Brooks Ghost 18 Review: The Dependable Daily Trainer, Updated Carefully

Introduction

The Brooks Ghost is back for its 18th version, and the very popular, dependable daily trainer has not changed much from the previous model. After putting real miles into the shoe, the short version is this: the Ghost 18 is a solid, durable, easy-pace workhorse that will not disappoint loyal fans of the line, but it is also no longer the most exciting option in its category.

If you want a conservative, cushioned, stable trainer that will last a very long time, it still makes sense. If you want something livelier, the market now offers plenty of alternatives worth considering first.

Brooks Ghost 18: Overview and Key Specs

The Ghost 18 costs £135 in the UK or $150 in the US. It weighs in at 303g or 10.7 oz in a UK 9, which is a US 10 for Brooks. The shoe has a 10mm drop with a stack height of 36mm at the heel and 26mm at the forefoot.

The main updates compared to the previous model are found in the upper, which uses an air mesh with a flat knit tongue. The tongue is not quite as puffy and padded as previous Ghost tongues, but there is still a lot of padding around the back of the shoe and a very stiff, noticeable internal heel counter, something Brooks uses across its cushioned daily trainers. An OrthoLite X-60 sock liner sits on top of the midsole, which is made from Brooks’s nitrogen-infused EVA DNA Loft v3 foam. That foam was introduced with the Glycerin line and is still used in the Ghost and the Ghost Max. Underneath, a RoadTac rubber outsole comes with a very thick layer and very extensive coverage, an outsole built to last and to deliver reliable grip for miles.

Fit and Sizing

Fit is classic Brooks. In the usual UK 9 / US 10 size used across Brooks running shoes, the Ghost 18 delivers the same familiar, good fit. Brooks is very consistent with its sizing across its range, so sticking to your normal running shoe size is a safe bet.

There is a good amount of room around the toes and a fair amount of padding around the tongue and collar, holding the foot in place and delivering that step-in comfort feel you get with Brooks shoes. The one caveat concerns the very stiff internal heel counter, which has caused Achilles trouble with some Brooks shoes in the past, though no such problems appeared with the Ghost 18. On uneven ground, the outside of the collar did press noticeably against the side of the foot during slight rolls. It was not uncomfortable, just a bit odd, and not a major problem.

Ride Feel and Performance

Over 50K of testing across daily training, easy running, a long run, steadier efforts, and strides, the Ghost 18 felt very familiar. It closely resembles the Ghost 17 in ride feel and overall performance, with the same drop, the same midsole foam, similar outsole, and only minor upper changes.

The ride is best described as a classic traditional daily trainer. DNA Loft v3 is a pretty good foam, but it is fairly firm by modern standards, so you do not get that squishy sinking feeling many shoes deliver. It is reasonably responsive but not very energetic or lively at faster paces. The geometry is quite flat and does not rock you forward or add punch, so this is a shoe that really performs at its best at easy paces. At slightly faster paces over longer periods, heel strikers may notice a little forefoot discomfort, since 26mm under the forefoot is less than the 36mm many modern trainers offer.

The shoe is also heavy for its stack height, heavier than many shoes with much more foam, and it does not add versatility as pace lifts. It is not really a shoe for tempo or track workouts. On the plus side, it is naturally quite stable: the firmer midsole foam, no soft heel, and no cutouts mean you get a genuinely stable neutral shoe.

Durability is a genuine strength. The DNA Loft v3 foam has a very consistent feeling that does not break down quickly, feeling the same at the end of a long run as at the start. The thick outsole is a good way to spend weight on a daily trainer, because that durability and grip is valuable on a shoe used day in, day out. The trade-off is the extra weight, which dulls the ride of the midsole foam a little.

How It Compares

At this price point there are many strong alternatives. Lightweight all-rounder trainers such as the Hoka Mach 7, Adidas SL, New Balance Rebel v5, and Puma Velocity Nitro offer similar or greater stack height with more versatility across a variety of runs. For a more purely cushioned but livelier ride, the Asics Novablast 6 is much more cushioned-feeling fun underfoot while staying comfortable around the back of the shoe, and the Mizuno Wave Rider 30 sits in the same dependable category with a livelier, softer, lighter midsole feel.

Among the big hitters, the Nike Pegasus 42 is quite similar all round, though the DNA Loft v3 foam arguably feels better than the Pegasus’s Air Zoom and React setup, and the Ghost’s outsole also impresses. The Hoka Clifton 10 uses less exciting EVA foam but has better geometry, a lighter build, more foam underfoot, and a rocker that rolls through more smoothly at all paces.

Within Brooks’s own range, the Glycerin line uses the DNA Tuned foam, which offers a bit more energy return and a cushier feel than DNA Loft v3. The Ghost Max is the slightly more rockered, slightly more cushioned version of the Ghost with similar materials, and the more rockered ride makes it the more appealing of the two for many runners.

Buying Advice

The verdict on the Ghost 18 is simple: it is a solid, dependable daily trainer that will last a very long time and does the job fine. If you are a big fan of the line, you will get more of the same here, and that might be exactly what you are looking for.

However, because the Ghost 18 is so similar to the Ghost 17 in ride feel and overall performance, fans of the line may want to pick up the Ghost 17 in sales instead and make a saving. And when the Ghost 18 eventually goes on sale, it will deliver the same dependable results for less money.

For runners open to other brands, the Asics Novablast 6 currently stands out as the more exciting pick in this category, and the Hoka Clifton 10 earns the edge over the Ghost 18 thanks to its smoother, lighter, more rockered ride. Not all of those alternatives are as stable and durable as the Ghost 18, but many offer more cushioning, less weight, more versatility, or a mix of all three.

Conclusion

The Brooks Ghost 18 is not a bad shoe. It is stable, durable, comfortable at easy paces, and true to size, and loyal Ghost wearers will feel right at home. It is simply not the standout cushioned daily trainer it once was in a market full of livelier, lighter, and more cushioned options. Buy it for its dependability, or look to the Ghost 17 in sales, or one of its livelier rivals, if you want more excitement underfoot.