Brooks Ghost 18 review

The Brooks Ghost 18 is a great match for:

• Long-time Ghost fans who want the same familiar ride, fit, and overall experience they've enjoyed for years.
• Heel strikers looking for a comfortable and easy-to-run-in daily trainer with proven durability and a stable feel.
• Casual runners who want one shoe for running, walking, travel, and everyday wear.

We think that runners looking for a bouncy and energetic ride will be disappointed by the Ghost 18. Brooks still uses the same DNA Loft v3 foam, and we found in the lab that it delivers below-average rebound. If you want a daily trainer that feels more lively and responsive, we believe the PUMA Velocity Nitro 4 is a better choice.

We also do not recommend the Ghost 18 for runners who want the highest level of cushioning possible. In our view, the Ghost Max 3 is the obvious pick inside Brooks, while the Nike Vomero 18 is another excellent alternative.

We found that the Ghost 18's impact protection varies noticeably based on footstrike pattern, which came as no surprise given that we observed the same behaviour in the Ghost 17. Its high-drop geometry concentrates a greater share of foam under the heel.

Our lab measurements backed this up, recording 135 SA in the heel compared to 101 SA in the forefoot.

The Ghost 18 retains the same DNA Loft v3 midsole found in its predecessor. Therefore, runners hoping for a major underfoot upgrade to better challenge the latest generation of daily trainers may come away disappointed.

In our testing, DNA Loft v3 delivered only moderate energy return, reaching 52.4% in the heel and 58.1% in the forefoot. We think that's fine for easy miles and everyday training, but runners seeking a more lively, versatile shoe will find stronger options in other brands.

The Ghost 18 keeps following a trend we've seen for several generations now, adding a little more stack height with each update.

In our lab, we measured 37.3 mm in the heel versus 36.2 mm in the Ghost 17. It's a small increase that's nearly impossible to notice from one version to the next, but if Brooks maintains this steady climb, the Ghost could find itself joining the maximalist crowd within a few years.

We measured just 25.1 mm under the forefoot, a direct result of the shoe's high-drop geometry.

The gap between those measurements results in a substantial 12.2 mm drop. That's slightly higher than the 10 mm claimed by Brooks and reinforces the brand's commitment to a traditional geometry that works especially well for heel strikers.

And honestly, it's hard to criticise Brooks. The Ghost remains one of the best-selling running shoes year after year, largely thanks to a massive and loyal fanbase that returns for a new pair every one or two updates. In our view, many of these runners value consistency and familiarity far more than major design changes.

For version 18, Brooks fine-tuned the DNA Loft v3 to deliver a balanced underfoot experience aimed at appealing to the widest possible range of runners. As a result, it avoids both the ultra-plush feel of today's softest trainers and the harsh sensation associated with firmer designs.

In our testing, the foam leaned slightly toward the firm side at 40.5 AC, although it felt mostly average on the run. We think this highlights how dramatically the market has shifted in recent years, as a midsole like this one would likely have been considered genuinely soft just a couple of years ago.

The Ghost 18 also sticks with a non-rockered design. Combined with its high drop and flexible construction, Brooks has created a shoe that may not feel especially exciting or cutting-edge like others, yet remains remarkably easy to ride and predictable underfoot.

As with every shoe that enters our lab, we filled the Ghost 18 with our liquid solution to create an accurate mould of the interior and capture precise measurements.

Our first reading came in at 96.0 mm, placing it near the average shoe.

Our second measurement came in slightly below the lab average at just 70.6 mm, although that result was also entirely expected for us. The Ghost has long featured a somewhat tapered toebox, and Brooks has once again stayed faithful to that design.

That said, it's important to remember that the Ghost remains one of the few models available in four different width options, although availability varies depending on the colorway and country.

The toebox offers 25.8 mm of vertical clearance, providing enough space for most foot shapes without feeling overly roomy.

The upper material is soft and accommodating, helping prevent unwanted pressure points while still delivering the secure foothold needed for daily training miles.

Traction remains one of the few areas where we'd like to see further improvements. The Ghost 18 recorded a coefficient of friction of 0.53 in our wet-concrete test, which is close to the lab average but slightly below the result achieved by its predecessor.

This is a shoe that many runners will use as their one-and-only trainer. In our view, a result above 0.60 would inspire greater confidence across wet roads and sidewalks.

If you liked the outsole of the previous Ghost, you'll feel right at home here. Brooks has carried over the design fully unchanged, retaining the same extensive rubber coverage and generous network of flex grooves.

For a shoe that receives annual updates, this approach is far from unusual. Developing a new outsole requires fresh tooling and additional manufacturing costs, so we can understand why Brooks continues to leverage this design at least until 2027.

We've already highlighted the impressive flexibility of the Ghost 18, and now our lab testing backs it up with hard data. In our 30-degree bend test, the shoe required just 12.3N of force, exactly the kind of result we hoped to see from a comfort-focused daily trainer.

This design helps create an easy-going ride for everyday miles, while also making the Ghost 18 a great choice beyond running. Whether you're walking the dog, spending hours on your feet, or making a quick trip to the supermarket for some peanut butter, it feels remarkably natural and comfortable.

Weight is another area where we'd like to see some improvements. At 10.2 oz (289g), the Ghost 18 feels noticeably heavy by today's standards, especially considering that it doesn't offer the towering stack height of max-cushioned trainers.

In our view, there is room for Brooks to trim 5% or 10% of weight without sacrificing the dependable ride that has made the Ghost such a longtime favourite.

The new two-tone mesh upper of the Ghost 18 delivers the comfort we've come to expect from this series, although we were less convinced by its ventilation performance before putting it through our lab tests.

After testing, we found that breathability is merely decent, with the shoe earning a 3/5 score. That's enough for most runners, but it falls short of what we'd consider good airflow.

It's also worth noting that the visible perforations around the midfoot and heel are largely cosmetic. They contribute little to actual ventilation.

Using our digital microscope, we found a triple-layer mesh construction.

The upside is that the upper feels durable, well-padded, and comfortable from the first run. However, runners prioritizing maximum airflow may hesitate.

The Ghost 18 feels exactly like a Ghost, and that's likely what its loyal fanbase is looking here. Stability is excellent for heel strikers that feature a neutral technique, offering a secure and confidence-inspiring ride without relying on any dedicated support features.

For runners dealing with moderate pronation, however, the decision becomes less straightforward. In our view, the Adrenaline GTS 25 is a better option thanks to its added guidance and support-focused design.

Based on its design, we expected the Ghost 18 to score below the current lab average in our torsional rigidity test. That's exactly what happened, as it recorded just 12.2 Nm.

This result reinforces what we experienced on the run: the Ghost 18 is far from feeling rigid, offering the kind of natural flexibility that many runners appreciate in a traditional daily trainer.

On the other hand, we were somewhat surprised by the exceptionally rigid (5/5) heel counter Brooks used in the Ghost 18. It provides a highly secure and locked-in feel for heel strikers, and the generous padding helps prevent it from feeling overly harsh.

However, runners who prefer a more relaxed and less structured rearfoot design may find this approach a bit too intrusive for their tastes.

We measured the Brooks Ghost 18 at 115.7 mm in the forefoot, another example of Brooks taking a conservative approach. That figure lands close to the current lab average, reinforcing the shoe's mainstream design philosophy.

While many brands have recently expanded platform widths to boost stability, Brooks has largely resisted that trend with the regular Ghost.

Our callipers measured 95.9 mm in the heel, further supporting a theme we've seen throughout this review: Brooks has clearly designed the Ghost 18 with heel strikers in mind.

We put the heel padding through our Dremel test and came away happy. It earned a strong 4/5 score, demonstrating very good resistance to wear and tear.

After our Dremel test, we measured just 0.8 mm of wear, a solid result that leaves us with no concerns about the outsole's long-term durability.

It's clear to us that outsole durability remains a top priority for Brooks in the Ghost lineup. The brand appears willing to accept again a weight penalty in exchange for a substantial 3.5 mm layer of rubber designed to maximise wear resistance.

We measured the Ortholite X-60 insole at 5.0 mm thick.

The insole is fully removable, and swapping it for a thinner alternative could be a simple solution for runners who need an extra millimetre or two of space inside the shoe.

The DNA Loft v3 foam became just 13% firmer after spending 20 minutes in our freezer test, an impressive result that highlights its strong resistance to cold temperatures. As for the ice cream sitting behind, we'll take care of that this summer!

Runners logging miles after dark will appreciate the reflective details Brooks placed around the heel, a small but welcome addition that helps improve visibility in low-light conditions.

The most noticeable upper update comes from the redesigned tongue. Instead of using the same engineered mesh as the rest of the upper, Brooks opted for a softer and more accommodating knit construction that feels noticeably more comfortable against the foot.

We've seen this approach appear more frequently across the industry lately, and after testing again with the Ghost 18, we can understand the appeal.

What hasn't changed is the generously padded design. We measured 9.0 mm of tongue thickness in our lab, ensuring that the plush step-in feel Ghost fans have come to expect remains here.

One simple and inexpensive upgrade would be the addition of a semi-gusseted tongue, which would enhance the overall fit and help the shoe feel more refined. Maybe for version 19?

Brooks has subtly updated this area with an extended heel tab that not only looks more modern but also makes the shoe noticeably easier to pull on.

The Ghost 18 retains the same price as its predecessor, which is welcome news at a time when many running shoes continue to creep upward in cost. However, the Ghost series was already approaching the ceiling of what its current platform and feature set can justify.

In our opinion, the shoe delivers exactly what its loyal audience expects, but it totally lacks the premium materials and performance-focused technologies that would support a move into a higher price bracket.