How to Choose Running Shoes

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With their soft cushioning, stable feel and smooth ride, the men's Brooks Ghost Max road-running shoes are perfect for daily training when you want plenty of protection for pavement-pounding miles.
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View the Brooks Ghost Product LineView all Brooks Men's Road-Running ShoesBest Use | Running |
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Running Shoe Support | Neutral |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Maximum Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 6 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 28 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 22 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Air mesh |
Midsole | DNA LOFT v2 |
Outsole | Rubber |
Vegan | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 4 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
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U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
U.S. Women's | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | ||||||
UK | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
EU | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 45.5 | 46 | 46.5 | 47.5 | 48.5 | 49.5 | 50.5 |
Sizes along top of chart are U.S. Men's sizes. Correlating U.S. Women's sizes and EU sizes provided for clarity.
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These shoes are ultra comfy for walking and standing. I've walked over 125 miles in them over the last 3 months. One thing I noticed before I started using them was how thin the tread is compared to the regular Brooks Ghost shoes. I have walked, ran, and overall abused 2 pairs of the regular Ghost 13 shoes far more than the Ghost Max. Long story short, the midsole is now exposed on my Ghost Max pair and the older pairs of regular Ghost 13 still have more tread life. One strange thing is that the shoes are wearing in a place that my other don't normally. I will keep using the pair of Ghost Maxes until they fall apart, which doesn't seem far away.
I normally run in Glycerins but I was tempted by the forefoot rocker effect in these. So far I have been very pleased. The cushioning seems to be based on spreading the load over the whole sole of the foot. This seems different to my old shoes. It also avoids the squishy unstable feel of too much padding. I can't say I have noticed a big effect from the forefoot rocker but they are very easy to run in.
My first impression for the first 100 miles was, wow these are great shoes. At 100-150 miles they slowly wore out in a way that caused knee pain and at 150 miles I decided to shelf them. If you look at my photos you can see how my shoe wore in the inner heal causing an uneven surface for my foot. This is most likely a negative side effect of the stack height and cushuninig. I have a pair of Glycerin 21's in my rotation and they seem to be wearing a lot better. I will be sacrificing cushun for firmness on what ever my next shoe will be. I am 5'9 and 190lbs, I think someone much lighter would get a lot more miles out of the shoe. Hope this helps!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This shoe is everything I've come to expect from the Brooks Ghost series. The toe box is comfortable and roomy, and the shoe itself is very light, which is important to me in a running shoe. I'd almost forget I'm wearing shoes if it wasn't for the height of the sole. It's probably best for mid-sole strike because of the heel height. The neon accents are cool without being ostentatious. The upper appears incredibly durable as well. I typically only wear the shoe for running, but I could wear it all day if needed. This is my new go to running shoe due to its lightweight feel and durability. If I had to change anything, I would want a thinner heel.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My go to running shoes for the last year have been a pair of regular Ghosts. The Ghost Max definitely feels more cushioned. I’ve shied away from shoes with a really thick soul but after running in these, I can’t imagine going back! I really like that Brooks has managed to package all of that cushioning material into a shoe that looks pretty cool and isn’t awkwardly bulky. They’re also really lightweight. Overall I’m a huge fan of these shoes! My only qualification is that they feel better to run in than walk in (I like a firmer shoe for walking or standing all day). But as far as running shoes go, it’s hard to imagine a shoe I’d like more!
This is a mixed review, received my ghost max 3/27/2024, walk about 2 miles each morning on paved surface. The bottom of the shoe has already worn through and now road is eating away at the softer material underneath. I’ve had shows that cost half this much take a year to do the same. Having said that, when it comes to comfort, your feet, knees, back and spine feel like they are landing on a pillow with each step. So I love the performance but extremely dissatisfied with the durability. I’ll be sending mine back, maybe I just got a bad batch? My wife just received hers and loves them, she’s a teacher and on her feet all day!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I can’t express enough how comfortable these shoes truly are, the cushion support make walking/running easier to enjoy! I have a hard time finding shoes that support my knees when playing tennis or running I can finally say I found a solution. The M Ghost Max is in my normal rotation for wearing them for both running, casual, playing tennis or just walking the dog. I do feel like the shoe fits a little loose and may run slightly bigger than I’m used to for my size. All in all I have nothing bad to say about these shoes as Brooks are now my ultimate choice when looking for a great quality shoe that meets my everyday needs.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] While the fit is fantastic, the extra cushion on the sole made it difficult to stand in the shoe and use for casual daily wear. Even after a longer (10+ miles) run, there were sore points along my foot and heel that I don’t usually experience with running shoes. I had to switch out to daily walkers after every run or lose all feeling in my feet after an hour or so. I adjusted lacing, tension and socks to try and address the pressure but none solved this issue. The design and color way are really cool: sleek and modern but not obnoxiously colored. Overall, the shoe is a comfortable runner for short distances but certainly wouldn’t work for cross training in my case.
I'm impressed with the fit and feel of these shoes--not to mention the plush cushioned feel. I have a narrower foot and seem to have trouble finding a good fitting running shoe. The lacing system on these shoes is very well designed. You can lace them without having to over-tighten. The heel stays put (no slippage) as you run. I've had other shoes that have similar cushioning, but I often have to adjust lacing to avoid heel slippage or to avoid discomfort from tightness. This is a great new addition to the Brooks lineup. I also like the 6mm drop as I tend to be a mid foot striker. Orthotic insert fits perfectly.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Overall I like the shoe. My first impression was the sole is pretty thick and I felt noticeably taller, which I didn’t mind. The support isn’t overly firm but enough to be stable considering the height of the sole. It’s been great for casual walking, but only provides okay footing when the terrain gets rough. Despite the thickness of the sole, you can still feel rocks/sticks through it. The arch support is good but not great. I found the material of the upper breathes well but seemed to get dirty/dingy quicker than I had expected. I have not tried cleaning yet, so I can’t comment on that. Last but not least, laces are great and have stayed tied since the first time I tied them.