Brooks Ghost Max Women's BLACK/BLACK/EBONY

I generally use the regular Ghosts for my long runs, but when the Max came out, it intrigued me enough that I had to buy a pair. I have used these for a 20 and a 22 mile run, and here are my initial thoughts.These definitely have more cushion, but not so much that you can't feel the road, also, these shoes have much more, roll-off/bounce to them. My legs definitely felt less beat up after my runs.I like the fit as well. The toe box is roomy, but the whole shoe fits close enough that your foot doesn't feel like it is swimming inside it.These are definitely not fast shoes, but they feel less "clunky" than the regular Ghosts, probably a combination of the different drop and the cushioning.As for longevity, I have only used them for two runs. I am hoping they will ... MoreI generally use the regular Ghosts for my long runs, but when the Max came out, it intrigued me enough that I had to buy a pair. I have used these for a 20 and a 22 mile run, and here are my initial thoughts.These definitely have more cushion, but not so much that you can't feel the road, also, these shoes have much more, roll-off/bounce to them. My legs definitely felt less beat up after my runs.I like the fit as well. The toe box is roomy, but the whole shoe fits close enough that your foot doesn't feel like it is swimming inside it.These are definitely not fast shoes, but they feel less "clunky" than the regular Ghosts, probably a combination of the different drop and the cushioning.As for longevity, I have only used them for two runs. I am hoping they will last for a while. As someone who goes through multiple shoes a year, durability is a big consideration for me, and the newer Ghosts are disappointing in that aspect. I am hoping these will buck that trend.All in all, these are a solid purchase, and I will definitely be buying another pair.

I have been dealing with plantar fasciitis for the better part of 3 years in my left foot (my podiatrist was talking about surgery at one point). Despite 2 sets of injections and physical therapy, I still would feel a tightness from the pf on the bottom of my foot during and after runnning - not the shooting pain from before but enough to be constantly aware of it. When I got the email from Brooks that the Ghost Max was available and might help with pf, I was willing to give it a try. For the first couple of times I ran for a couple of miles both outside and on the treadmill, my calf muscles were a little tight after the runs - but my feet felt good. I have since run about 4 miles twice in the last 4 days on the treadmill and there was virtually no tightness or pain ... MoreI have been dealing with plantar fasciitis for the better part of 3 years in my left foot (my podiatrist was talking about surgery at one point). Despite 2 sets of injections and physical therapy, I still would feel a tightness from the pf on the bottom of my foot during and after runnning - not the shooting pain from before but enough to be constantly aware of it. When I got the email from Brooks that the Ghost Max was available and might help with pf, I was willing to give it a try. For the first couple of times I ran for a couple of miles both outside and on the treadmill, my calf muscles were a little tight after the runs - but my feet felt good. I have since run about 4 miles twice in the last 4 days on the treadmill and there was virtually no tightness or pain for the first time in a long time, both during and after the runs. I had not realized how much I was mentally associating running with pain. I have only run a few times in the Ghost Max, but I am excited and hopeful that this will be an excellent tool against pf for me. I purchased the shoe in my usual size, not a half size larger that I normally do for the Ghost or Adrenaline. My podiatrist said I have very average feet (not narrow or wide; average arch).

I'm an avid runner. I went into my favorite running store looking for a new shoe for my marathon training long runs. I dislike the extremely high-stack, mushy-soft "max cushion" shoes that many runners these days seem to favor for long runs and recovery. I was expecting to like the new NB 1080 but then tried this one and loved it. Despite it not having a fancy Peba midsole, I loved the ratio of cushion/softness to resilience. It is much more sleek and nimble than the competition of the shoe type I describe above and feels lighter on foot. Those commenters who are coming from the regular Ghost are coming from a completely different angle. Most runners like myself consider an 8 mm drop ideal (notwithstanding "barefoot" zero drop fans). The roll geometry of the shoe ... MoreI'm an avid runner. I went into my favorite running store looking for a new shoe for my marathon training long runs. I dislike the extremely high-stack, mushy-soft "max cushion" shoes that many runners these days seem to favor for long runs and recovery. I was expecting to like the new NB 1080 but then tried this one and loved it. Despite it not having a fancy Peba midsole, I loved the ratio of cushion/softness to resilience. It is much more sleek and nimble than the competition of the shoe type I describe above and feels lighter on foot. Those commenters who are coming from the regular Ghost are coming from a completely different angle. Most runners like myself consider an 8 mm drop ideal (notwithstanding "barefoot" zero drop fans). The roll geometry of the shoe happens to be perfect for my gait, and though it's designed for "cruising", one can pick up the pace in it as well. I've also enjoyed it as a travel shoe for both my runs and walking so will be due for a replacement soon. Hoping the next iteration coming out late summer will have a more exciting midsole such as that in the Hyperion Max (another favorite in my rotation). Much of the running community wishes Brooks would use more advanced midsole foams than EVA. Other than that, I find Brooks to have some of the best-built, most durable uppers and outsoles.