Six Minute Mile Gear Review: Brooks Ghost 14
- Mar 31, 2022
- 2 min read
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Specifications (according to Brooks)
Weight: (9.9.oz/9.0oz) (Men’s/Women’s)
Drop: 12 mm
Category: Neutral/Everyday Trainer
($140)
What’s New:
Updated midsole is now 100% DNA LOFT cushioning for an even softer, smoother ride.
Improved 3D Fit Print
Carbon neutral product
What You’ll Love:
Soft midsole cushioning
Smooth heel to toe transitions
Perfect fit right of the box
Since the inception of the line in 2008, the Brooks Ghost, aptly named after a company exec who only ran at night, has staked its reputation as one of the top tier everyday trainers. In fact, there’s a solid chance anyone reading this has logged some serious miles in one of their 14 editions and were going to buy this shoe anyway. Simplicity, reliability and impactful improvements are some of the pillars that keep runners in Ghosts year after year. Structurally, the move to a total DNA Loft midsole is the big improvement but in our opinion the most appealing update is the shoe being the first widely available, carbon neutral shoe in the industry. As highlighted by Brian Metzler two weeks ago, this is a step in Brooks’ plan to have completely net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Lucky for us, the Ghost 14 showed up in our office Monday morning so with a few runs under our belt we can share our initial performance thoughts.
Similarly, to the Glycerin 19’s we tested earlier in the year, the Ghost 14, had a near perfect fit right out of the box. Equipped with a snug midfoot, roomy toe box, and updated heel collar kept my foot locked in at different tempos. The first thing that stood out to me was that the DNA Loft midsole definitely gives the shoe that cloud-like cushion you can expect when picking up an everyday trainer. It’s not ultra cushiony like the Glycerin but you’ll definitely feel more shoe than road. If your goal is to log long easy miles then this plush ride will certainly aid you in achieving so. Settling into my run a bit, I then started to take note of the easy heel to toe transitions in which the 12mm heel drop provides. The above average drop guided me towards a heel strike where they wisely added a solid amount of extra padding and support. Something else I appreciated was the grippy rubber outsole. Even in a very wet New England week it felt I was able to really dig into the pavement. In all, this shoe checks all the boxes and I honestly don’t have a bad thing to say about it. Fast or slow, long and short this shoe really does it all and needs to be considered for runners of all skill levels.