The Brooks Ghost 5 has all of the features that have made it so popular with runners, with a few minor updates. Answering the call for a lighter package, Brooks has shaved half an ounce from the women’s, and a full ounce from the men’s edition. Otherwise, Brooks strove to maintain all of the elements that made the earlier versions a hit, while using small changes to make it more appealing to a wider range of runners.
The biggest change to the Ghost 5 is the extended caterpillar crash pad. The crash pad is constructed of high-density rubber and blown rubber on the outside with deep grooves to allow for flexibility. In previous versions, the crash pad was only present on the heel of the shoe, providing great cushioning for heel strikers, but did not provide the same shock absorption for midfoot strikers. The Ghost 5 allows midfoot strikers to benefit from the additional cushioning and shock absorption, making for a softer ride. With a full review on the way, have a look at the latest version of this crowd-pleaser from Brooks
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- The Brooks Ghost 5 up close and personal
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- Side view of the latest Brooks Ghost 5
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- Outsole view of the Brooks Ghost 5
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- A preview of the Brooks Ghost 5
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- A closer look at the upper of the Brooks Ghost 5
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- Medial view of the Brooks Ghost 5
Ansi for the ‘full’ scoop! Hopefully soon
Compared with my Saucony Ride 4′s (which I use with the red SOLE inserts), the Ghost 5′s do indeed provide a *lot* more cushion to the midsole. In my case (50+, with arthritic big toes), the padding is most welcome.
After getting over the initial shock (the soles initially felt ‘chunky’), I’ve found that they’re simply doing a terrific job of cushioning my feet, and I’m going to look for similar padding in every shoe I evaluate from now on.
They fit true to size, and are comfortable as all-get-out. I can run without inserts (and I can’t even *walk* very far in my other shoes without inserts).
I’m a fan of Brooks running shoes but I’ve never used the Ghost models before. I use the Trace 10, which are excellent for long runs and stability control. The only problem I see with the Trace models is they feel a little too rigid around the midsection of the shoe. I’m looking forward to try new Ghost 5 model for a little more flexibility and extra cushioning during my next marathon training.
Thanks for the review !
Hi Elias,
Thanks so much for your comment! If you’re looking for a bit more flexibility in the midsole, the Ghost 5 might be worth a look for you. The Trance offers more support than the Ghost, so it would be a good idea to have your gait checked at a running store to make sure that they’re offering enough support.
I trained for my first marathon in the Ghost 4, and loved them!
Courtney
I have been running with Brooks Beast lately but started developing ball of the foot pain around mile 18 through 22 during a marathon (3 wks ago). This pain reoccurred again the next week on my long run. I run with inserts and have logged 4 marathons and 5 Half marathons this year in 2 sets of Brooks Beast. Knowing I was at 400 miles on the latest pair I thought it was time to get a new pair of shoes and I would opt for something a little more neutral and more cushioning.
I chose the Ghosts 5 after trying on most of the competitive Brooks shoes in this category. I will note that while trying on the shoes the ball of my foot was still in a little pain which made selecting the right shoe a little difficult. I spent this last week breaking in the shoes and then ran In a Half Marathon on Sunday. No inserts just shoes right off the shelf with 25 miles of break-in prior to Sunday.
I ended up running a PR and had no discomfort during the 13.1 miles at all. I was very surprised how well they performed considering I just switched from a stability shoe to a neutral shoe. Not sure if my foot has evolved over time or maybe I shouldn’t have been In a stability shoe this last year. All in all, I am very pleased with the Ghost 5′s.
Tom A.