One of the most anticipated updates every year is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS. How will the 2023 version of the popular support shoe measure up? Laura has been testing it out for the past couple of weeks ahead of it going on sale on 1 June.
01:01 Key stats
01:15 What you need to know
02:26 How’s the fit?
04:35 Run test
08:17 Final verdict
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Hi readers I'm Laura and I'm here with a First look at the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23. [Music] [Applause] [Music] So there's not many shoes out there that Rival the longevity of the Brooks Adrenaline we're on the 23 Um 2023 Edition now I've run in the Adrenaline since 2008 on and off Um I've probably I'd say he had about 10 Different versions in that time my last Pair was the 21 Edition I did a lot of Miles in that marathon training I did a Video on here yeah for me it's a long Run the shoe so um I was very keen to see what 2023 would Bring for the adrenaline let's look at The stats so the adrenaline will set you Back 135 pounds it has a 12 millimeter Drop and the woman's shoe comes in at 258 grams and the men's 286 grams So what's new for this time round the 23 It's got that version two of Brooks's DNA Loft cushioning they said they've Gone lighter and softer the shoe overall Is coming in three grams heavier than The 2022 version so although that foam's Lighter the shoe overall isn't much Lighter they've also changed the upper Apparently it's now a engineered air Mesh what I can say about it is that I You know I'm wearing a scarf today
Because it's gone a bit colder but last Week when I was running in it Um it was pretty warm here so there was Good breathability in this upper there's A nice open open mesh there it did fit My foot well it it felt nice so it's not A radical Um update from previous versions but Um it fits nicely and it looked you know It looks still like the adrenaline There's there's nothing outwardly Radically different about the design so It's mainly that foam that they've Updated there that's your main change I wear a UK six Um and these fitted as I expected them To they uh true to size I had a little Bit of the wiggle room in the end there They Were I have slightly narrow feet and I Found that I could I could get a good Fit the the laces I think possibly would Like a little bit more if you're a wider Um if you've got wider feet you probably Would want a little bit more there in The laces but um yeah it was fine I kind Of just enough to double that I'm a Double knotter so I like a bit more Length for that in my laces Um the the only thing that struck me That stood out about the fit was that Underneath the ankle Um The upper came a little bit lower
Underneath the ankle than I was Anticipating particularly with a support Shoe I kind of expect them to hug a Little bit up more towards that ankle Bone Um and they were they were noticeably a Bit lower Uh running I didn't really after a Little while I didn't really notice it So much Um but it was just something that uh Stood out to me as not being how I Expected So in the upper when it when the it Comes to the padding they've not really Cut any Corners we're getting maximum Amount of comfort in the top bits so the Towel nice and padded nice thick tongue There and in the heel that is solid Look at that Is solid good amount of support around That ankle there and good wedge of Padding around the ankle collar so Full marks for the comfort of the upper And the amount of padding they're giving Us there at the front Strip that all back to have that Breathability Um And to cut anything out that's gonna add Bulk So I have done three runs in these I did The first one was seven miles so I ran Two miles to park run around the park
Around back I was taking it easy that Day Um So yeah pretty pretty easy Mouse all the Way around that run I set off and Because I've run in Adrenaline over the Years so much at seven I didn't think Seven miles would be an issue Um Straight Out of the Box popping them On and going off for a run Um and after the first one I was a bit Like oh did I make the right decision Here because it It it we weren't gelling Um in that first mile uh I think they Needed a bit of breaking in and I Probably needed a bit of breaking in for That run too Um I'd say once I got kind of Midway Through my run we'd both loosened up a Bit and and we were a bit happier but I Did feel like I was sitting more on top Of the shoe um on top of the sole than In it some shoes come around and hug Your foot a bit I did feel like I was I Was on top of it Um they felt lighter than you probably Expect looking at them they're not like A racing shoe kind of like but they are Lighter than if you look at the back of That shoe that's quite quite a hefty uh Heel there Lots of nice space to land on if you're A hill Striker
But it doesn't look doesn't look Slimline or streamlined is that Nice wide base for for landing on two Didn't feel clunky though and fell Um nice and smooth really the cushioning Isn't is not like a a plush squishy kind Of Feeling it's soft but a kind of firm Soft it's very much that adrenaline kind Of right I'd actually had gone in I had Dug these out Um the week before to go for another run In them to These bedded in if if these feel like If these in maybe another 20 miles I Think will be feeling great you know you You've got to get through that early bit And um and break them in they are Comfortable now but I think that they're Going to benefit from me going out for a Few more runs so we can uh gel a bit More together So my second one in them I've done a Hard interval session with my club on a Tuesday so then when I went out on the Thursday often I would reach for Something maybe a bit a bit softer but Um so I put the adrenaline on and um It was nice going into something with That support my legs were a bit tired I Went out for six miles Um And on the on the way home and my Pace Did pick up a bit and they're not a shoe
That's designed for running speedy and But as my Pace picked up Um they they felt okay they they weren't Like uh they weren't dragging me down or Anything they did go with me so maybe You could get a tempo run out of them Something like a marathon-based tempo Run or something like that rather than Uh Speedy intervals but yeah they're a Good all-rounder shoe if you're someone That needs that extra bit of support The guide rails will give you that the The the width of the the bottom of the Shoe is going to give you that and they Were good for tired legs I think sometimes the best thing you can Say about a shoe is that you didn't Really think about it Um obviously part of my job is that I Come here and I talk about running shoes To you so I have to think about it but When you do have that moment where you You're not really thinking about you're Not noticing what's going on in your Feet I think that's a good sign and That's where this shoe Um fits in for me it's a shoe that will Do some of the work for me when my legs Are tired and I can Just just go running there's there's a Good amount of durability there so I Think I would again reach for it as one Of my um long run shoes because it feels Like that sole is gonna is Gonna Go the
Distance Um and that support will help as I get Tired in the last stages of longer runs So if you are a fan of the adrenaline Series I think you'll be quite happy With this year's update give it a go And if you are someone that uh needs a Little bit extra support in your running Shoes There is something coming up from Brooks In July that will hopefully help you do Those speedier runs uh with a little bit More support too so we will have a first Look at that too stay tuned
