In production · road · Daily / Long run · $170
Brooks Ghost 17 GTX: 36 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 309 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is DNA Loft, tuned balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 36 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A tall 10 mm drop tips weight forward off the heel, which usually suits heel strikers and calves that dislike low-drop shoes. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.42 per mile at $170.
For the foams and plates Brooks uses across its line, read the Brooks brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
320 g / 11.3 oz
45 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
36 mm
Level with the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
10 mm
4 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$170
10 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Brooks line it is heavier than the brand's median (283 g / 10.0 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Adidas Ultrarun 5
323 g / 11.4 oz · 35 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $80
Adidas Ultrarun 5: 35 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 295 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Nike Winflo 11 GTX
310 g / 10.9 oz · 35 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $130
Nike Winflo 11 GTX: 35 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 310 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Nike Downshifter 14
315 g / 11.1 oz · 34 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $70
Nike Downshifter 14: 34 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 315 g — specs from independent lab testing.
On Cloudpulse
319 g / 11.3 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $140
Training-first shoe tuned for gym work and short cardio.