Brooks Ghost Trail running shoe

Brooks Ghost Trail upper

The Brooks Ghost Trail’s upper is made from a thicker-than-average mesh, so it feels more protective than the upper on the base model, the Brooks Ghost 17. Because it uses a thicker material, breathability is a touch weaker — but that’s actually a nice perk on colder days. The upper is all about comfort: it’s generously padded pretty much everywhere. The tongue is thick and cushioned, and it’s not gusseted on either side, but with tongues like this you can cinch the laces down more firmly, so it won’t (or at least won’t as easily) slide out of place while running — although on my first run I did have to adjust the tongue to sit just right. Instead of traditional eyelets, the shoe uses a synthetic-leather, stitched lace-lacing system that should be more durable and wraps the midfoot more securely. The heel collar is heavily padded and very stiff, so it manages to deliver both security and comfort at the same time. Sizing is true-to-size (it feels slightly longer than the Ghost 17), and the width is average, with a bit more room in the toe box while the midfoot is a touch narrower and snugger. The thick insole is removable, so you can swap it for your own orthotic if needed. There’s also a pull tab on both the tongue and the heel collar, which makes it much easier to get the shoe on quickly and comfortably.

Brooks Ghost Trail midsole

The Brooks Ghost Trail’s midsole is built entirely from nitrogen-infused foam — the DNA Loft v3 compound — which lands in that sweet spot: moderately soft and moderately heavy. Since the Ghost Trail has a 2 mm lower drop than the base model (Ghost 17), the forefoot stack is a bit higher, which makes the shoe feel slightly more dynamic up front. Stability is a real strong point here, and the outsole design further boosts that planted feel. Torsional rigidity isn’t very high, so the shoe stays comfortable on easier, lower-intensity runs too — which matters, because this is mainly a shoe for low-intensity efforts, including longer runs. For longer runs, the midsole’s solid shock absorption is also a plus, and the thicker outsole adds even more damping. The midsole foam also wraps up onto the upper a bit, which helps provide a more stable, secure hold around the foot.

Brooks Ghost Trail outsole

The Brooks Ghost Trail’s outsole uses a rubber compound called TrailTack Green. At first touch it felt to me like a softer, tackier rubber, but after my first runs I realized it’s actually a firmer compound. The 3.5 mm lugs bite really well on loose surfaces (gravel paths, dirt roads), so on light trails the shoe really holds its own. Grip on dry asphalt is also good, and the outsole doesn’t feel annoyingly “trail-thick” — you don’t really notice the deeper lugs underfoot. On wet asphalt, though, I expected a bit more: traction isn’t as strong as I assumed it would be. Designing a hybrid outsole is tricky, because it needs to be durable on asphalt, while still delivering reliable grip on loose surfaces. So it makes sense they chose a firmer rubber for the job — the downside is that firmer rubber tends to grip less on wet surfaces. I tested the shoe in cold weather, when outsoles get harder and can lose some traction, so on a warm, rainy summer day it would likely grip better on wet pavement too. On the flip side, because it’s a firmer rubber compound, durability and wear resistance are excellent — it should be a very long-lasting outsole. The outsole also helps with stability, thanks to two separate rubber sections along the medial side of the platform. And because the outsole is segmented, it doesn’t over-stiffen the shoe — the underfoot structure can stay flexible.