Brooks Beast vs Addiction – Support Road Running Shoe Review

Performance Summary

Not only is Brooks one of the oldest brands in running. They have developed a reputation over the years for quality and innovation in running. And one of those innovations came in the 1990s when the brand launched a “max support” running shoe with extra cushion with the Brooks Beast. Shortly thereafter came the Beats “baby brother’ in the Addiction. Which has done through a few iterations in becoming its current self. So if you are a runner or walker looking for a max support shoe, it’s easy to understand why you are looking at the Brooks Beast vs Addiction. Below I’ll break down each shoe in a bit more detail to help you understand the subtle differences.

Brooks Beast

The Brooks Beast is one of running’s original cushioned max support road running shoes and has a long history of being a preferred option for runners with both overpronation and supination. My first impression when getting my hands on the Beast for the first time was that they feel solid, with a design that looks more functional than aesthetically pleasing, offering only a few color options overall. They also feature the notable inner guide rail, with the outer portion of the support blended into the sole. This is the striped section along the outer sole sidewall.

Slipping the Beasts on for the first time, they are pretty comfortable overall. The 38 mm stack height feels a bit tall for me, and the cushioning is noticeable but still stable. I can tell they provide both inner and outer wall support, helping keep my feet aligned perfectly as I start moving in them. There is good arch support, I would say it’s about medium, and you can tell they have spent some time and iteration dialing in the feel of these shoes.

Hitting the road in the Beast, the tall stack height and 12 mm drop make them feel faster than I expected, but they are by no means a shoe that gives a fast feeling. The Beasts provide a soft landing but not a ton of rebound off the ground. The support rails do their job really well once you get moving, and as a support shoe, they truly shine. I also found them to be incredibly comfortable for standing and walking and can see them making a great shoe for people who work on their feet all day.

Brooks Addiction

The Brooks Addiction, or the ‘baby beast’ as the brand has affectionately called it in the past. Has grown up over the years and, by all counts, has surpassed its big brother in size and support features. Unboxing the Addictions for the first time, they are noticeably heavier compared to the two models. However, they have a very similar look and feel overall. When examining the shoe from the outside, the Addiction has a noticeably larger foot box and a slightly larger inner support along the arch, as can be seen in the side-by-side comparison below.

These two changes are also the biggest differences between the two once you put them on your feet. The Brooks Addiction provides noticeably more arch support, which is great for people suffering from supination when running, but it may be too much for others. Next is the extra room in the toe box, which is beneficial for people who experience swelling and is even advertised as being roomy enough for orthopedic devices, something unique to this shoe. Aside from that, they do feel like they sit slightly lower, and cushion-wise, they feel very similar to the Beast.

Running in the Addiction was an interesting experience for me. I would say they definitely fit the description of a ‘max support’ runner. As someone who doesn’t need a support shoe, I really have to put myself in the place of other runners. To me, they do feel heavy, but considering the size and support offered, that’s to be expected. They don’t feel fast, but you can definitely run in them, and I think for a certain group of runners, they will be perfect

Image Comparison

Below I’ve done a side by side comparison of the Brooks Beast vs Addiction. So you can see the similarities, and differences for yourself.

Brooks Beast 20

Brooks Addiction GTS 15

Below you can see the noticeably bigger toe box on the Brook Addiction compared to the Beast.

Brooks Beast 20 Top View

Brooks Addiction GTS Top View

Both soles have a very similar shape foot bed.

Brooks Beast Soles

Addiction GTS 15 Sole

Conclusion – Brooks Beast vs Addiction

You are going to be hard pressed to find two better max support road running shoes on the market. With these two models, the brand has done something great for runners by providing two options that are very close in design, with a few key differences that allow you to find the exact right shoe for you. Both provide a ton of support with just the right amount of cushion. But which one is right for you?

Which max support road running shoe to buy?

For me, it comes down to two questions: Do you have high arches and/or do you have toes that tend to swell? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you will probably want to look at the Addiction, as it has features designed specifically for those needs. However, if the answer was no to both, the Beast will most likely be the better starting choice.