Brooks Ghost Max
Initial Thoughts
Statistics
MSRP: $150
Men: 10 oz
Women: 9 oz
Drop: 6 mm
Mileage at Time of Review: 37
I had mixed feelings about this shoe before getting a pair on my feet. Brooks has generally not done much with the Ghost line in a number of years, but with that being said, my favorite shoe from Brooks in the past few years has been the Hyperion Max so I was optimistic about a “max” version of the Ghost.
I will also take this time to say that while I understand the desire to get some marketing miles on a new shoe by using the name of a familiar shoe and tossing max at the end, I do think that it makes things unnecessarily confusing for users interested in the shoe. I have spoken with a number of people who were reticent to try the Ghost Max due to bad experiences with the Ghost. It is my opinion that while these shoes share some basic characteristics, they are two very different shoes.
The Breakdown
The Outsole
There is a substantial amount of really good rubber on the bottom of this shoe which so far has provided excellent grip in wet or dry conditions and should make this a very durable shoe.
The Midsole
The midsole of the Ghost Max is made from Brooks DNA Loft v2. While this is the same midsole material that comprises the midsole of the Ghost 15, it doesn’t feel the same underfoot to me. I think this is due to two factors, the sheer amount of midsole underfoot and the fact that Brooks is incorporating a “Glideroll Rocker” into this midsole to give a smoother transition from the back to the front of the shoe. To my knowledge this is the first shoe that Brooks has incorporated a rocker into and I think they did a fantastic job. The midsole is also built to provide a wider, slightly more stable base to work from. The wider base gives more stability through the stride and more confidence underfoot with the higher stack height of the foam. Lowering the drop in the shoe also provides a different feel and brings Brooks more in line with what seems to be becoming the industry standard, especially in the higher cushion shoes.
When the Hyperion Max launched, I had a lot of confusion about the name. Did the Max stand for max cushion? It didn’t look like a maximum cushion shoe, but maybe there was some magic coming…nope, not a max cushion shoe. Now we have the Ghost Max and again we are playing on a known name and adding Max rather than creating a new line of shoe. While this is one of the most maximum cushioned shoes we’ve seen from Brooks, and while they refer to it as a maximum cushioned shoe, I’m still not certain that I would categorize it in the same way. It fits more in line with the Hoka Clifton or the Asics Cumulus 25 in my opinion, which would have been beyond maximum six or seven years ago, but is kind of the norm now. There are rumors that there will be a Glycerin Max as well. If this is the case then in hindsight it may have been better to roll out the “Max” line as a whole to reduce confusion.
To be honest while I like the feel of this midsole and think that to date it is one of the best shoes that Brooks has made, I do think that they did what they are known for and played it safe. Rather than provide is with something new, they did what was needed to catch up to the competition. I say again, I really do like this shoe but I find myself wishing that Brooks would really reach outside the box when they introduce a new shoe like this. A company the size of Brooks should have innovation oozing through the cracks of the building and I am sure that there are rooms full of engineers begging to be let off the chain. Let them fly! Maybe they go a little too close to the sun and crash, but someone in the room is gonna ride just close enough and hopefully we see it come to market.
The Upper
There’s not a lot to say about the upper of the shoe other than it’s neither exciting, nor offensive. It’s the standard mesh upper Brooks provides for a majority of its shoes. It is a very comfortable upper and has plenty of volume. I haven’t noticed any locations in which a hotspot forms and I’ve done a fair number of runs and walks in the shoe. One thing I would love to see Brooks do is provide a gusseted tongue. There are few things more annoying on a run than being in the groove and having to stop and adjust the tongue because it has slipped to the side and the laces are starting to bite. The tongue is well cushioned and there would be no issue if there was a gusset there to keep it in place. Maybe I’ve gotten spoiled because it is becoming industry standard, but there it is, I like it and want it in all my shoes.
Applications
Running and Walking
I have very much enjoyed every mile that I have put in this shoe. I think it is a HUGE step forward for Brooks and brings them much more in line with what the rest of the industry has been doing. I think that this is a shoe that anyone from a brand new runner to someone with thousands of miles underfoot can grab and take out the door and enjoy their run.
I know I got onto Brooks a bit in the design breakdown above, but I really think this this will be one of my favorite daily trainers of the year, again, I just want to see a bit more innovation coming from the shop because I think they could really knock something out of the park.
The rocker geometry in the midsole makes this a shoe that I really enjoy doing my longer runs in and my easy runs, but I feel like I can also pick the pace up if needed and get some faster tempos going if I’ve got a bit of a workout inside one of my longer runs. That same geometry makes this shoe a pleasure to take for a walk. With the amount of cushion in the shoe, I never felt like I was crushing to one side or the other, and as a 200+ pound runner, that happens in some of the plusher shoes.
Gym
I think that this would do fine in most general applications in the traditional gym. If you’re into the Crossfit scene, I think it may be a bit too much cushion and midsole for me to be comfortable recommending it for the olympic lifting and box jumps. This would be an excellent shoe for someone who is heading to the gym to get some cardio and general lifting done though. A few exceptions would be doing heavy squats, deadlifts or other highly technical movements. The midsole thickness could also make strapping yourself into a rower or the pedals of a stationary bike difficult, as those straps tend to be a little short in general public gyms due to over use.
Work
This will be an excellent shoe for anyone who can wear a casual shoe at work. Exceptions will be those who need a slip resistant midsole for safety issues. I find this to be an exceptional shoe for standing for long periods of time. It is available in a top to bottom black for both men and women, so even if casual shoes are generally frowned upon, the all black shoe might make it easier to get away with wearing a more comfortable shoe in the workplace. The breathable upper keeps the foot comfortable, though if you’re working in an industry with liquids, know that the factors that make it breathable don’t provide much protection from liquids.
Final Thoughts
In general this is an excellent shoe. I think that one of the things that confounds me as a person who works in the industry is also something that makes Brooks a successful company. They keep their shoes in the center lane. What I mean by this is that they won’t allow themselves to develop too slowly and get completely left behind, but they also aren’t gonna hop into the fast lane and try to lead the industry in innovation. Due to this, it makes it an easy shoe to recommend for just about anyone. As I said above, just about anyone can head into their local running store and grab a pair of these shoes and walk out and get a few hundred good training miles in them. It will be a durable and steady shoe. It’s not flashy and lacks any bells or whistles, but it is built to get the job done. I intend to log many miles in this shoe, so I’ve just begun my journey with the Ghost Max but I look forward to seeing where it takes me. It will be a staple of my training for the Houston Marathon in January of 24’, so hopefully I will be able to add an addendum to how it holds up once I pass the 100 mile mark on the shoes.