Brooks Shoes, Reviewed by a Podiatrist
Brooks builds conventional running shoe geometry: a more traditional platform, a higher heel-to-toe drop than most of its rivals, and a foot that is allowed to bend rather than be rolled forward. If you want to feel the ground, prefer a firmer heel, or have been made unstable by a tall midsole before, this is usually the safer buy.
8 shoes published · Updated 14 Oct 2026
The most useful thing we can say about Brooks is unglamorous: the spec sheet survives measurement. Every published figure on the Ghost 17 lands within roughly half a millimetre of independent laboratory measurement - heel, forefoot, drop and weight. That is unusual enough in this industry to be worth stating plainly, and it matters if a clinician has asked you to stay inside a particular drop range.
Brooks' stability approach is worth understanding before you choose. GuideRails limit excess movement at the heel and knee rather than jamming a firm post under the arch, which suits people who have found traditional motion control shoes punishing. It is a different mechanism from a structural medial post, not a milder version of one.
Every Brooks model on file is below, with its published specification and, where an independent laboratory figure exists, the measured one alongside. Each page names who should skip the shoe.
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All reviews: Brooks
Brooks Addiction Walker 2
Spec AnalysisMotion control, leather, four widths, high drop — not yet tested.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24
Spec AnalysisUntested. A 13.5 mm measured drop makes this one of the highest-drop mainstream trainers on sale - which is the point, not a flaw.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25
Spec AnalysisOn an independent lab’s calipers the drop fell 3.3 mm from the GTS 24 and the midsole went from firm to soft — a different prescription, not a refresh. Not tested by…
Brooks Beast GTS 26 (Ariel GTS 26)
Spec AnalysisThe last true maximum-support shoe, 10 mm drop, APMA-listed — not yet tested.
Brooks Ghost 17
Spec AnalysisUntested. Unusually accurate published figures - drop and retailer stack heights within 0.7 mm of the lab, weight within 3 g.
Brooks Ghost 18
Spec AnalysisBrooks publishes a 10 mm drop; a lab measured 12.2 mm. Four widths. Not tested by us.
Brooks Ghost Max 4
Spec AnalysisRockered max-cushion neutral, 6 mm drop, orthotic-friendly fit — not yet tested.
Brooks Glycerin 23
Spec AnalysisBrooks cut the drop from 10 mm to 8 mm and raised the price to $175; an independent lab’s stack figures land within about 1 mm of Brooks’. Not tested by us.
What each tier is allowed to claim
The tier on a page governs what we are willing to say about the shoe. We would rather publish a smaller number than imply we measured something we did not.
Measured, then worn
Weighed and measured on the bench, then worn for recorded miles on recorded surfaces. Scored on all nine criteria. The only tier eligible for the seal.
Measured, not yet worn
Physically weighed, measured and stress-tested for stability, but not worn far enough to judge comfort over distance or durability. Carries measurements and an Orthotic Volume Rating — no overall score.
Not in our hands
A podiatrist's reading of the manufacturer's published specification, plus what the clinical literature says about that construction. No score and no seal, on purpose.
No brand has ever paid for a score
No sponsorship, no gifted-shoe quid pro quo, no paid placement. Where we earn a commission, the link says so and the score does not change.