By Kieran Alger
The Brooks Ghost Max entered the fray at the end of last year as Brook’s first truly max-cushioned daily trainer. It offered a different – livelier – ride to the Ghost 15 but made us wonder what Brooks would do when upgrade time came round for the ever-reliable regular Ghost? The answer is in. And Brooks has injected more oomph into the Ghost 16 with a new punchier DNA Loft v3 midsole – the same as the Glycerin 21.
So how does that now compare to the Ghost Max? Is one shoe a better bet for daily miles? I've put in the test miles and here to help you decide. Read my Brooks Ghost Max vs Brooks Ghost 16 review to find out which shoe is the perfect fit for your daily training needs.
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Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price
When it comes to the midsole stack, the Brooks Ghost 16 packs a high drop with 35.5mm in the heel and 23.5mm in the forefoot for a 12mm offset. The Brooks Ghost Max packs a bigger wedge of foam but a lower drop, with 39mm in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot for a 6mm drop.
When it comes to weight, the Brooks Ghost 16 weighs in at 9.7oz or 277g in a US 9.5. The Ghost Max meanwhile is more midweight, tipping the scales at 10.3oz or 293g.
Price-wise, the Brooks Ghost 16 will set you back $140. The Ghost Max comes in a couple of Starbucks Venti lattes pricier at $150.
Stats
Brooks | Ghost 16 | Ghost Max |
|---|---|---|
Best for | Easy miles Daily training | Easy miles Daily training |
Support | Neutral | Neutral |
Cushion | Medium cushioning | Maximum cushioning |
Stack Height | 35.5mm forefoot | 39mm forefoot |
Drop | 12mm | 6mm |
Weight | 9.7oz / 277g | 10.3oz / 293g |
Suggested Retail Price | $140 | $150 |
Fit | True to size | True to size |
Rating | 8.6/ 10 | 8.5/ 10 |
Design
The Ghost Max landed in Brooks line-up last year as the brand’s first proper real max-stacked daily trainer. While it shared a name with the Ghost, it ran like a very different shoe. It had more in common with an ASICS Gel Nimbus than its own namesake.
The Ghost Max’s big stack of DNA Loft V2 foam is tuned medium soft to soft, with some rockering to help smooth those transitions. The high stack is balanced by a big, broad wide cushioned platform that creates a stable to run off.
The more recent Brooks Ghost 16 deploys a smaller wedge of Brook’s livelier nitrogen-infused DNA Loft V3 foam – the same foam you’ll find in the Brooks Glycerin 21. That’s shooting for the winning combination of lightweight, soft, comfortable and durable.
Both shoes have engineered mesh uppers with similar flex and breathability. There’s big padded heel collars on both. However, the Ghost 16 heel counter feels stiffer and the heel collar top roll is more pronounced. One to watch if you suffer achilles irritation. The non-gusseted tongues are well padded, boosting that plushness on both shoes.
Flip them over and you’ve got equally generous coverings of durability and grip-boosting outsole rubber across both shoes. These look built to last.
Brooks Ghost 16
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Brooks Ghost Max
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Fit
In testing I ran in my regular US 9.5 running shoe size in both shoes.
The Ghost Max also fit well true to size for me. Perhaps more hugging rather than roomy but with enough flex in the uppers to avoid becoming restrictive. I got good lockdown and heel hold and I had no problems in my regular running shoe size.
The Ghost 16 also fit great true to size. They just offer a little more room in the toe box with uppers that sit above the toes and flex a little more. The other thing to note: the Ghost 16 heel collars have a very rigid heel counter that rolls in quite aggressively. I found this put pressure on my lower achilles. If you’re someone who suffers when shoes do that, that’s one to watch. The Ghost Max collar isn’t quite as structured or curved.
Performance
In my run tests, I’ve covered around 30 miles in the Brooks Ghost 16 and north of 50 miles in the Brooks Ghost Max. I mixed up the paces and time on feet, with some good duration runs, on a combination of road and light off road paths. I also ran a side by side mile to get a better sense of the differences on the foot.
Straight away, you notice the bigger stack on the Brooks Ghost Max. There's more cushioning and more rockering with a bowl of foam that sits under the mid foot into the heel. That rolls you through each step more than you’ll find on the Ghost 16.
Despite the Ghost Max packing a bigger stack but lower drop than the Ghost 16, the Ghost 16 definitely lands flatter, although the DNA Loft V3 foam in the Ghost 16, has more resilience and spring in it. That results in more, or at least equal energy even with a lower stack.
If the Ghost 16 rely on the more energetic foam, the Ghost Max lean more on the rockered roll through. So if you like that kind of ride, rather than the flatter ride, then you'll probably prefer the Ghost Max.
In terms of what that delivers on the run, you’ve got two shoes that can handle similar efforts, with almost as much cushioning and protection. The Ghost just has a smidge of extra spring in a lighter, more agile shoe.
If you don’t mind marginally less protection in your cushioned shoes, the lightness, agility and nimble feel of the Brooks Ghost 16 is useful for enhancing the versatility.
Another key difference, you can feel a little bit more room in the toe box of the Brooks Ghost Max, because the uppers sit a bit higher off the top of the toes. Plus there's a bit more flex in those uppers which creates more wiggle room.
The Ghost Max has a really happy holding fit that's super comfortable and flexible. But if you like it a bit roomier, I think the Ghost 16 offers more.
My Verdict
I found both of the Ghosts great to run in. I really enjoyed the Brooks Ghost Max and I find the Ghost 16 a really easy everyday miler, too.
These are two very comfortable, cushioned and capable daily trainers. And in all honesty there’s not a lot to choose between them in terms of the kinds of runs they can handle. You’ve got two workhorses here.
The Ghost Max brings a shade more protection with a smoother, more rolling, rockered ride. The Ghost 16 is lighter, more agile and probably better when you’re moving at faster paces.
If you don’t mind a lower-stack ride and you want a touch more lightness on the foot, the Ghost 16 still serves up great protection but with a sprightly energy. If you want guaranteed road-eating protection for longer miles, the Ghost Max is the shoe to choose.
If I had to choose one shoe, I think the Ghost 16 just edges it on versatility and that lower price. But not by much.
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