We had them both and would like to review Brooks Adrenaline vs Glycerin side by side. To begin with, the key difference between the Glycerin 20 and the Adrenaline GTS 22 are the stability and the amount of cushioning.
The Glycerin 20 is a neutral shoe but the Adrenaline GTS 22 is a support. Therefore, the Adrenaline GTS 22 is well suited for the over-pronation, whereas Glycerin 20 is the top pick for comfort. It’s like including a plush liner for a softer and snugger fit. This makes a huge difference between the Adrenaline GTS 22 and the Glycerin 20 in terms of comfort. It can also be concluded that the Glycerin 20 is slightly lighter than the Adrenaline GTS 22. Although, the look of the Adrenaline is better to us, the Glycerin has more padding – more cushioning. On the other hand, the Adrenaline has slightly bigger toe box compared to the Glycerin.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS vs Glycerin GTS: There is also GTS (Go-To-Support) version of Brooks Glycerin 20. This version, Brooks Glycerin GTS 20, has the same amount of comfort as the standard Brooks Glycerin 20 has, but it also offers great stability as much as the Adrenaline GTS 22. The GuideRails technology has been implemented on the Brooks Glycerin GTS 20 version as well as the Adrenaline GTS. So, if you seek a highly supportive/stable ride and plush feeling, you can consider the Glycerin GTS 20, instead of Adrenaline GTS 22 or Glycerin 20. The chart, we have put here will help you better understand their design intents:
| Review of # | Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 | Brooks Glycerin 20 |
|---|---|---|
| Our Score | 92/100 | 87/100 |
| Our Selection for | Great Stability | Great Comfort |
| Support | Stability | Neutral |
| Feel | Balanced Cushioning (2/3) | Plush Cushioning (3/3) |
| Flexibility | Moderate (3/5) | Flexible (4/5) |
| Drop-mm (M/W) | 12 | 10 |
| Weight-gr (M/W) | 289/258 | 288/255 |
| Width Options | Narrow/Normal/Wide/XWide | Narrow/Normal/Wide |
| Expert Eval. | In-depth Review | In-depth Review |
| Deals & Discounts | Rates Men’s / Women’s | Rates Men’s / Women’s |
We also strongly recommend checking out Best Brooks Running Shoes article. In that post, you will find activity and/or foot shape specific recommendations from Brooks Running Shoes Catelog.
Long Story Short Brooks Adrenaline vs Glycerin
First, you need to answer following questions to answer Brooks Adrenaline or Glycerin. Have you ever had lower body injures? Do you have any issue with balance or flexibility? Do you need any additional support? If the answer is Yes, then your ideal support running shoe is the Adrenaline GTS or Glycerin GTS! If you say No, it means you are looking for neutral running shoe, which means the Brooks Glycerin.
Before going further in details, the main difference between Brooks Adrenaline GTS and Glycerin GTS is the amount of cushioning. The cushion level of Glycerin GTS is 3/3 (Plush Cushioning), whereas, Adrenaline GTS is 2/3 (Balanced Cushioning). Apart from this, both of them (the GTS versions) are highly supportive and uses the same support and stability technology.
If the comfort/the plush feeling is the top priority, you can pick the Glycerin line as well as Glycerin GTS 20 (see Glycerin 20 vs GTS 20). However, for a more balanced riding & less cushioning, the Adrenaline GTS could be a better option. In the following section, we will be focusing on the comparison of Adrenaline vs Glycerin but not the Brooks Glycerin GTS. As we mentioned, the Glycerin GTS is as plush as the standard Brooks Glycerin and as supportive & stable as the Adrenaline GTS. Here is a link that you can check out Glycerin GTS in Amazon.com.
We combined our experience with the customer feedbacks on Brooks Adrenaline GTS line and Glycerin line, then came up with a final scoring.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 Score
- Weight (gr): 300 Men/ 260 Women
- Heel to Toe Drop (mm): 12
Brooks Glycerin 20 & (GTS) Score
- Weight (gr): 290 – Men’s / 255 – Women’s
- Heel to Toe Drop (mm): 10
Our highlights for Adrenaline GTS 22 vs Glycerin 20 comparison:
We put together the following list to make a clear comparison of Adrenaline GTS 22 vs Glycerin 20:
Glycerin 20 is
- Softer midsole, Plush Cushioning
- More comfortable
- But less power output
- Less stable
- 10 mm heel to toe drop
- Men’s 290 gr / Women’s 255 gr
- The Stability – Neutral
- Expensive (than the Ghost 13)
- Only Normal, Wide 2E options are available.
Adrenaline GTS 22 is
- Moderate Cushioning
- Great Heel to Toe Transition
- For Over pronation – GuideRails Tech
- Greater Stability
Pros & Cons of Adrenaline vs Glycerin
In this section, we would like to list what we like the most and what we don’t like about these products. Here is the list of Brooks Adrenaline vs Glycerin Pros & Cons:
Brooks Adrenaline Likes/Dislikes
| What we liked the most | |
| Super stable and supportive | ✔ |
| Very comfortable | ✔ |
| Reliable | ✔ |
| Durable | ✔ |
| Smoother and softer than its predecessor (GTS 20) | ✔ |
| Updated Air Mesh Upper: Lighter / Breathable / Snug Fit | ✔ |
| Roomy for toe splay | ✔ |
| What we dont like | |
| Heavier than the average of the running shoes we tested | ✗ |
| Lacks responsiveness compared to its contenders in the same class | ✗ |
| Rubbing on the bare skin (upper) | ✗ |
Brooks Glycerin Likes/Dislikes
| What we liked the most | |
| The Top Comfort of Brooks Family | ✔ |
| Durable | ✔ |
| Plush Interior Lining | ✔ |
| Ample Room – Toe Splay | ✔ |
| Smooth footstrike | ✔ |
| Comfortable & Fine fit | ✔ |
| What we dont like | |
| A bit heavy | ✗ |
| Runs a little short | ✗ |
| Unresponsive | ✗ |
| A bit warm – not for summer | ✗ |
Short Review for Brooks Adrenaline GTS
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 is an ideal runner for road running, cross training, the gym or daily train. It is the best everyday training shoes for Over-Pronates. We liked the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22, this pair of shoes use the GuideRails technology which was introduced with the Adrenaline GTS 20. The GuideRails increases the stability of the shoe and prevents the excess ankle movements.
The new GTS 22 has lots of cushioning to absorb the impact, and highly supportive as well as the previous GTS line (Go-to-Support) of Brooks. For the injury prone runners, the Adrenaline GTS 22 included an extra lateral support.
We believe that the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 has a good balance between the stiffness and the softness. This pair is indeed both stable and responsive. However, we found some comments in online source that assert GTS 22 is not as responsive as it is expected. Therefore, we put this to the CONS to provide the max data we can.
About the 3D Fit Print technology that the GTS 22 uses; the upper is re-created via 3D Fit Print. Now, it is more structured and reinforced. It is also quite breathable.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 has a very smooth transition of heel to toe drop. What is the benefit of this? It means effortless strides while keeping the comfort.
A final note: It runs narrow, but there are wide and extra wide versions available on GTS 22.
To sum up, you should answer the fallowing question first: Do you suffer from over-pronation? If your answer is yes, then your ideal running shoe is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22. It is highly supportive and stable which is equipped with GuideRails to prevent excess ankle movements. Also, It is a maximalist runner which has a smoother heel to toe transition.
Related Article: In-Depth Review for Brooks Adrenaline GTS
Short Review for Brooks Glycerin
The Brooks Glycerin 20 is the best cushioned neutral running shoes in the Brooks Running Shoes family, and it is perfect for runners who seek a daily trainer for neutral pronates. This plush shoe is designed for comfort, indeed the Glycerin 20 is all about the comfort.
What we liked the most on Glycerin 20 is its upper. The upper material is updated. The new plush upper provides a better fit. The Glycerin 20 is incredibly flexible with lots of padding. Its forefoot and toe box are so stretchy. The Gusseted tongue is made from stretchy nylon polyester. Also, there is ample room for toes splay. Moreover, for the extreme underfoot softness, DNA Loft 3 is added in the new version.
The Glycerin 20 is highly durable and comfortable and this makes this pair of shoes highly eligible for long runs as well as daily trainings. The outsole is full rubber and it extends its durability. The traction is very well on dry surfaces.
For the short distance runs where the power output will be significant, the Glycerin 20 is not so good. It is so unresponsive, and the midsole is so soft. But it is normal, since this running shoe is designed for comfort, but not for a springy or energetic experience..
If you decide to go with this pair of shoes, make sure your top priority is the comfort and the top cushioning. Folks are asking the question what type of shoe is the Brooks Glycerin will end up with the answer “The Most Cushioned Ones of Brooks Running Shoes”.
Before making a final decision, it is good to mention about its responsiveness. Since it is highly cushioned and incredibly soft, it is a bit heavy and unresponsive. Remember that the Brooks Glycerin is all about the comfort.
Due to the amount of padding, it is a bit warm. Also, the upper is thick. Therefore, it may not be the best running shoe for summer.
To sum up, The Glycerin 20 is our go to choice for the top comfort; this is a plush shoe for neutral pronates. It is the top of the Cushioned models of Brooks Running Shoes. It is very suitable for long distance runs and very durable. There is also a GTS version “Glycerin GTS 20”. In this version, GuideRails technology has been implemented to increase the stability. By means of this, you can acquire both the comfort and the stability. So, do we recommend the Glycerin 20? Yes, for the top comfort.
Related Article: In-Depth Review for Brooks Glycerin
Bottom line Brooks Adrenaline vs Glycerin
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 is an ideal runner for road running, cross training, the gym or daily train. It is the best everyday training shoes for over-pronates.
The Glycerin 20 is our go to choice for the top comfort; this is a plush shoe for neutral pronates. It is the top of the Cushioned models of Brooks Running Shoes. The Glycerin is very suitable for long distance runs as well as daily training and it is very durable. There is also a GTS version “Glycerin GTS 20”. In this version, GuideRails technology has been implemented to increase the stability. By means of this, you can acquire the comfort and the stability at once.
In the end, we would like to recommend considering the pronation before making your final decision. Yes, the Glycerin 20 has more padding and cushioning. It is also more comfortable than the Adrenaline GTS 22. However, the Glycerin 20 is for neutral pronation, on the other hand Adrenaline GTS 22 is for over-pronation.
Related Article: Best Running Shoes for Men & Women – Review