REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable upper
Durable
Relatively stable
REASONS TO AVOID
High drop can feel awkward
Still firmer than it needs to be
Unresponsive
Brooks Ghost 16 Review
A boring and limited daily trainer that doesn’t stand out
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
RELATED: Best Running Shoes for Men of 2024
Our Verdict
The Brooks Ghost 16 brings some welcome changes to the Ghost lineup, namely an updated DNA Loft v3 midsole foam, but the shoe still shows its age. This is the most popular running shoe out there… and we struggle to see why. The updated foam is still boring and lacks the resilience we've come to expect from the best daily trainers. Landing transitions feel rough and choppy through the midfoot, particularly for midfoot runners. The 14 mm drop can feel unnatural for many runners. There are some positives — the upper is very comfortable, the geometry is easy to approach, the shoe is extremely durable, and it is pretty stable. All that makes it a safe choice for beginners. But this shoe significantly underperforms its price point. Even though it is a popular shoe, we do not recommend it for the vast majority of runners, especially not for runners who land anywhere but their heels.
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 This Product
Brooks Ghost 16 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Running Shoes for Uptempo Training | Best Overall Men's Running Shoes |  Excellent Performance without a Plate |  Best Bang for Your Buck | |
| Price | $138.85 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $169.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $139.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $135 List $135.00 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A reliable shoe that can’t keep up with the rest of the market | An all-around standout that can handle easy days as comfortably as hard workouts | A daily trainer that can handle most runs, the Novablast 4 is fun and extremely comfortable | Bouncy, responsive and well-cushioned, this shoe is performance-oriented but still versatile | A daily trainer that blends comfort and versatility at a reasonable price |
| Rating Categories | Brooks Ghost 16 | Saucony Endorphin S... | Asics Novablast 4 | New Balance FuelCel... | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5.0%) | |||||
| Specs | Brooks Ghost 16 | Saucony Endorphin S... | Asics Novablast 4 | New Balance FuelCel... | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 |
| Measured Weight | 10.31 oz | 9.03 oz | 9.76 oz | 7.98 oz | 10.07 oz |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 36 mm | 38 mm | 43 mm | 30 mm | 38 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 14 mm | 11 mm | 7 mm | 7 mm | 11 mm |
| Plate Type | None | Nylon | None | None | None |
| Rocker Angle | 20.5 deg | 25.0 deg | 22.5 deg | 19.5 deg | 18.0 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 70.0% | 67.7% | 66.5% | 62.2% | 66.7% |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Upper | Engineered knit | Engineered mesh/knit | Engineered woven/knit | FantomFit | Engineered knit |
| Midsole | DNA Loft v3 | PWRRUN PB | FF Blast + Eco | FuelCell | NITROFOAM |
| Outsole | Rubber | Rubber | AHAR Lo | Rubber | PumaGrip |
| Heel Tab Type | None | None | Finger loop | None | None |
| Sizes Available | 7 - 15 US, narrow, medium, wide & extra wide | 7-15 US, regular | 6 - 15 US, regular | 7-16 US, regular & wide | 7 - 14 US, regular |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
We get it. The Ghost line is extremely popular, so making radical changes is a huge risk for Brooks. But honestly, this shoe feels more like an option from the mid-2010s than 2024.
Performance Comparison
The Ghost 16 has been updated, but still feels "old-school"… and not in a good way.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Landing Comfort
The Ghost 16 brings significantly improved cushioning with the DNA Loft v3 midsole foam and higher forefoot stack. It's comfortable underfoot, particularly when landing at the heel. The foam has less compression than we've come to expect, and while resilience is improved, the shoe still doesn't have much in the way of energy return.
The shoe doesn't compress as much as we expect from more modern foams.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Transitions from the rear of the foot forward are awkward; somewhere around the arch of the foot where we would expect a smooth transition, we instead find a rough drop forward. Thanks to the 14 mm drop, we don't think this is a good choice for anyone who isn't a heel striker. Finally, the foam at the forefoot feels firmer than we'd prefer. That leads to some discomfort over 15+ mile runs.
The low and firm forefoot makes this shoe a poor option for runners who land midfoot and want cushioning.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Responsiveness
The Ghost 16 is moderately responsive, thanks to the firmer foam and lower stack. The nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 has more energy return. However, the difference isn't as much as we'd hoped. This is a shoe for logging daily miles. It's alright for moderate paces, and it can be wrangled into threshold sessions. However, this isn't a great choice if you're looking for a shoe to run workouts in regularly.
Between choppy transitions and poor forefoot comfort, this shoe isn't a good choice for uptempo training.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Stability
The Ghost 16 is a neutral shoe, but it errs on the side of stability. That's thanks to the crash pads that help direct motion and the lower stack with small sidewalls. We think this is a decent choice for heel-strikers who don't need support but prefer a shoe that feels very stable.
This shoe errs on the side of stability for a neutral daily trainer.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Upper Comfort
The Ghost 16 upper is quite comfortable, as are most Brooks uppers. The soft materials around the stiff heel prevent rubbing, and we experienced great lockdown. The toe box does run a bit narrower than average, particularly in comparison to other Brooks shoes we've tested. Overall, the shoe takes high marks for upper comfort.
The upper is one of the highlights of this shoe.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
The Ghost 16 weighs about average for a daily trainer, coming in at 10.31 ounces in our testing. For the daily mileage orientation of the shoe, that's a perfectly acceptable weight.
It's no lightweight, but it isn't too heavy either.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
Overall, traction on the shoe is above average. The durable outsole grips well on wet surfaces, and the rectangular lugs help bite on loose gravel. While we haven't tested it on ice yet, we're confident that the siping and patterning of the outsole should grip well in bad conditions.
The traction of the Ghost 16 is solid, thanks to a durable rubber outsole.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Brooks Ghost 16?
Honestly, we don't think this shoe is worth it. Unless you absolutely love the Ghost line, we think there are more versatile and equally comfortable shoes for the same price. If you're a heel striker who prefers a stable-neutral shoe and rarely will use this shoe for uptempo running, then you might consider it. Otherwise, look elsewhere.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
If you just want a simple daily trainer to handle your miles, you should consider the Puma Velocity Nitro 3. It has a higher stack but is similarly stable, has more comfortable cushioning, and is far more versatile. It's also cheaper. The Asics Novablast 4 is one of our favorite daily trainers, sits at the same price point as the Ghost 16, and significantly outperforms it as well.
—
Nathaniel Bailey
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