Brooks Ghost Max 2 Review- Taken to the Limit

Stack Height and Drop

Where the Ghost 16 has a 36/24mm stack and 12mm drop, the Max 2 is a higher stacked version with 39mm of cushioning in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot, with a lower drop of 6mm.

Fit / Tech

DNA Loft v3 – Nitrogen-infused cushioning forms the biggest part of the shoe and the most important element of its makeup. This super-critical foam is made by injecting nitrogen (a single-element gas, as opposed to air) into the midsole material.

Used in aircraft and Formula One car tyres, nitrogen is more consistent and resistant under pressure. In a running shoe midsole this means a lighter, softer, springier and more durable cushioning.

The 39mm heel stack puts the shoe into the max-cushioned category and with 33mm of stack in the forefoot there’s no shortage of cushioning. The 6mm drop means the foot sits a little flatter than other Brooks running shoes, but thanks to the GlideRoll geometry of the shoe it’s less noticeable than other shoes with a similar lower drop.

GlideRoll Rocker – This is created by having a rocker in both the heel and an upward curve of the midsole in the forefoot. Together these rockers provide a ‘rolling’ sensation of the foot from heel strike to toe-off.

The Fit – The fit of the Ghost Max 2 is true-to-size in both length and width. The shoe has a typical Brooks high-quality construction and the upper fits very neatly around the foot. A slight stretch quality to the upper mesh helps the shoe accommodate those with slight variations in their foot shape.

On the Run

The Brooks Ghost Max 2 is a high-stack shoe but somehow feels inherently more stable than many of the competitor models. The midsole wraps up around the rearfoot in a similar manner to that of the GuideRail system used in their GTS models, the Adrenaline GTS 23 and Glycerin GTS 21.

Okay, the wrap isn’t as prominent as the GTS shoes but it’s there and does a good job of providing a secure fit around the heel and rearfoot and keeping it stable. A broader base to the shoe also contributes to this built-in stability.

The 6mm drop wasn’t an issue for me and I doubt it will be for the majority of runners. I run in a very wide variety of shoes throughout the week so am fairly well adapted to the different heel drops presented by shoes. 

At the point of first stepping into the shoes, it does feel a little flatter, but after a couple of miles, this sensation had passed for me.

I think the GlideRoll Rocker plays a big part in this. The rounded heel rolls the foot forward very easily from the point of first ground contact and even heavy heel strikers have told me they feel the shoe rolling forward effortlessly.

Great All-rounder

I find the DNA Loft v3 foam used in the Brooks shoes to be one of the best around for daily trainers and on reflection, feel it’s because it does many things very well. It’s light (especially for high-stack models), responsive (for daily training) and very durable.

Getting to try lots of shoes, I very rarely wear a pair till their death, but with Brooks nitrogen-infused models I really don’t think I could ever wear a pair enough for them to lose their cushioning!

A Few More Miles

The Brooks Ghost Max 2 is never going to be a fast-paced running shoe for me, but I feel it could be for the heavier runner. The cushioning is responsive enough that the ‘energy-return’ is most certainly noticeable and the rocker geometry helps it roll along easily.

For my daily miles, the shoes have been great. The level of comfort from pulling the shoes on to 12 miles down the road is second to none and I am enjoying every mile in them. The level of cushioning protection is never in question and the smooth efficient manner in which they simply guide the foot through the transition from heel to toe is effortless.

Comparisons

Brooks Ghost 16

Several competitors spring to mind when thinking about the Ghost Max 2. First of all, the Brooks Ghost 16 itself, is the non ‘Max’ version.

The Ghost 16 is slightly lower stacked than the Max 2, with a 36/24 stack of cushioning and a 12mm drop compared to the Max 2 with 39 and 33mm.

The extra 3mm in the heel and 9mm of cushioning in the forefoot do create a different feel and the Ghost Max 2 manages to feel a lot more cushioned and softer. Don’t get me wrong here, the Ghost 16 with the same DNA Loft v3 nitrogen-infused foam offers a great ride, but the Ghost Max 2 really does take it to the max!

As I mentioned earlier, the difference in heel drop from 12mm to 6mm isn’t too much and is mostly negated by the GlideRoll geometry of the Max 2.

The Ghost 16 is perhaps a little more versatile, so if you run at a wider variety of paces that would be the best option, but for simply easy miles, I’d choose the Ghost Max 2.

Brooks Glycerin 21

The next comparison is also from the same brand and is the Glycerin 21. This model stacks up at 38mm in the heel and 28mm in the forefoot, so is getting up very close to the 39mm stack in the Max 2. It’s the same DNA Loft v3 foam too.

Now, almost going against what I’ve just said about the lower drop in the Max 2 hardly being noticeable, I do notice the (smaller) difference between it and the Glycerin! It’s hard to tell exactly why and I’ve decided it must be down to the fact the Glycerin feels a little more flexible to me.

The Glycerin is by no means a fast shoe, but I have enjoyed many quicker miles in it without any issues (by fast I mean sub 7 minutes per mile).

So with this in mind, again I feel the Glycerin is perhaps a more versatile, higher stack option to the easy-going Ghost Max 2.

New Balance Fresh Foam X More v5

Several options from New Balance offer a high stack of cushioning that’s similar to the Ghost Max 2, the 1080 and More being the most common.

Purely by being the highest stack in the New Balance range, the More v5 is perhaps the closest competitor.

The More v5 features a whopping 43mm of cushioning in the rearfoot and a 4mm drop, so a little more depth than the Brooks and a slightly lower drop.

The main difference is the step-in feel. The Fresh Foam X used in the More is very, very soft. It compresses somewhat as soon as you stand in it and this in itself almost reduces the stack height further.

The More v5 is very soft and very smooth riding and the cushioned feel is excellent, but for me, it feels so soft that I can only use it for very easy recovery runs. When I want to put even just a little bit of effort in, it feels like much of my energy is being lost in the shoe. It can feel like running on soft sand.

My Verdict

The Brooks Ghost Max 2 is a very capable model and perfect for easy running. The fit and feel are excellent and the level of energy return feels perfectly tuned in for this type of shoe.

I’ve found myself running easy miles in the shoes as well as wearing them throughout the day just for hanging out. This I think is the ultimate measure of a shoe’s comfort. If you reach for it for day-to-day use because it feels just so good, it passes with flying colours!