Brooks Ghost Max 2 vs New Balance 1080V13 -The Big Softies Battle it Out

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

When it comes to the midsole stack, the New Balance 1080V13 packs 38mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot for a 6mm offset. The Brooks Ghost Max 2 packs a slightly deeper stack with an extra 1mm foam underfoot for 39mm in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot, also for a 6mm drop.

When it comes to weight, in our UK men’s size 8.5 test shoe, the New Balance 1080V13 is the lighter of the two shoes, tipping the scales at a more sprightly 9.2oz. The Brooks Ghost Max 2 comes in a couple of ounces heavier at 11.0oz.

On price, the New Balance 1080V13 eats up more of your hard-earned dollars, retailing at $165. The Brooks Ghost Max 2 launched at $150.

Design

The Brooks Ghost Max 2 and the New Balance 1080V13 are both big, plush, wide-platform, max cushioned daily trainers. Their primary purpose is eating easy, everyday miles.

There’s plenty of similarities in the approach. Both shoes pack big, broad stacks of soft midsole foam to provide cushioned but stable and reliable platforms to run off.

The New Balance 18080v13 uses a new lighter Fresh Foam X while the Ghost Max 2 now features the softer but more responsive DNA Loft V3 foam that we saw first in Brooks’ higher end, racier shoes. Both shoes are rockered, though the Ghost Max 2’s upward toe sweep is marginally more pronounced than the New Balance.

Up top the Ghost Max 2 and New Balance 1080V13 sport relatively thick mesh uppers that offer a balance of structure and hold with flex and breathability.

The heel collars on both shoes are heavily padded, as are the tongues – with marginally more cushion on the Ghost Max 2. Overall, you’ve got two running shoes shooting for cruising saloon-car comfort.

Notable heel counters also add extra security. They’re both quite rigid with a more obvious external heel clip on the Ghost Max 2. The Ghost Max 2 also has higher side walls to add to the overall stability.

Flip them over and the Brooks Ghost Max 2 has a more generous covering of outsole rubber. That not only provides the grip and durability but it also adds some stiffness to the roll through. The New Balances’s Ndurance rubber covering is a bit more sparse, with a lengthways flex groove design that allows for more foot flex while boosting grip and durability.

Fit

I ran in my regular sizes for both brands. That’s a US 9.5 in Brooks and a US 9 in the New Balance. That’s a UK 8.5 in both just to make things a little confusing.

The New Balance 1080V13 fit was spot on with good step in comfort, reliable heel hold and decent lace lock down across the midfoot. The ample padded tongue adds to the plushness and helps avoid lace pinch, while there’s plenty of space in the toe box with flex from the uppers and good length.

The Ghost Max 2 also fit well true to size for me. The fit is somewhat more snug – hugging rather than roomy, particularly in the toe box around the little toes. However, there’s enough flex in the uppers across the top to ensure things don’t get too restrictive. Again, I got good lockdown and heel hold and I had no problems in my regular running shoe size. So I’d recommend going true to size in both shoes.

Performance

In testing, I’ve done north of 30 miles in both shoes. That’s been mostly easy and recovery runs with some outings up to 90 minutes on feet. But I have thrown in some faster segments to test the versatility. Those miles were over a mix of road and light off-road river paths.

The New Balance 1080V13 are excellent for those easy efforts where you just want cocoon shoes for slow mile comfort. They scream reliable protection and fulfil all the criteria for a good plush and soft, max-cushioned comfort shoe. When I want things really soft, this is a shoe I reach for. Though that uber-soft ride limits their use somewhat to slower, easier efforts.

The first-gen Ghost Max set out to challenge the New Balance 1080V13 and the ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 in the max-cushioned comfort stakes and it managed to strike a good balance of being soft but with a stiffness that offered more pace range.

The new DNA Loft V3 foam adds extra softness over the first gen. But what you notice about the Brooks Ghost Max 2 is that although it's still cushioned, still protective and still puts a nice wedge between you and the road, it remains very noticeably firmer, snappier and more responsive than the New Balance 1080V13.

The FreshFoam X midsole on the New Balance 1080V13 is much softer, much more pliable and more flexible. That arguably makes for a slightly less stable ride, although I think both shoes offer good platforms to run off.

The extra weight in the Brooks Ghost Max 2 is noticeable. The New Balance runs lighter and puts a little less shoe on the foot. But despite that, the Ghost Max 2 still offers more versatility thanks to a more energy coming off that more immediate and responsive ride.

My Verdict

Both shoes offer excellent cushion and protection. They’re both well built, durable, comfortable and good at their core mission in life – to provide reliable comfort and protection for lower-paced miles. If you’re a bigger runner who needs more underfoot, or a beginner who just wants guaranteed comfort, these are both great options.

The shoe you choose here will depend heavily on whether you want your easy run shoes to be super soft and really cushioned, or you prefer a touch more stiffness and response. If it’s the former, the New Balance 1080V13 is the shoe for you. If it’s the latter then the Brooks Ghost Max 2 is the way to go.

The Ghost Max 2 can cope with a wider range of paces, too. The New Balance 1080V13 is a shoe that’s largely stuck in the lower gears. So when you factor in the price, if I had to pick one shoe to cover the low to mid-range runs in my rotation, the Brooks Ghost Max 2 would be my pick of these two.

If all I wanted was slipperlike comfort for easy casual runs, the New Balance 1080V13 would be high on my list.