The Best Road Running Shoes of 2021
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The Brooks Ghost 13 is a good, comfortable, and sturdy cruiser ideal for daily runs.
★★★★★
More details + $129.95
The Brooks Ghost 13 is a sturdy running shoe with comfortable cushioning, particularly suitable for daily training. The collection continues its transformation with this new version, which keeps getting a little lighter and thinner. The shoe now weighs 280 g (9.9 oz) for men and 252 g (8.9 oz) for women, which is very reasonable considering the thickness of the sole (31 mm under the heel).
The cushioning is comfortable and effectively absorbs shocks throughout the run. It is important to note that the soft DNA Loft foam now extends over the entire lateral part of the shoe instead of being solely located in the heel as before. The firmer BioMoGo DNA foam is still present but on the medial part of the foot. The foams are co-molded to avoid a noticeable division line. The testers found the cushioning to be well balanced overall, except under the toes, where they found it too soft for optimal energy return. This is the main disadvantage of the shoe. However, this is consistent with its profile, primarily intended for medium and long distances at a slow to moderate pace. Besides, runners insist that the shoe provides a smooth ride with a good transition from heel to toe.
Moving on to the upper, the mesh is thinner and more flexible than any other Ghost model before. The toe area is remarkably flexible and spacious. This will appeal to runners with wider feet, but people with thin feet may float a little. Overall the lockdown is still very good. Note that the heel's collar is quite thick and rigid (which is very characteristic of the Ghost).
Finally, the outsole features thick rubber with deep grooves, making it durable, grippy, and even suited to easy dirt roads.
All in all, the Brooks Ghost 13 is a good and comfortable running shoe, not necessarily very exciting but reliable.
The cushioning is comfortable and effectively absorbs shocks throughout the run. It is important to note that the soft DNA Loft foam now extends over the entire lateral part of the shoe instead of being solely located in the heel as before. The firmer BioMoGo DNA foam is still present but on the medial part of the foot. The foams are co-molded to avoid a noticeable division line. The testers found the cushioning to be well balanced overall, except under the toes, where they found it too soft for optimal energy return. This is the main disadvantage of the shoe. However, this is consistent with its profile, primarily intended for medium and long distances at a slow to moderate pace. Besides, runners insist that the shoe provides a smooth ride with a good transition from heel to toe.
Moving on to the upper, the mesh is thinner and more flexible than any other Ghost model before. The toe area is remarkably flexible and spacious. This will appeal to runners with wider feet, but people with thin feet may float a little. Overall the lockdown is still very good. Note that the heel's collar is quite thick and rigid (which is very characteristic of the Ghost).
Finally, the outsole features thick rubber with deep grooves, making it durable, grippy, and even suited to easy dirt roads.
All in all, the Brooks Ghost 13 is a good and comfortable running shoe, not necessarily very exciting but reliable.
PROS:
- Great comfort
- Good impact absorption
- Sturdy and durable shoe
- Lighter and sleeker design than before
- Relatively soft and flexible platform
CONS:
- Cushioning that lacks bounce, especially due to the softness of the midsole under the forefoot
- Toe-box that may be too large for runners with thin feet