CHAD: Unlike Robbe, I did get to review the Ghost 16, and if you read that review, a lot of the positives of the last version remain. The DNA Loft v3, which is nitrogen-infused, has what could be described as balanced cushioning, where it is not-too-soft and not-too-firm; what I like to call a Goldilocks midsole. You get a good amount of give underfoot on each footstrike with an equally good amount of rebound on liftoff. Is it the bounciest shoe ever? Probably not. But the comfort on the run is in the upper echelon.
The jacquard mesh upper is also a plus because it is both secure around the foot while still being breathable, an improvement over the Ghost 16. While the tongue isn’t gusseted, Brooks always tries to design its shoes so the tongue is plush, comfortable, and doesn’t go astray during a run.
One of the other changes in the shoe that I appreciate as a bigger runner is the decrease in the drop from the uber-high 12 mm of yore to the moderately-high 10 mm. Anything that I can do to lessen the impact on my knees is much appreciated, and I felt the change helped the shoe be a bit less slappy and smoother in transition.
Lastly, the aesthetics of this shoe have improved by leaps and bounds. Brooks FINALLY seems to have realized that you can make more subtle and demure colorways and also make some that bring the heat. The version I received, which is mostly white with blue and green accents on the midsole, is very nicely done.
