An in-depth (but not so official) review of the Brooks Ghost 9 running shoe.

I know it’s been a while, but it’s time to jump back into some running gear reviews. What better way to kickoff a series of reviews than with my current go-to road runners, the Brooks Ghost 9s.
I know the 10th edition was recently released, but that doesn’t make an older model any less worthy of review. In fact, you can now get the Ghost 9s for as cheap as $70, significantly cheaper than the Ghost 10’s price tag of $120.

Up until I jumped into a pair of Brooks, I was an avid Asics runner. I fell in love with the Gel Nimbus 17s, squeezed every mile out of them, purchased the Gel Nimbus 18s, which made me want to never run in Asics again. That shoe was a bust. So I took the Brooks Ghost 9s for a spin.
Out of the box
The first thing I noticed was how comfortable they were right out of the box. You can immediately appreciate the “DNA” material used in the midsole. It provides just enough cushioning to keep the feet happy, yet responsive on the road. For a shoe that’s categorized as “neutral”, it offers just enough support to strike that perfect balance between free motion and stability.

I a have narrow foot (a narrow and long size 11), but with some tight lacing I was able to get the shoe to hug around my foot very well. The toe box is a little wide and spacier than I’d like, but again, my foot is narrower than most.
The upper is very breathable, with ventilation through the body of the shoe. The layered structured mesh on top of the foot was surprisingly flexible and also very breathable, which has kept my feet both dry and un-blistered through my toughest runs.
Compared to other running shoes, it also looks good. There are a number of colorways, some better than others in my opinion. I went with this dark navy and orange combo.
Durability
So I’ve had these shoes for about 3 months and have logged around 200km in them. No signs of any wear whatsoever yet. The midsole is still very well cushioned and the outsole has only the slightest wear in the landing areas.
It is a road shoe, but I have taken them on the occasional trails, where they actually held up quite well. The outsole has what Brooks calls an “Omega flex groove” pattern which allows for flexibility and a good grip on unstable surfaces for a road shoe. I also like the guard around the toes which keeps out incoming water and debris.

Specs
Let’s break down some of the specs.
Weight: 300 grams. For some comparison, that’s just slightly lighter than the Gel Nimbus 18 (306 grams) and heavier than the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34 (280 grams). It’s the middle of the road when it comes to weight, and it definitely has not been an issue for me.
Heel to toe drop: 12mm. Higher than both the Asics and Nikes, which sport a 10mm drop. I personally like a lower heel-to-toe drop that promotes more forefoot landing, but 12mm is still okay.
Width: I’d characterize the shoe as wide. The Gel Nimbus are definitely a bit narrower, especially when it comes to the toe box. But again, I have a narrow foot, so those with a wide foot might definitely appreciate the Ghost 9s.
Bottom line
The Brooks Ghost 9 is a truly comfortable, durable, and reliable neutral road shoe. With almost 200km on them, there still aren’t any signs of wear. It also holds up quite nicely in less technical, light trail conditions, which is great for those of you who like to change up your training setting once in a while.
I’m still debating over which shoe I should run my marathon in, the Brooks or the Hoka One One Clifton 3s, but I’m slowly starting to lean towards these guys.
If you have thoughts on the Ghost 9s, would like to see a review for any other piece of gear, or just have something to say, leave your comments below!
Stay tuned for more gear reviews, training updates, and lifestyle bits!
*This is not a paid endorsement**
