The Brooks Ghosts are a no-brainer daily trainer, if not for millions, definitely for thousands of runners out there. The series that started in 2008 continues to be the hot favourite daily trainer. Spoiler alert - Ghost 16 takes this series a step above. The popularity of Brooks in India is quite good with many rocking the Ghosts, Glycerin and Adrenaline for their training. In fact, we see many cricketers now wearing Brooks.

Like its predecessors, the Ghost 16 sticks to its legacy, i.e. a premium experience, courtesy of its comfortable cushion ride. I’m someone who prefers lightweight trainers, but there is something in Ghost that makes me pick them day in and day out. The cost or the pricing also matters massively for me, and getting this pair during the festive sale back in October 2024 for under ₹5,000 was a massive steal deal. I remember training for the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024 edition massively using the Ghost 15 (review here), and that didn’t change for the 2025 TMM cycle, except for now lacing up the Ghost 16 (until I was forced to be off schedule), and have run over 275 KMs already on them. I have run over 275 KMs on the 16th, and here’s my in-depth review of this classic daily trainer.

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What makes up Brooks Ghost 16?

The Ghost series remains a classic neutral daily trainer, built for comfort. On the surface, there aren't any visible changes from its predecessor. The biggest update in the 16 is in the midsole —something I had on my wishlist when reviewing the Ghost 15. DNA Loft V3 replaces the traditional V2 (used in Ghost 15), whereas the stack height at 12mm, remains unchanged, targeting the heel strikers and to those who seek more cushioning. Brooks checked two off two from my wishlist, shedding some weight while keeping all the loved elements intact, with the Ghost 16 weighing 278g (UK 8), down from 286g in the Ghost 15.

In India, the Ghost 16 has a max retail price of ₹15,499, but even at the time of writing this review, it was available at a 50% discount, making it a steal deal from all fronts.

Midsole

The midsole of Ghost 16, uses DNA Loftv3, the one used in super-cushion shoes like the Glycerine, and an upgrade from DNA Loftv2 used in Ghost 15. The DNA Loftv3 uses nitrogen-infusion technology, where nitrogen gas is injected into EVA foam to make the foam more lighter, softer and responsive. The increased softness of the midsole is evident with a durometer score of 25, as against 27 in its predecessor.

Softest Ghost

Ghost 16 also sees a mild increase in stack height, both in heel and forefoot, at 36mm and 24mm respectively (against 35mm and 23mm), continuing with its traditional offset of 12mm, largely benefitting the heel strikers. There’s an insole, though without any characteristics for relevant reasons, unlike we see on the other trainers which uses a more softer component than the primary midsole to give a plush-feel to an otherwise firm ride.

Heel drop good heel strikers, with limited ankle mobility

Upper

Brooks continues to ace in comfort with its upper, which uses a dual-layered engineered mesh. The upper is well structured and while at glance it doesn’t look breathable, this is where it surprises us, courtesy hundreds of vertical perforations which enhances airflow. The toebox gets roomier, giving your toes some much-needed space to wobble around during your long runs.

Comfortable upper with standard eyelet design

The eyelet design is also pretty standard. It has 6+1 configuration, with 6 eyelets for regular use and an extra eyelet for heel lock lacing. The tongue is non-gusseted and wobbles around sometimes, specially in the longer runs, but feels plush and comfortable.

Heel

Like its predecessor, the heel counter in the Ghost 16 feels firm and secure. The TPU base on the heel counter is quite rigid to make sure your ankle isn’t wobbling around while running. The heel counter is generously padded and spacious enough, making sure comfort isn’t sacrificed either. For someone with haglund deformity, I did not feel any sensitivity issues on my achilles, even with all those padding. The heel also gets an additional external reinforcement, with reflectors over them for visibility when running in the dark.

Firm heel counter

Outsole

The outsole remains the same like the Ghost 15, and it's good news. They are still thick, almost spanning through the outer, making it durable. The rubber pattern also remains unchanged, featuring several segments, rather than one piece of rubber, which the brand calls is segmented crash pad, put in there to offer smoother transition through the gait.

Retains good traction and durability from the previous edition

Why did I consider this shoe?

Like said earlier, the Ghosts are a no-brainer, primarily for its comfort and durability. I have had the Ghost 15 during my marathon training and loved them, so picking up Ghost 16 was an easy choice. Add the affordability with discounts in India, it becomes a solid value for money that's hard to ignore.

Ride In Ghost 16

I have already logged over 275 KMs on Ghost 16 over a couple of months, putting these through a variety of runs on them, mostly easy and the long runs, because that’s where they bring life. The Ghost 16 introduces a new nitrogen-infused midsole and gains some stack. This made the ride a little more plush compared to its predecessor, yet the plush was apt enough and didn’t feel like an overdose. There’a a marginal response as well.

Since I have already run in the Ghost series, the experience here didn't surprise me. Ghost 16 did not require any break-in, and felt comfortable right from the first run. The longest run with the Ghost 16 was the 30K, and it felt comforting throughout. I remember the Ghost 15 giving me a dragging feeling once the exhaustion kicked-in, but fortunately that wasn’t the case here. Unlike the previous one, I did feel that running on my forefoot was a bit of a struggle but I got used to it. Probably the increase of stack height is playing a role here. My easy runs are typically negative splits, with the last few KMs typically dipping under 5:00 min/km, and the Ghost 16 does well. I even laced them up for speed intervals, and they felt okay for occasional uptempo runs but not certainly built for speed.

No break-in needed

Fit & Comfort

I’m just saying it's a 10 on 10 here. Let’s move on to the next section. Should we? ;)

The comfort kicks in the moment you unbox the Ghost 16. First and foremost, they fit true to size for my UK 7. I had no issues slipping into the shoes and lacing up, a problem I have had with trainers like the Saucony Endorphin series. My feets are narrower, and while the Ghost 15 I recon gave me a snug fit, the Ghost 16 feels spacious on the forefoot, which is definitely a plus.The wide variant is usually available in India, but as of this review, I couldn't find one. The heel counter, upper, and tongue are all generously padded, adding an extra layer of comfort. Though such padding compromised breathability, the Ghost 16 felt more breathable than its predecessors. A very few times I felt that the shoes felt a bit warm were on a hot day in Mumbai when the temperature soared beyond 30°c. With the summers kicking in, the Ghost 16 will be my go-to trainers for the next couple of months.

Stability

While the Ghosts are technically a neutral trainer, the stability they have offered has always been a bonus, despite being a high-stack shoe with 36mm on the heel. The wide base on the forefoot, subtle arch support, structured upper, flared midsole and the rigid heel counter work together to provide a stable ride.

Durability

After comfort, if there’s another contributor for the success of the Ghost series would be its durability. The outsole rubber is over 4mm thick, and in my mileage on them of over 275KMs, there is barely any wear and tear. Saying that, I did see some wear and tear in the medial side of the midsole, more towards the forefoot. This is likely due to my gait, where my shoes tend to brush against each other during runs. The outsole rubber has a good amount of traction, and my occasional runs over some wet or muddy surfaces were satisfactory. I expect the Ghost 16 to comfortably go-beyond 800 KMs.

Review Summary

Karthik

Karthik (https://www.instagram.com/runkarthikrun) is a business analyst by profession and a long-time volunteer contributor to Wikipedia. Apart from his enthusiasm for running and photography, advancements in mobile & wearables technology are of utmost interest to him. He is co-founder of Mumbai-based Tilaknagar Running Club.