Leading up to testing these, I blew the dust off of my 18s to get familiar with them since the 19s were going to have major changes. It’s very important to know your running gait so that we can advise and fit the correct shoes according to your own individual requirements. Can’t get into store? Try a wet foot test Now, Brooks has once again come up with an innovation in the Adrenaline GTS 19 model with the new Guard Rails Holistic Support System technology.

The midsole is made of a single density DNA Loft EVA compound. This material provides a cushioned, yet bouncy, feel. It translates in a comfortable ride from the first step.The midsole is extended further up. The ‘rails’ on each side of the shoe cradled my foot. The Bio degradable BioMoGo foam complemented the guide rails nicely. It felt soft to the touch. The inner midsole doesn’t have a medial-post and is softer than the outer side. So that makes the GTS 19 what – a reverse Adrenaline? Consider coming into a store and doing a video gait analysis. Gait analysis monitors your body’s movement and your feet (sports biomechanics) whilst running. It’s commonly used to help athletes run more efficiently and to identify movement related problems for people with injuries who are seeking new running shoes.

Starting alphabetically, the adidas Solar Glide ST is a much softer shoe but has something in common with the GTS. Its midsole has raised edges which adidas calls ‘Solar propulsion rails’– but they serve a similar function as the GuideRail. Meanwhile, towards the heel, you have a 3D Printed technology, which allows the shoe to wrap your foot and keep you well-balanced in every step. Brooks offers a combination of color tones in the upper, including some bright reflective ones. These not only look good but also helps on those dark runs. Millions of pairs of ‘stability’ running shoes have sold based on the premise that ‘over-pronators’ need such products. A new industry was created around gait analysis, medial-posts, and what have you. Most people believed in this pseudo-science (a lot still do); even brands knew no better. Brooks as a brand that fosters loyalty from their runners more than most brands out there. Would this simplifying of their stability lineup help or hinder that loyalty?But like anything in life, it makes more sense to ease in a brand-new concept gradually instead of making an abrupt change. That is also the reason why Brooks chose to name the Transcend so instead of Trance – the shoe it was meant to replace. The Adrenaline models specially dedicated a great help to pronation on their GTS 18 model by having a solid arch midsole. This midsole provided the necessary correction to the pronation. They provided one of the smoothest foot strike to toe offs transitions I have experienced. This lends itself perfectly to easy runs and longer distances. The outsole hasn’t changed a lot. Only the midfoot has its half-shank replaced by a foam pod; the rest of the outsole feels the same. The blown rubber forefoot provides good traction and helps with the cushioning too. It’s interesting to note that the Guide Rails on the outer side are made of a softer foam than the arch side. This is true for the Transcend 6 as well. And this isn’t noticed unless you touch it. The foot rolls to the inside during the gait cycle so the outer Guide Rail isn’t part of the sensory experience.