Brooks Ghost Max Review

The running world is being taken over by high stack heights, bright colors and maximum cushion for long trainers. Hoka has set the industry standard for maximum cushion with a complete line-up having higher stack heights and softer road feel. On cloud has come out with the cloud monster bringing cushion and their “trampoline” effect together. Brooks has now entered this market with a more cushioned version of their most popular model the Ghost. How does it stack up? read below to find out. 

The Ghost Max presents with a significant amount of cushion as you can see in the photo above. When running, the shoe feels extremely soft and makes the road feel muted in a since. After over a hundred miles, the cushion feels just as soft today as it did on mile one. I will mention that I only use these for running and alternate with my saucony triumphs so that they are able to rebound for 48 hours before returning to the road with them. I have used the Hoka Bondi and the Clifton and can say the Ghost Max felt significantly softer than the Hoka’s with no change in responsiveness than the previously mentioned models. However, they are not as responsive as the Sauconuy triumphs. I use these shoes for base mileage and lower intensity runs as they are not meant for tempo workouts. There is a slight rocker bottom to them making the transition from the heel a breeze. I run in the mountains, so hill performance is important. The cushion of the Ghost Max makes running downhill easier on the legs without sacrificing stability. The lower heel toe drop promotes a more natural foot position while running which decreases the stress on the quadriceps and patellar tendon. Overall, the makeup of the shoe is a home run with a neutral toe box, soft upper, maximum cushion, and modest heel toe drop. It will appeal to a broad range of runners. 

The one con or concern for the product is the durability. Maximum cushion and premium build often come at a price and the Ghost Max while higher in price than other shoes, does not boast the extreme price tag when compared to other shoes in their line up. The reason may be that the lower while made of rubber is much thinner than other Brooks models bringing in the concern of durability. At this time, I have put in approximately 100 miles and the shoes have plenty of wear left but there is certainly signs of wear and tear. I have no complaints at this time but do have concerns when comparing the the saucony triumphs that have over 300 miles and plenty of tread left. 

Overall the Brooks Ghost max is a great product and one that any runner looking for a recovery shoe or base trainer should consider. It absorbs the road nicely, had good stability and is light coming in at 10 ounces. I recommend rotating them with another shoe to improve longevity and allow for rebounding of the cushion but believe this is a top contender for those looking for maximum cushion.