HOKA Arahi 9 vs Brooks Adrenaline GTS 26

Replacing the Arahi 8, the Arahi 9 is HOKA's mid-weight stability trainer for daily road running, aimed at runners who overpronate. It offers less support than the Gaviota 6, the brand's most structured shoe, and serves as a supportive alternative to the neutral Clifton 11.

Guidance comes from HOKA's H-Frame, in which a firmer foam is moulded into an H shape to support both sides of the foot within a two-layer CMEVA midsole. The main update is a redesigned engineered-mesh upper, and the outsole pairs exposed foam with thick rubber pods in a new compound. The forefoot rocker now begins slightly later than on the Arahi 8, while the heel keeps its curvature, and the stack is slightly lower than before. HOKA lists an 8 mm drop and a 39 mm heel stack. The shoe comes in standard, wide and extra-wide fittings.

Specs and features from runrepeat.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.

Structured support with just-right cushioning is how Brooks describes the Adrenaline GTS 26, its everyday road stability shoe for daily runs, long runs and walking. Support comes from GuideRails, which the brand says work with the cushioning to manage excess movement without a traditional medial post. Underfoot is DNA Loft v3, a nitrogen-infused foam that is also used in the neutral Ghost 18.

Replacing the Adrenaline GTS 25, this version keeps the support system, the cushioning and the 10 mm drop, and changes the upper: an engineered double-jacquard air mesh, a soft flat-knit tongue designed to reduce bulk, and a flat-knit collar with a heel loop for easier on and off. It weighs 306 g in a men's UK 8.5, with wide and extra-wide fits alongside the standard width. The Glycerin GTS 23 is the more cushioned GuideRails alternative.

Specs and features from fit2run.com, brooksrunning.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.