Brooks has officially released the Beast GTS 26, the long-awaited successor to the Beast GTS 24, and the first generation of the model to fully migrate to the brand's DNA Loft v3 midsole. Sitting at the top of the Brooks stability range, the Beast has historically been the company's heavyweight daily trainer, designed for runners who want maximum cushioning and structured guidance over high mileage. The new version raises the stack to a Brooks-record 41 mm at the heel and 33 mm at the forefoot, while preserving the conventional 8 mm drop the Beast line is known for.
The bigger change for serious daily-mileage runners sits underfoot. DNA Loft v3 is a nitrogen-infused EVA blend that Brooks first introduced in the Glycerin 22 and Ghost Max 2, and it brings a softer, more compliant ride than the firmer DNA Loft v2 used in the Beast GTS 24. Brooks has paired that midsole with the latest version of its GuideRails support system, which now flares slightly higher along the medial wall and is moulded directly into the midsole rather than glued in as a separate piece.
Weight is up modestly, with a US men's 9 coming in at 326 g (11.5 oz) and a women's 8 at 286 g (10.1 oz). That puts the Beast GTS 26 firmly in the maximum-cushion stability category, where it competes most directly with the Hoka Gaviota 6 and the Asics Gel-Kayano 32. Brooks is positioning the shoe for runners who fall outside the typical mid-range trainer envelope, including heavier athletes, walk-run programmes, and those returning to running from injury who prefer a structured platform.
The upper has been redesigned around a single-layer engineered mesh with internal urethane overlays in place of the layered, stitched panels of the Beast GTS 24. The result is a noticeably less rigid forefoot, with reviewers from the Brooks early-access programme describing the fit as "more accommodating without losing midfoot lockdown". The heel collar uses a softer foam stack, and the gusseted tongue carries through from the previous version. Both standard and wide widths are available at launch.
The Beast GTS 26 retails at £180 in the United Kingdom and $180 in the United States, a $10 increase on the outgoing model and broadly in line with stability trainer pricing across the category. Initial stock landed at Brooks dealers and the brand's direct-to-consumer site this week, with a women's-specific colourway following in mid-May. For the segment of recreational runners who have stuck with the Beast lineage for a decade or more, the GTS 26 is the most substantive update the model has seen since the move to GuideRails in 2018.