Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17

The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17 offers a lightweight design to help the runner go further.

The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17 offers a durable and sticky tread in order to offer superior traction.

Editor rating: 8.2 / 10

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By NicoleK

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17 Review Facts

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Running offers benefits to those participating that go beyond the ability to compete. Running is a superior cardiovascular workout that helps keep the heart healthy, blood moving and promotes a healthier waistline. Disadvantages to the sport include the impact caused by the accelerated movement of the foot to the ground and the higher impact on bones and joints. This can cause larger issues down the road that could lead to both injury or surgery if not monitored throughout the years. This can be done by wearing running shoes or trainers that offer a decent level of impact reduction. Impact reduction is typically done through the bottom of the shoe. This can be through the outsole, midsole, forefoot, and especially heel. If done correctly, the cushioning through these areas should be able to minimize impact to the legs, ankle, and feet of the body, providing protection from those areas that seem to wear out quickly. Another area that should be specialized is the support system of the shoe. The support system will ensure that not only the ankle, heel, and ball of the foot are protected from the impacts of running but also will ensure that the foot is properly positioned when in the shoe. Every person's body is different, some have feet that tilt inward, others have feet that tilt outwards and some have neutral feet. It is important that the type of support the running shoe is providing is in line with the type of feet the runner has.

This article focuses specifically on the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17. We looked at consumer reviews in order to determine how this shoe stacks in when compared to others on the market today. Though this model isn't the most update of the Adrenaline GTS line (currently there is version 19 on the market), this runner is still being sold by major manufacturers. This shoe is quite popular with reviewers mostly due to the shoes superior support. Brooks is a well-known company, known for its sporting apparel. They are specifically known for their runners. They take existing models and upgrade rather than designing all new shoes every year. This allows the company to really improve on their existing reliable products. We hope that this article helps you with your next running shoe purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Those who tried out this shoe found it to provide adequate cushioning
Reviewers liked the lightweight nature of these shoes
They also appreciated the impact reduction offered through the heel of this shoe
This shoe is also regularly regarded as being quite durable and long-lasting

Cons

This shoe is stiff out of the box and requires break-in time
Many had an issue with the tightness of the forefoot (rubbing and lack of room)

OUTSOLE

The outsole of this product is made of a lightweight but durable material that offers a smooth transition when in motion. Those who bought this runner did find that it offered a decent level of traction even when wet which is positive.

MIDSOLE

Those who wore this shoe did find that the midsole offered a decent level of stability to the bottom of the foot. Numerous reviewers used this shoe as their primary runner for marathons and did find that they could wear this shoe for extended periods of time and feel supported. The midsole of this particular model is upgraded from previous models making it more supportive specifically around the arch and forefoot. Though this product is regularly listed as being a little stiff out of the box, it does seem as though this product supports the areas required in order to travel longer distances which is positive.

UPPER

The upper of this product is made of Brooks Air Mesh material which is supposed to offer both a lightweight design and breathability. Those who purchased this product did find this shoe to be quite lightweight despite its bulkiness. This shoe is also regularly reviewed as being quite breathable which helps the runners feet stay cooler longer. The issue that some found with this runner is that the upper cuts a little close to the toes and can cause some rubbing (and therefore blistering) when running. This caused some considerable discomfort, especially when going longer distances.

WEIGHT

This shoe is regularly reviewed as being quite lightweight in design which made several reviewers quite happy. Though the shoe itself is quite bulky and wide, the body of the shoe is lightweight. The weight of a shoe is important because additional weight causes more work for the legs and feet when in motion. A running shoe should be lightweight in design and supportive in order to offer the best performance available. This helps long distance runners go further, longer. This shoe does offer both a lightweight design as well as proper support throughout the midsole which means the shoe can help those looking for a long distance runner or marathon companion.

BREATHABILITY

As mentioned earlier in the upper section, this shoe does offer a lightweight mesh material all throughout its upper. This allows proper ventilation throughout the inside of the shoe. The cool air enters the mesh material and hot air exits through it. This allows the foot to stay cooler longer and helps prevent unnecessary sweat buildup. Those who wore this shoe found the shoe to be both lightweight and breathable which they appreciated.

COMFORT

This shoe has some mixed reviews in regards to its level of comfort. Those who tried out this shoe liked that the midsole offered superior cushioning throughout. They also found that the heel offered a decent level of impact reduction (discussed in more detail below). This shoe is also quite breathable which makes the shoe easier to run in for longer distances because the feet don't overheat. The issues that some found with this shoe is that the forefoot area seems to be a little narrow (again, despite its bulky nature) and those who wore this shoe found that their forefoot felt a little tight. The toe box, though, seems to offer enough room to really spread out the toes. The shoe is a little stiff out of the box and does require some breaking in. Some found that between this and the issues associated with the upper that they felt blistering very shortly into their run.

STYLE

This shoe is a little bulky looking which does affect the aesthetic of the shoe. The shoe is offered in different bright colors which some really liked but others found a little much. For those looking for a low key shoe, this product sadly didn't quite fit the bill as a result of their bright colors. The shoe itself looks like a classic running shoe but can't really be worn as anything other than a running shoe. It is not versatile in that it can be worn out and about unless the fashion of those wearing the shoe is quite sporty, sadly.

DURABILITY

This shoe is regularly reviewed as being quite durable which is really positive. Those who bought this shoe found that it was easy to wear long term and for a long time. The bottom of this shoe offers numerous stability features made of quality materials. The outsole is also regularly reviewed as being quite durable and offering decent levels of traction. This shoe is ideal for those training for marathons (assuming the shoe is broken in first) due to how well the outsoles handle rougher conditions (like little rocks and cement).

PROTECTION

The strength of the outsole of this shoe keeps the feet protected from sharp rocks along their path. It also offers a decently sized toe bumper to protect the runner's toes from stubs along the way which is positive. As mentioned earlier, this shoe does offer a decent level of durability which leaks into the protection offered by the shoe. Because it is made of strong, quality materials this means the runner won't have to worry about obstacles along the way that could potentially cause hard to the foot (or body). The outsole also offers decent traction even when wet which helps protect the runner from slips when running in areas of higher moisture or humidity.

RESPONSIVENESS

This shoe offers two functions in order to assist with the responsiveness of the shoe. The first is the trusted support offered through the PDRB (progressive diagonal rollbar). This function offers better alignment through the heel of the shoe in order to assist the runner with better take offs and stops when in motion. It also offers better impact reduction throughout the heel to protect bones and joints. The second function is the full-length segmented crash pad which runs along the bottom of the foot. This helps with transitions and lateral movements. This shoe is a little bulky which does affect the responsiveness of the shoe. The benefit of the shoe is that it offers support and a lightweight design. These two features help with the shoes overall responsiveness and make up for its wide design. Overall, those who wore this shoe felt supported and liked the shoe's responsiveness which is positive.

SUPPORT

As mentioned previously, those who bought this runner really appreciated the level of support offered throughout the shoe's midsole. The support was quite apparent after longer runs and though the shoe does require breaking in, the support never fails which is positive. This area is probably the highlight of this shoe.

TERRAIN

This shoe is ideal for urban running and can be worn outside and inside. The tread of this shoe can function properly in both wet and dry environments. This shoe also offers proper protection through its outsole and toe area to protect against minor elements like rocks and sidewalks. That said, this shoe would probably not be ideal for trail running as it does not offer the proper rock plate along the bottom of the shoe to protect against more aggressive terrains.

PRICE

The price point of this shoe is quite reasonable. It does not seem to be out of line with the market considering its features. The shoe isn't versatile in that it can be worn out and about as a fashionable accessory, however, it can be used as both a gym buddy or a road companion. The shoe also offers a decent level of durability which means that they will last longer, further justifying the price. Because they are older models they seem to also be on sale on numerous websites which is positive. Overall, a decently priced shoe, decent longevity and ideal for those on a budget.

TRACTION

This is discussed earlier in the outsole section of this article. The traction of this shoe seems to be quite impressive, offering stickiness even when in wetter environments. The shoe is quite responsive as well due to the outsole and traction of the shoe, offering smooth transitions and decent lateral movement even when at higher accelerations which is positive.

FLEXIBILITY

This shoe is a little stiff, unfortunately, which affects the flexibility of the shoe. Those who bought this product did note that it takes quite some time to really break this shoe in which means the flexibility of the product does seem to be poor.

KEY FEATURES

-Asymmetrical saddle which offers a more secure and supportive fit
-Softer underfoot which offers proper and comfortable cushioning to the shoe
-Supportive midsole which helps support the arch and ball of the foot
-Improved Air Mesh along the upper in order to offer proper ventilation and breathability
-Lightweight design to help with drag and decrease foot/leg fatigue
-Progressive Diagonal Rollbar for better alignment of the foot
-Full-length Segmented Crash Pad for smoother transitions and lateral movement
-Great traction for better performance and protection when running outdoors

BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is that this is a good shoe. It is not without its faults, the upper being one of the big ones. There are many reviewers that felt that the shoe is sized a little small making the shoe a little narrow through the forefoot. There were also several complaints about blisters due to the upper of the shoe being a little tight to the toes. The positives of this shoe are that it offers a great level of support and cushioning. It also offers decent traction to protect the runner as well as to help with the runner's performance. This shoe is also quite reasonably priced which makes this shoe great for those on a budget.