Brooks Ghost 17 Review: True, Blue, Reliable Boo

Introduction to the Brooks Ghost 17

ROBBE: For years, it seemed that we were haunted by the unalived corpse of Brooks running. Yes, they sold well. Yes, every person who walked into a local running store walked out with a pair of Glycerin or Ghost. Yes, Warren Buffett was plenty happy to have them in the Berkshire-Hathaway portfolio.

But we found them boring and basic. They’re great for the average Turkey Trot runner, but a big ol’ yawn for anyone beyond that. We kept thinking that surely something would change, and year after year, Brooks proved us wrong. The designs, the midsole, the race day experience — it was all a snoozefest. We had pretty much given up on believing in Brooks, no matter how much they pumped their offerings each year at The Running Event.

That was then, this is now. Between their updated designs, heritage throwback models, and advanced tech with the DNA Tuned midsoles, Brooks is in the middle of a revival. Come gather and see the dead raised to life.

Speaking of the dead, we love a good ghost story. And if Brooks is alive, so is the Ghost, one of the most reliable models in the brand’s lineup. We’ve had our ups and downs with the shoe, mostly just somewhere in the middle. It’s been an average shoe, a boring shoe, and a shoe that Disney dads will wear with cargo shorts. It’s mostly been tested by us, then given to our moms for Mother’s Day.

So I wasn’t particularly excited to try out the Ghost 17, but we got a job to do, so the job must be done.

Not much is different in this version, but there are a couple of minor changes. The most obvious and important one is the increase in stack height for the DNA Loft v3 midsole, now at 36.5 in the heel and 26.5 in the forefoot (10 mm stack). The extra foam puts it close to Ghost Max territory, but more on that later. The upper gets a more breathable double jacquard air mesh, and the outsole rubber remains generous. It did pick up a quarter-ounce of weight, coming in at 10.1 oz. (286 g) for a US M9 and 9 oz. (255 g) for a US W7.

Let’s see how spooky this thing really is.

CHAD: If you’re reading this, it’s for one of two reasons. Either you have been a long-time Brooks wearer and loyal to the brand, or you’ve been following Believe in the Run and have seen how much Brooks has turned a corner in the past couple of years (maybe just one year). As Robbe said, Brooks had developed a reputation for being a bit boring all across their lineup. Consistent with quality, but boring nonetheless. That quality made them arguably one of the biggest, if not the biggest, brands in running when it came to overall sales volume.

That said, Brooks has decided to shed that boring label and has started dropping absolute bangers recently. This includes performance shoes in the Hyperion line, a monster cruiser in the Glycerin Max, and even down to their daily trainers, including the Ghost line. Robbe dropped the specs of the newest version, the Ghost 17, so let’s get down to the review.

RENALDO: Reliability is a trait that, not too long ago, was something that we kept at the forefront of our appraisal of the world around us. Late for work and need to know the traffic? Turn on the local radio for the broadcast. No, not that station, they don’t know what they’re talking about. The other one. The one you grew up with. Reliability is also a trait I haven’t given enough credit to Brooks for when it comes to their shoes.

Its newest entry into the Ghost family, the Brooks Ghost 17, is another reliable daily trainer built for brand fans and maybe a few other demographics that may (or may not) surprise you.

What we like about the Brooks Ghost 17

ROBBE: I didn’t review the last version of the Ghost. But I did review the Ghost 13 and the Ghost 14 and decided that was enough for me in the way of apparitions. It’s not that the Ghost was ever a bad shoe; it was just a boring shoe in the watching-paint-dry type of way.

I’d like to tell you that a ton has changed since then. But I’d also like to tell you that a lot hasn’t, because we don’t need a whole revolution for a shoe that’s meant to gobble up daily mileage. The right things have changed, though, so that’s a good thing.

Right now, as it stands, the Ghost 17 is a very solid daily trainer.

Let’s start with the upper. The double jacquard mesh is comfortable without being overly plush. The tongue isn’t gusseted but it also doesn’t move around. It’s all pretty simple, but the lockdown was near perfect for me. Not my favorite laces, but not the worst. I didn’t experience any hot spots or movement while running in the shoe.

Moving to the midsole, the nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 is somewhere between soft and bouncy. Pretty straightforward, not going to blow your mind, but just the right amount of comfort to accommodate any mileage. The extra millimeter of foam gives it just a touch of added cushion that will keep your legs fresh for any distance. I enjoyed it on all my daily runs, as well as a long run. It can pick up the pace a little bit if you need it to, but sitting at 10 ounces, it’s not really designed for that purpose. That’s why we have the Hyperion or Adrenaline.

The rubber outsole is generous and should make this a real workhorse that will last hundreds of miles.

I gotta say, I kept coming back to this shoe and wanting to run in it more. Not because it was super exciting or ultra bouncy or super fast and light. It’s the white t-shirt in the dresser drawer or the grey hoodie in the closet — you don’t have to think about it, and it’ll get the job done. I think that’s what I love most about this shoe. It’s not unstable, it’s not going to wear out quickly, and it’s not for a certain segment of runners. This shoe is for everyone, from walkers to runners to anyone in between. It’s about as reliable as a workhorse that you can get for $150.

CHAD: Unlike Robbe, I did get to review the Ghost 16, and if you read that review, a lot of the positives of the last version remain. The DNA Loft v3, which is nitrogen-infused, has what could be described as balanced cushioning, where it is not-too-soft and not-too-firm; what I like to call a Goldilocks midsole. You get a good amount of give underfoot on each footstrike with an equally good amount of rebound on liftoff. Is it the bounciest shoe ever? Probably not. But the comfort on the run is in the upper echelon.

The jacquard mesh upper is also a plus because it is both secure around the foot while still being breathable, an improvement over the Ghost 16. While the tongue isn’t gusseted, Brooks always tries to design its shoes so the tongue is plush, comfortable, and doesn’t go astray during a run.

One of the other changes in the shoe that I appreciate as a bigger runner is the decrease in the drop from the uber-high 12 mm of yore to the moderately-high 10 mm. Anything that I can do to lessen the impact on my knees is much appreciated, and I felt the change helped the shoe be a bit less slappy and smoother in transition.

Lastly, the aesthetics of this shoe have improved by leaps and bounds. Brooks FINALLY seems to have realized that you can make more subtle and demure colorways and also make some that bring the heat. The version I received, which is mostly white with blue and green accents on the midsole, is very nicely done.

RENALDO: What do you like about the air around you? That it’s there? That it’ll be there when you wake up tomorrow? That it provides you with the oxygen you need to exist? Rhetoric aside, the Ghost 17 is a Brooks running shoe, as true as the sky is blue. It feels like a Brooks shoe, handles like a Brooks shoe, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. This time around, Brooks has gone ahead and added an extra millimeter of DNA Loft V3 foam to the heel and 3 mm to the forefoot. There’s also an enhanced design on the upper and a newly designed midsole. Is any of this noticeable? Would you like to talk about air again?

What we don’t like about the Brooks Ghost 17

ROBBE: This is really one of those Toyota Corolla shoes that are really hard to find anything bad about. It’s just a solid, reliable machine. This is why 90% of the time, a new runner will walk into a running store in a pair of Hey Dudes and walk out with a pair of Brooks Ghost. Like the New Balance 880, the Asics Gel-Nimbus, or the Nike Pegasus, it just works. I’d argue that it works better than all of them.

But it is boring. To keep it from being not boring, Brooks has tweaked some parts here and there, but it’s mostly the same. However, with a 36 mm stack height, it’s getting a little closer to that max cushion range. Sure, it’s not the Ghost Max, but the gap has closed a bit between the two. I still think there’s a big difference between that shoe and this one, but I’d be careful about bringing them too close together. Such is the nature of niche running shoes.

CHAD: Like Robbe, I have a hard time finding much to complain about with the Ghost 17. Last year, I harped on the 12 mm drop in the Ghost 16, but they have changed that. I also knocked the shoe’s aesthetics, and once again, that was addressed.

If I had to pull out something, I experienced something in this shoe I never had in a Brooks shoe, and that was some heel lift. Between the accommodating fit and the change to the heel of the shoe, featuring a more dramatic heel point and scoop around the ankle, I did find my foot moving around more in the shoe. I tried tying a bit tighter, but that just led to some pain on the top of my foot. I’m sure I can get it dialed in over time, but it’s just something I noticed.

RENALDO: An interesting fact about this Ghost is that it’s being marketed as a running and walking shoe. I received my review pair a little late, and after one six-mile run in them, my legs were incredibly sore. While not at all heavy, landing in the Ghost 17 was surprisingly uncomfortable. Despite being DNA Loft v3, the give of the foam doesn’t really compare to shoes like the Glycerin in the series, making what should be an enjoyable running experience something more of a plod.

I also have a gripe about Brooks’ love of using older foams: wearing a Brooks shoe always feels like taking a step backward (no pun intended). With all the bells and whistles they’ve added to this Ghost, which may be a lesson in “less is more,” I came away from this shoe enjoying it more during my shifts managing a busy liquor store than putting miles on the road. Looking for a gift for the recent college grad? Have a new nurse in your life?

With what’s already out there in the daily trainer realm, I’d need a lot of convincing to go out in this one again.

​​The colorway I received isn’t much to write home about either. Marketed as White, Pink Clay, and Gecko, this shoe looks like any other shoe you’d see on a mannequin in your arguably suburban downtown: whites with dashes of pastels and a big ol’ black Brooks logo for the branding. Ho hum.

Final thoughts on the Brooks Ghost 17

ROBBE: As far as reliable daily trainers go, you really can’t do much better than the Ghost 17 at $150. That said, it’s so close to the Ghost 16 that it may make sense and cents to get that one on sale. Whatever you choose, the Ghost is the continuation of a long line of durability from Brooks, and while it may not be as exciting as newer models like the Ghost Max, Glycerin Max, or Hyperion, it’s a one-stop shop for most of your mileage.

Sometimes that’s the best kind of review you can give.

CHAD: In terms of the ride of the shoe, the Ghost 17 pretty much carries forward the positive changes that were made with the Ghost 16. The tweaks made were largely positive to me, especially regarding the more breathable upper, the reduced drop, and the shoe’s aesthetics. While it’s still not the flashiest shoe on the market, if you’re looking for a dependable daily trainer, you could do much worse than the Ghost 17, especially at $150.

RENALDO: All in all, for $150, I would pass on this shoe unless you are looking for a good shoe to spend a lot of “time-on-feet” in. Or, a die-hard Brooks fanatic. Which you may be if you’re reading a review for this shoe. I think my compatriots on this review say it best: “It is what it is” with Brooks. And probably be that way for a long time, and the fans love it. Heck, I’m sure some of you already have this shoe in your cart while reading this…

You can pick up the Brooks Ghost 17 for $150 by using the buttons below.