By Kieran Alger
The Brooks Ghost 17 and ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 are long-standing staples in their respective brand line ups. Two trusted, popular cushioned daily trainers built to handle your everyday runs. Both upgraded for 2025 with higher stacks, new uppers and a fresh lick of paint.
So which shoe would suit you best? I’ve clocked test miles in both and I’m here to tease out the differences in the ride, comfort and durability. To help you decide which – if any – of these shoes is the one for you. Read on for the verdict in my ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 vs Brooks Ghost 17 review.
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Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price
The ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 now packs more foam underfoot, with a stack rising to 43.5mm in the heel and 35.5mm in the forefoot for a 8mm drop. The Brooks Ghost 17 also adds more stack with 1mm added to the heel, 3mm in the forefoot, taking the heel-toe setup to 36.5mm in the heel, 26.5mm in the forefoot for a 10mm. Down from 12mm on the Ghost 16.
On the scales, in my US men’s 9.5 test shoe, the Nimbus 27 weighs in at 10.8oz or 307g. The Brooks Ghost 17 comes in at 10.4oz or 296g.
On price, the RRP for the ASICS Gel Nimbus is $165 while the Brooks Ghost 17 will set you back $140.
Stats
Running shoes | Ghost 17 | Nimbus 27 |
|---|---|---|
Best for | Daily miles | Daily miles Easy recovery runs |
Support | Neutral | Neutral |
Cushion | Medium cushioning | Max cushioning |
Stack Height | 36.5mm heel 26.5 forefoot | 43.5mm heel 33.5 forefoot |
Drop | 10mm | 8mm |
Weight | 10.4oz / 296g | 10.8oz / 307g |
Suggested Retail Price | $140 | $165 |
Fit | True to size | True to size |
Rating | 9.2/ 10 | 8.5/ 10 |
Design
The Ghost 17 and the Nimbus 27 are both built to eat a big chunk of your daily mileage, though when it comes to the design, they’re quite different beasts.
The ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 is all about easy-pace comfort. The midsole has a thick slab of Flytefoam Blast+ Eco foam underfoot. ASICS added a 1.5mm across the stack (versus the Nimbus 26) for an even more cushioned ride. There’s also a PureGEL insert in the heel to improve shock absorption – particularly for heel strikers. And it’s one of the heavier daily trainers.
The Brooks Ghost 17 hasn’t strayed too far from the Ghost blueprint. It still shoots for cushioned comfort but you’ve got a lower stacked DNA Loft v3 midsole compared to the Nimbus. But that’s also added 1mm extra foam in the heel and 3mm in the forefoot versus the Ghost 16. But still, it remains less hefty than the Nimbus 27.
Up top, the Nimbus 27 has a new mesh upper that successfully balances breathability with a snug, supportive fit. The Ghost 17 has a neat double-layer jacquard air mesh upper that’s supportive but airy enough.
The Nimbus 27 has a gusseted tongue, with a thinner, flat, wrapping design that saves on weight. The Brooks opts for a non-gusseted tongue with a bit more padding. The heel packages are both well padded, the Brooks has a narrower heel cup while the Nimbus’ cushioned set-up is a bit more rounded.
Flip them over and the Gel Nimbus 27 outsole has a good covering of AHAR Plus, ASICS’ grippiest outsole compound with strategic placement in the impact areas.
The Ghost 17 also has a generous covering of rubber that bodes well for the big mileage durability.
Ghost 17
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Nimbus 27
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Fit
When it comes to fit I ran in a UK 8.5 / US 9.5 which is my regular size in both shoes.
The Nimbus 27 is roomy and accommodating with plenty of length and wiggle room in the toe box. It’s generally easy to lockdown for good security.
The Ghost 17 is lovely and roomy in the toe box with good length and clearance and uppers that flex plenty to create a spacious but not baggy feel. I had no trouble with midfoot lockdown and the heel held well. I approve of the change in the heel collar package. The thick roll-top collars in the Ghost 16 gave my achilles a bit of rubbing and grief. That’s been fixed here.
In both shoes I’d recommend going true to size.
Performance
In testing, I’ve run north of 30 miles in the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27, including a 2-hour effort to test the long-haul comfort. I’ve done 25 miles in the Brooks Ghost 17. Lots of slower to cruising miles, one half marathon distance test with 2.5 hours on feet. Plus I popped out a few faster segments in there too, to see what it could do when you push the pace a little. As usual I’ve run mainly on the road but with some light off-road, too.
Both shoes feature generous, cushioned platforms designed to protect your feet from the road and give you a controlled, reliable ride.
However, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 takes cushion to another level with that extra stack for FlyteFoam Blast+ and wider base. This generation is just as Nimbussy as the previous generations. It’s plush underfoot with a highly protective ride but it can be a bit slappy and definitely lacks the agility of the Ghost 17 which is a sprightlier ride by far.
The Ghost 17 is a good, reliable, stable, consistent workhorse shoe. The changes to this generation are small but they add up to something more. It somehow feels a little more exciting than the last-gen. And I find this a really easy shoe to tick over daily miles. It’s one of the best value for money daily training, neutral running shoes on the market and the performance, for a daily trainer, is great, with a well-cushioned, smooth-riding riding and responsive feel.
On durability, both shoes show little signs of wear and tear and I have no worries about either as a daily-use trainer that’ll keep going for hundreds of miles.
My Verdict
The biggest difference between the Nimbus 27 and the Ghost 17 is the agility and versatility. The heft of the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 somewhat limits it to low-pace runs.
It does that job very well, in a classic Nimbus way, and if your top priority is softer, smooth, protective, road-eating comfort for your easiest of easy miles, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 delivers.
But if you want a shoe that can cope with a wider range of runs – from cushioning your easy miles, to providing a bit of pop when you pick up the pace, the Brooks Ghost 17 definitely has more gears.
If I had to choose one shoe, I’d invest in the cheaper and more versatile Brooks Ghost 17. Simply because of that pace range. The lighter, sprightlier energy and more connected road feel also make it stand out.
Beyond these two shoes, there are loads of great alternatives. I’d consider shoes like the Saucony Ride 18 or the Triumph 23, the ASICS Novablast 5 and the Nike Vomero 18 as good rivals, each with a similar run range but different rides. The Brooks Glycerin 22 is also a livelier alternative to the Ghost 17.
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