Brooks Ghost Max 2 Review: A Softer, Smoother Spirit

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

Move over Casper, there’s a new ghost in town.

The Brooks Ghost Max 2 is back and better than ever, with a brand-new midsole foam to boo-t.

Can the Ghost Max 2 delight our reviewers with its thick stack of DNA Loft v3 cushioning? Or will it haunt us for miles to come? Read on to find out.

Tech Specs

Brooks Ghost Max 2

Weight	9.5 oz (W), 10.8 oz (M)
Stack height (heel/forefoot)	39 mm/33 mm
Heel-to-toe drop	6 mm
Category	Neutral
Surface	Road
Price	$150
Comparable to…	HOKA Bondi 8, ASICS GEL-Nimbus 26

Ride

Cushioning

Energy

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Women's Brooks Ghost Max 2 Running Shoes

13 Colors

$150

Men's Brooks Ghost Max 2 Running Shoes

13 Colors

$150

DNA Loft v3 foam softens the ride

The Brooks Ghost Max 2 follows in the footsteps of its namesake, the Ghost 16, with the addition of DNA Loft v3 midsole foam. DNA Loft v3 is Brooks’ softest midsole foam yet, and it’s injected with a liquid nitrogen that turns into a gas before the sole takes its final shape. I am not a material scientist, but I can tell you that the nitrogen-infused cushioning felt superb.

I took the Ghost Max 2 out for a short, easy run and then a long run with my faster friends. I noticed right away that the Ghost Max 2 felt softer and smoother than the original Ghost Max. The cushioning felt plush, but with enough substance to keep my foot from sinking in and needing to dig itself out. It felt pretty flexible too, so my turnovers felt nice and smooth. I was able to keep up with the crew without uttering those dreaded four words, “can we slow down?”

“I went for two uptempo runs in the Ghost Max 2 and, right when I had almost decided these shoes weren’t for me, I laced them for a long, slow run and my mind was changed,” says Max. “These are just the ticket for some easy miles. The fat stack of DNA Loft v3 foam strikes a really nice balance of soft and firm, something I’ve been looking for in a long run shoe. It’s soft enough to feel protected from the repeated impact, but firm enough that I have some ground feel underfoot with a touch of bounce. The slight rocker shape, combined with the six-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, makes for some smooth transitions.

With some of Brooks’ higher drop shoes I find that I kind of slap the ground, thanks to my habit of heel-striking, but the rocker shape and lower drop in the Ghost Max 2 assist in more of a midfoot strike. The sidewalls of the shoes along the midsole rise up for some inherent stability, leading to a nice, secure feel in my later miles of the long run.”

Stability and security are two things Heather is prioritizing right now as she’s rehabbing a hamstring injury, so she appreciated what she perceived as a firm ride–she didn’t test the original Ghost Max, so she doesn’t know much softer the 2 is–as well as a wide, stable base.

“I tested the Ghost Max 2 on a four-mile easy run around my neighborhood, and the shoes felt exactly as I imagined they would–with a firm yet cushioned ride,” she says. “I felt connected to the ground and very sure-footed. These shoes will work well for runners coming back from injury who want to feel a little bit of an “insurance policy” under their foot–feeling sure-footed is an ideal scenario when getting back into running.”

Heather also notes that this extra security comes at a price, and that price is measured in ounces. The Ghost Max 2 is fairly heavy, even for a max-cushioned trainer, and for that reason we don’t recommend it for any type of speed work.

Smooth, spacious upper offers a high-volume fit

High volume foot shapes, rejoice! The Brooks Ghost Max 2 offers a spacious interior with plenty of wiggle room, perfect for runners and walkers with high-volume feet.

High-volume feet are feet that take up a lot of space within your shoe. Low-volume feet are feet that don’t take up much room within your shoe. If you aren’t sure about the volume of your feet, head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width, volume and more.

“The Ghost Max 2 fits me like a dream,” Heather says. “I have high-volume feet and need a little extra depth in my shoe, so this shoe feels fantastic. The heel collar is nice and cushioned, with plenty of room for my wider heels without any slippage issues.”

Max, who has narrow, low-volume feet, wasn’t as thrilled.

“I thought the fit was a tad roomy in the midfoot and toe box,” he says. “I had to lace them up pretty tightly to get a solid lockdown fit, creating some creasing in the toe box from all the fabric bunching up. However, the length felt true-to-size. Other than that, the fit has all the hallmarks of a Brooks upper–a super plush tongue and heel collar that feels like a nice, soft hug.”

Since I have somewhat medium-volume feet, I can be the tie-breaker on this one. The Ghost Max 2 fits me true-to-size...for the most part. The length feels a bit shorter than what I usually get from my typical 6.5, which I’m judging by the amount of thumbnail space I have when I press my finger against the end of the shoe (you should have about a thumbnail's width between your longest toes and the end of the shoes). But because the toe box is pretty voluminous, I didn’t feel like I had any issues on the run. I did have a pesky blister on the end of one of my toes after my long run, but I’m going to chalk that up to the fact that it was 80 degrees–with a dew point of 78–and I was absolutely drenched in sweat.

Brooks Ghost Max 2 versus Brooks Ghost Max

Tech Specs	Brooks Ghost Max 2	Brooks Ghost Max
Weight	9.5 oz (W), 10.8 oz (M)	9 oz (W), 10 oz (M)
Stack height	39 mm/33 mm	39 mm/33 mm
Heel-to-toe drop	6 mm	6 mm
Price	$150	$150

The most obvious differences between the Ghost Max 2 and the Ghost Max are the replacement of DNA Loft v2 foam with the softer and lighter DNA Loft v3 foam.

But wait a second, isn’t Brooks DNA Loft V3 foam supposed to be lighter than its predecessor? What can account for the additional 0.5 to 0.8 ounces in the Ghost Max 2? We spoke with the Brooks Product Line Management team to learn more. Here’s what they said:

“A lot of small changes were behind the weight increase. The [upper] material in the Ghost Max 2 was upgraded from a single layer mesh to a double jacquard air mesh, similar to what we’ve used in the Ghost franchise. Also, with the update to LOFT v3 we adjusted shaping and release in the midsole to best work with the new compound and provide a great underfoot experience.

Even though the weight increased, wear testers like the update and [the shoe] perceptually still feels the same weight.”

I am notoriously bad at perceiving weight in running shoes. I feel like I can never tell when a shoe feels heavy or light, unless maybe I’m running at top speed. All I can say is that the Ghost Max 2 feels softer and smoother than its predecessor, which is a win in my book.

How does the Brooks Ghost Max 2 compare?

We took a look at some comparable models to see how the Brooks Ghost Max 2 stacks up. Here’s what we found.

Tech Specs	Brooks Ghost Max 2	HOKA Bondi 8	ASICS GEL-Nimbus 26
Weight	9.5 oz (W), 10.8 oz (M)	8.9 oz (W), 10.8 oz (M)	9.1 oz (W), 10.8 oz (M)
Stack height	39 mm/33 mm	40mm/35 mm (W), 41 mm/36 mm (M)	41 mm/33 mm (W), 42 mm/34 mm (M)
Heel-to-toe drop	6 mm	5 mm	8 mm
Price	$150	$165	$160

With its tall stack height, low heel-to-toe drop and gentle rocker shape, the Brooks Ghost Max 2 features a lot of the elements that have made HOKA shoes so popular over the years. The Ghost Max 2’s soft-to-firm ratio reminds us of the latest version of the HOKA Bondi, which is decently firmer than the marshmallow-y soft Bondis of the past. It also reminds us of the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 26, which has a similar balanced feel.

All three shoes are similar in weight and price, too.

Who is the Brooks Ghost Max 2 best for?

Soft meets supportive in the Ghost Max 2.

Thanks to a thick stack of DNA Loft v3 cushioning, the Brooks Ghost Max 2 is a stellar choice for runners who thrive in a moderately soft shoe with a balanced ride. If you like high-stack shoes without the squishy feeling, the Ghost Max 2 is for you.

Because the shoe has a wide, stable base and high sidewalls, it feels exceptionally secure. As Heather mentioned, it can serve as a great comeback shoe for those returning from injury who are seeking a bit more support. Lastly, because of its spacious interior, the Ghost Max 2 will fit high-volume runners quite well–remember to head into your local Fleet Feet to learn about the volume of your feet!