Glycerin GTS 23

I wanted to share a few observations from my first few weeks with the Glycerin GTS 23 to help anyone considering this shoe, especially if you need some stability support. For context, I am a midfoot striker with mild overpronation on my right side. 95kg with a larger build and currently running roughly 30km per week, easy runs, recovery runs, and longer runs. I’ve moved into more stability shoes while recovering from a medial ankle injury related to the post tibialis and it’s helped me on the road to recovery along with some strength work. I was in the market for another shoe to accompany my pair of ASICS Gel Kayano 31. Those ASICS have been great and still actually have plenty of miles left in them, but since moving to a stability shoe to help with the recovery, they have been my only pair, so I wanted to try something different. Enter the Brooks Glycerin GTS 23. So far, I have done a few 5Ks and a couple of 10Ks in them, and I am really enjoying them. The first thing I noticed was how quiet they are. My Kayanos always felt quite loud and slappy, which has never really gone away. The Glycerins, on the other hand, feel very quiet and smooth. Cushioning: Firm but cushioned. They are not squishy at all, but nicely damped and controlled. They also feel light and responsive. There is no overly bouncy or squishy sensation, which I personally really like. Stability: The GuideRails system works really well. I slightly overpronate on my right foot, and it seems to manage this really well without feeling intrusive. The Kayanos are also excellent in this regard, but their support feels more pronounced and tends to push your feet outward, whereas the Glycerins keep your feet feeling balanced and more centered. This also makes them more suitable for regular walking. Fit: For me, these are true to size. I wear a uk11 in the Kayanos and an 11 in these as well. They may be slightly narrower and a little shallower toward the toe, but nothing significant. They feel great on foot. Upper: Luxurious, very padded, and very close in feel to the Kayano, especially with the padding around the heel collar. I had a slight hot spot near the big toe on the first wear, but this has now disappeared and they feel great. Grip: Grip has been solid so far. I have had no issues on canal paths or tarmac, both in dry and wet conditions. Overall, I really like these, and they are a great addition to my Kayanos as part of a stability shoe rotation.

For sure, I'm enjoying these shoes for now, I did have some soreness after my latest long run but I'm putting that down to a terrain shift, less so the shoes. Yeah, thanks, it's been many months work actually, it all went pear shaped around June last year, I thought I'd be back after a week or so but I had to take a good few months off. Threw in some strength work and I'm slowly getting back up to where I was, albeit taking it very easy and not pushing it. Injury can be a dog.

I can’t really comment on any previous iteration as this is my first ever brooks shoe. Compared against the Kayano however they *feel* lighter. I guess the flat slappy feel of the Kayano gives them a more blocky and heavy ride but it could all be in my head. I also think the firmer nature of the glycerin lends them to a more peppy run.