra Experience Flow 3 | Asics Gel-Kayano 33 | Under Armour Charged... | Asics Gel-Contend 10 |
| Best For | Athletic walking, everyday casual | Athletic walking, everyday casual | Athletic walking, everyday casual | Athletic walking | Athletic walking |
| Width Options | Narrow, regular, wide, x-wide | Regular | Narrow, regular, wide, x-wide | Regular | Regular, wide |
| Support Design | Structured stability: GuideRails | Neutral | Structured stability: neutral, overpronation | Neutral | Neutral |
| Measured Weight | 10.96 | 8.99 | 11 | 11.28 | 10.99 |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 10 mm | 5 mm | 8 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm |
| Closure Type | Lace | Lace | Lace | Lace | Lace |
| Upper Material | Breathable engineered mesh | Engineered mesh | Engineered mesh | Mesh, leather overlays | Engineered mesh vamp |
| Midsole Material | Nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 with GuideRails | Altra EGO™ P35 | FF BLAST MAX + FF BLAST PLUS; rearfoot PureGEL | Charged+ Cushioning | AMPLIFOAM PLUS with rearfoot GEL |
| Ousole Material | RoadTack rubber | Rubber | Hybrid ASICSGRIP + AHARPLUS rubber | Rubber | Durable rubber with flex grooves |
| Heel Tab Type | Finger loop | Heel tab | Finger loop | Finger loop | None |
| Measured Heel Stack | 38 mm | 32 mm | 40 mm | 37 mm | 36 mm |
| Measured Width | 4.9 in. | 4.9 in. | 5.0 in. | 4.7 in. | 4.9 in. |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Excellent dry traction and supportive architecture are characteristics the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 offers in spades, but there isn't much more worth writing home about.
A soft, yet stable step is the hallmark of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Comfort
For what it's worth, the Adrenaline GTS 25 is decently comfortable. Compared to the previous iteration, Brooks added more of its nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 foam in the sole of the heel and forefoot. This certainly helped to soften the step.
We measured a 38 mm heel stack height and a 28 mm forefoot stack, resulting in a 10 mm heel-to-toe drop. That's a decent chunk of midsole foam underfoot. And the fairly high heel drop is often the more comfortable design choice for your calves and Achilles tendon. We felt just fine standing in the GTS 25 for long stretches.
A sizeable midsole stack of soft foam paired with rigid supports is a comfortable combo for those who want stability assistance. Credit: Arthur McMahon
The fit, on the other hand, has its pluses and minuses. Everyone's feet are different, so your mileage may vary, but we found the uppers to be quite restrictive at the forefoot. While the overall fit felt secure and snug, our medium-width pair had the ball of our feet protruding over the edge of the midsole, pushing out the upper fabric.
Right at the bottom of the laces, the balls of our feet on the interior push out on the upper fabric. This can lead to blisters and early wear on the shoes. Credit: Arthur McMahon
The engineered mesh uppers themselves are stretchy and comfortable, at least. Then they're very breathable, too. So while our feet felt a bit cramped, it wasn't all that uncomfortable. What's nice is that Brooks does offer four width options for the Adrenaline GTS 25, so you may just have to go a width size above what you normally would to find the right fit.
The heel and tongue tabs make it very easy to slide the shoe on, even if the fit is a bit too snug. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Support
Step support is one of the main reasons to consider the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25. During the miles of walks we went on, we found the structure of the support to be more forceful than suggestive, but some walkers do need substantial stability assistance to keep them grounded and upright.
Brooks incorporates GuideRails into the sole of the shoe, specifically around the heel and leading into the midfoot. This keeps your step in a straight line, especially if you're a heel striker. As your heel hits the ground, those rails prevent inefficient side-to-side rolling and keep your foot moving forward.
If you try to roll your foot to one side or the other, you'll feel those GuideRails keeping your feet flat and centered. Credit: Arthur McMahon
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 does allow for some flex up at the forefoot. This means your steps won't feel completely rigid. Still, the control in the back half of the shoe is substantial, so by the time you roll forward to your toes, the step path has already been laid out for you.
There's essentially no flex at all in the heel of the Adrenaline GTS 25, but the forefoot has some give that enables your toes to help with overall stability. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Durability
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 shows no obvious signs of wear after the thousands of steps we traversed. It feels fairly robust for daily walking or the occasional jog and should generally last as long as one would expect.
We appreciate how well reinforced all of the lacing eyelets are. And the upper material isn't shaved super thin to be as ultralight as possible — there is a thickness to it you can feel. It should hold out well in the long term.
The uppers have a rugged texture around the heel, and each eyelet is reinforced. These are good signs of potential shoe longevity. Credit: Arthur McMahon
If anything, the outsole features Brooks' RoadTack rubber, which is a relatively soft compound. That's great for traction, but softer rubber is more likely to wear faster than harder rubber. So while the upper half of the shoe may last a long time, the rubber will likely wear out first.
Put your finger to the outsole and give it a poke - you'll feel some give and tackiness, which are signs that it's a grippy yet soft rubber. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Traction
In the right conditions, we experienced great traction in the Adrenaline GTS 25. On flat, dry surfaces, it gripped like a champ from tile to pavement thanks to its soft rubber outsole.
The GTS 25 was less impressive on gravel and dirt, or any loose terrain. There isn't much texture depth to the outsole. The hollowed-out circles and grooves between the rubber patches provide some depth for gripping loose surfaces, but not much. We also noticed that, despite the soft rubber compound, this shoe really didn't have great traction on wet tile or pavement.
Our testing revealed that dirt traction is ok, and paved path traction is great - so long as the surface is dry. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Weight
We weighed the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 at 10.96 ounces per men's size 10.5 shoe. There's a touch of heft to this shoe, as one would expect in a shoe with substantial support and good durability.
Many of the best parts of the Brooks GTS 25 are what weigh it down. The slightly thick, yet durable uppers, the built-in GuideRails, and even the practical elastic heel and tongue finger loops — each of these adds ounces or even fractions of ounces.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 may be a touch heavy, but the benefits are mostly worth the ounces. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Should You Buy the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25?
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is a fine choice for someone in need of a shoe that provides substantial lateral support to prevent ankle rolls, but also wants a midsole that feels comfortable to stand atop for long periods. Just keep the walks short — the lack of energy return and forced GuideRail support will become tiring after a couple of miles.
What Other Men's Walking Shoes Should You Consider?
While the Adrenaline is good, other shoes offer just as much support in more holistic packages. If you like Brooks, the Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a max cushion shoe that also utilizes the GuideRails — but the shoe is more comfortable overall. And the Asics Gel-Kayano 33 is fairly similar to the Adrenaline in many ways, but with more well-rounded foot support and comfort.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 is wonderful for short walks. You may want to order one width size up from what you typically would, though. Credit: Arthur McMahon
—Arthur McMahon
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