Brooks Ghost 11 Review & Rate for quality

9.3
9.3 score
Runnerclick score (9.3)/10

Our overall Runnerclick score is based on 3 different factors: Editor's rating after in-depth testing. User ratings submitted on this page Overall score from the "reviewmeter" based on reviews across the web the weight of each factor is: 40% editor rating 15% user ratings 45% reviewmeter
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Editor rating: 9.5 / 10
User's rating: based on 14 user ratings
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Brooks Ghost 11 Review & Rate for quality Review Facts

The Brooks Ghost running shoe models are a very popular ‘go-to’ shoe for many runners. The one we’re going to look at today is the eleventh iteration of this particular model, the Brooks Ghost 11 review. With this newest version comes Brooks’ new DNA Loft midsole insert for added cushioning, softness and responsiveness. The 11’s updated mesh upper fits like a glove and has been well-received by reviewers. There have been updates to this model from the previous version. Moreover, Brooks has kept their popular BioGoMo foam in the midsole for a truly customized fit. The Ghost 11 is a road running shoe that has proven itself to be a new favorite amongst Brooks fans. 

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

-Fits true to size
-Nice to have different width options available
-Orthotic friendly
-Comfortable and well-cushioned
-Provides a lot of traction

Cons

-Tighter toe box area than in previous models
-Small and narrow toe box area
-Upper lacks structure

See How
Reviews were analyzed here:
We read, analyze and sort reviews into positive & negative categories to give you the complete picture.
What are buyers saying?

We have spent 4 hours analyzing a total of 700 reviews.

These reviews are then categoried into "Positive" and "Negative" feedback.

Below you will read a summary of them:

Positive
  • I haven’t ever had a shoe with this much support. I run regularly and these make running a breeze. They are so comfortable and nice and light.
  • These shoes were made to go. Thy are supportive and work wonderful for me since I am on my feet all day. They also look really nice.
  • I do a lot of high impact exercises and these are so good and help my knees. These offer the extra cushioning for stability that I need for my knee issues. They are great for normal to under pronators.
  • I run around 50 miles a week and like a good cushioned stable shoe. These are a bit looser than the 10s but it is still a great shoe. They have extra padding in the heels that work great and help with my endurance.
  • These shoes really lock in the ankle and heel and support me. I have put 100 miles on these and my feet and ankles and back are so happy and without pain. I have used them on numerous terrain and I always feel supported.
  • Light and comfortable runner. I am older and like a real traditional style shoe, these are perfect and have a lot of cushioning. They run perfect to size and keep my leg pain at bay. These are the 3rd pair I have bought, the old ones had about 500 miles on them.
  • This shoe was made for neutral runners who don’t overpronate. These work so well with my long distance running, much better than my Hokas and Cliftons. I would say the most cushioned and stable I have found.
  • I am able to keep my feet comfortable without fatigue on my 13 hour shifts. I work in a hospital and need the extra support. I would safely say these are the best shoes out there. They really keep me pain free.
  • Top of the line running shoes. They really go great distance running and are top notch comfort. They offer a lot of support as well. Best shoe ever Brooks.
  • I work as a trades woman and am on my dogs all day without them barking because of these shoes. They are so supportive and they are cushioned and cszy. They breathe well, which is a huge plus for me. I hate sweaty feet. They have a nice heel on them that helps with the back pain.
  • These have nice insoles but are able to be changed. They have good room in the toes and the soles are really springy and cushioned.
  • The insides are so soft and have tons of cushioning. They absorbed a lot of impact, which in return apparently absorbed my knee pain. I have never had a shoe that took pain away, I am now hooked on Brooks.
  • These are so much better than the other models. I mean these are a great upgrade. They are neutral shoe with a lot of stability. They don’t need breaking in and have cushion for days. The toe box doesn’t have any tightness to it. This is a a dang great shoe.
  • These shoes make running more bearable. They have a a nice springly cushioned and stable sole to them. Great shoe.
  • They looked way far better than the photos showed. They shoe fits perfect in width and length. They have tons of cushioning , which is awesome stability. These shoes have held up to my big bones and weight without collapsing at 10 miles a day usually. I love to run. These do not give me any knee pain either. Worth every penny.
  • I have some scar tissue that creates a lot of pain due to nerve pressure. These have such a great cushion and roominess to them, I do not have any pain. So much room in there. Thanks god for this shoe.
  • These have all nut cured my supination pain. I could barely go down stairs and these have been a dream. I really wish these were not so expensive though. I mean seriously. They are great but, oof.
  • Thes have worked perfect with my overpronating, flat feet. They have tons of support and keep me from being wobbly. They have tons of cushion yet are super light. I am in awe of these shoes, just wonderful.
  • These do not give me the knee pain the 10s did when I did my half marathons. After 50 miles in these, I have to say they are the best and most comfortable shoes ever. I have a wide foot and these accommodate every centimeter.
  • These prevent my feet from fatigue. I wear them daily and they are so stable and cushioned.
  • This 11 has way more cushion than the last models. It is a really nice upgrade. I loved the others but these are fantastic. They are cushioned and really accommodate my wide feet. They sure are pricey though but you won’t be disappointed.
  • I am a Nike convert. I didn’t know shoes were made with this much cushioning and support. I am so grateful I found these, I am enjoying my runs again.
  • These look really nice, I am surprised. Tey are extra all over: comfort, stability, support. Everything about this shoe is great . I cannot believe they made a great shoe even better.
  • These are cushioned really nicely and the shoe is actually the size is offers. They do not swallow my heel and create knee pain, they just support and cushion. I will be buying these again.
  • I am in awe with Brooks, they did it again. This shoe is amazing and supportive and extra comfortable on my runs.
Negative
  • I can’t believe how much pain these caused. My feet were slipping around in the and I couldn’t get them to tightened properly. These are not like the 10s at all. My toes were all in the mesh, so uncomfortable.
  • The 10s worked great with my scary painful bunion. These are tighter in the toe box and crush my foot. I am not fit for the 11 obviously.
  • The right shoe was so much smaller fitting that the left. Everything looked nice and was there that the 10s had, they just fit really strange and it was uncomfortable.
  • These are supposed to be cushy but they were a bit tp firm and thick. They didn’t have a deep arch and the design kicks up on the toes and doesn’t feel right on my feet.
  • These hurt my feet with just a 5 mile run. They lack cushioning that other Brooks have. Not the best one I have had by far.
Reviewmeter
The Reviewmeter shows you an overall score that you can easily refer to. The highest rating is 10 (100% positive feedback)
Of the 700 reviews we found in total, 7% were negative, and 93% were positive.
9.3
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Outsole

Outsole

The outsole of this shoe is comprised of two separate crash pads. The first of which is the DNA Loft technology that is strategically placed at the heel of the shoe. Also found on the outsole of the Ghost 11 is Brooks’ typical segmented crash pad. As a part of our Brooks Ghost 11 review, this is comprised of shock absorbers to not only add extra cushioning and comfort but also provide a smoother heel-to-toe transition. The outsole is still made from a blown rubber material on the forefoot, as in the previous versions of this shoe, and will still offer the runner a grippy and flexible ride, especially during the toe-off phase of their run. The heel of the Ghost 11 features a durable carbon rubber that is meant to ensure a long lifespan for your new kicks, which is a great advantage in our Brooks Ghost 11 review.
Midsole

Midsole

The midsole of the Brooks Ghost 11 features the brand’s BioMoGo DNA technology. This is Brooks’ adaptive cushioning system. It takes your weight, pace and the terrain you’re running on into account to help provide a stable and responsive ride. The BioMoGo DNA really gives each wearer a unique running experience. Not only does it help to make you run better, further and faster, but it provides 30% more cushioning than other midsole materials on the market today, which is a great bonus in this Brooks Ghost 11 review. Instead of a thick layer of DNA foam inside the 11, Brooks has opted for their newer DNA Loft foam technology. This material is supposedly not only more comfortable and responsive than the original material, but it’s light and not going to sink under your weight. It’s made with a gel base that allows it to respond uniquely to the force that it receives. What does this mean in layman’s terms? If you’re a larger runner, your shoe would provide you with a firmer cushioning or if you’re able to run at a fast pace already, the shoe will provide you with a greater bounce back, which is clearly a great advantage in this Brooks Ghost 11 review.
Upper

Upper

The upper in the Ghost 11 has been re-engineered to provide an even more lightweight-feeling fit that feels more like a second skin than a pair of shoes. The new structured mesh found in the 11 wraps your foot securely and is designed to fit snugly through the midfoot and heel. This adds extra support where you need it and gives your foot more flexibility to move where it needs to. The mesh is stretchier in this version and also helps to provide the runner with a more breathable running shoe.

Compared to the Ghost 10, the mesh on the newest version is not only smoother and seamless, but it really helps to keep the dirt out, too. The material found on the rear of the upper is woven a little differently, providing a denser weave for added support in the midfoot area. The dual layer of mesh is supposed to wrap around the foot without causing any irritation.

That said, however, one reviewer mentioned that it felt like their small toe was pushing on the material of the upper as if there wasn’t enough room in the toe box. This same reviewer said that they’ve never required wide fit shoes in the past which makes us here at RunnerClick wonder if the sizing is inconsistent for all of the Ghost 11 shoes.

Another negative comment we read about the upper was that it seems to lack the structure that the previous Ghost models offered. The midfoot overlays that helped to hug the foot and lock it in during their runs are missing in this new iteration. On the positive side in this Brooks Ghost 11 review, the heel counter in the 11 helps to support the heel and keep it locked in place. There is one tongue glide loop present on the tongue of the shoe which is a nice feature to have as it helps to keep the tongue in the correct place during the entirety of your run.
Weight

Weight

The men’s version of the Ghost 11 weighs in at 309 grams or 10.9 ounces, while the women’s is a bit lighter at 269 grams or 9.5 ounces. The 11 weighs a bit more than its predecessor, almost a full ounce more in fact, but most reviewers for this Brooks Ghost 11 review didn’t seem to mind the little extra weight as it seems to come at the cost of more features to help them perform their best on their runs.
Breathability

Breathability

The redesigned engineered mesh upper present in this shoe helps to provide a breathable top-foot coverage that runners have come to expect from the Ghost models. This material is dual-layered to ensure that air can get in, keeping your feet dry and comfortable during your runs while keeping dirt from getting inside the shoes.
Comfort

Comfort

The Ghost 11 fits true-to-size when it comes to the length and width of the shoe. It is available in different width profiles, which is a fantastic way to really be able to feel that you can customize the fit of your shoe. Men can choose from narrow, medium, wide and extra wide while women have the option for narrow, medium and wide for their shoe.

Many of the reviews we read online for this Brooks Ghost 11 review praised the comfort level. As mentioned above in this Brooks Ghost 11 review, the BioMoGo DNA that is featured in the Ghost 11 provides a gel base that really ups the comfortability of the shoe. Some reviewers, however, were not fans of the updated upper. One reviewer mentioned that their toes dug into the mesh part of the shoe, causing them great discomfort until they decided to return them for a different running shoe option. Others mentioned that the toe box in the Ghost 11 feels smaller than in its predecessor.
Style

Style

The Ghost 11 is an attractive looking shoe. Taking a look at the upper, one will see that it is woven differently towards the rear of the shoe. This is strategically done so that the more dense fabric found in the midfoot region is able to properly support the foot. It does add a cool style element to the shoe, as well. The panel that holds the laces and eyelets appears to be reflective, adding another nice visually appealing aspect, which is a great addition in this Brooks Ghost 11 review. The women’s version is available in five different colorways: pink/black/aqua, navy/gray/blue, all black, gray/silver/white or white/pink/black. The men’s version is also available in five colorways including gray/silver/blue, all black, ebony/gray/silver, navy/red/white or black/silver/orange.
Durability

Durability

As mentioned earlier in this Brooks Ghost 11 review, the outsole features two different types of rubber – carbon and blown – for long-lasting durability. We didn’t read any negative reviews from consumers during our research about the shoe falling apart or notwithstanding long, grueling runs. It seems that the strong outsole really plays a part in the longevity of the Ghost 11.
Protection

Protection

It seems like Brooks really hit a home run here. The Ghost 11’s updated midsole has a better crash pad than its predecessor which helps to disperse the impact when you land, sending you into the next step of your run seamlessly. The outsole, with its two different types of rubber components, will help protect runners who choose to take it to the streets during rainy weather. This shoe really held up well in a number of different weather situations without issue due to its superior traction. Runners who are heel strikers will love this upgrade in the Ghost 11 as it will feel as if their heel-toe transitions are quicker. Folks who are midfoot or forefoot strikers will find that this model is more cushioned and responsive for their runs.
Responsiveness

Responsiveness

Thanks to Brooks’ DNA Loft foam they introduced in this iteration of the Ghost shoe, runners should find that they get a ton of responsive cushioning and soft comfort during their runs. The midfoot to toe-off phase of your stride will feel particularly responsive in this model. Most of the reviews we came across really praised the underfoot feeling of this shoe. One reviewer, a midfoot striker, found that the Ghost 11 wasn’t a very responsive shoe for them. That said, they still liked the shoes and chose to wear them for recovery and long runs. This version of the Ghost does seem to ride a bit firmer than the previous models.
Support

Support

The Ghost 11 is a neutral running shoe, perfect for folks who don’t need any additional arch support for their runs. It’s best for runners who have higher arches, medium or normal. That said, a few comments we read online for this Brooks Ghost 11 review said that the Ghost 11 worked for their supination or pronation just fine despite there being no extra support or posting presently. This might be a preference thing so if you are a known over or under pronator, you may want to consider giving these a test run! Reviews online we've read for this Brooks Ghost 11 review mentioned that this shoe felt soft around their ankles, giving them enough support to make it feel that they were ‘locked in’ to their shoe. One reviewer mentioned that, as a heel striker, the added cushioning on the heel was a bonus for them.
Terrain

Terrain

The Ghost 11 is a road running shoe, as mentioned in this Brooks Ghost 11 review. This means that it’s meant to be taken on paved roads and light gravel. That said, some of the reviews we encountered during our research claimed to have taken these shoes on trails without any issue at all.
Price

Price

The MSRP for the Brooks Ghost 11 is $120. This iteration of the Ghost shoe is brand new as of publication time, having only been released in July 2018. Because this is such a new model, it isn’t available for much lower than the MSRP. You can find it slightly cheaper on Amazon, however, as both the men’s and women’s models are priced at $115.
Traction

Traction

As previously mentioned in this Brooks Ghost 11 review, the outsole of the Ghost 11 is made of a blown rubber material that provides runners with just enough grip. It performed well on wet surfaces and different types of terrains. Product testing was done during heavy downpours and on slick blacktop, lightly muddy surfaces, and wet grass and the Ghost 11 outperformed the expectations of the testers. The deep tread on these shoes is to thank for the fantastic traction it provides. It should be noted that the 11 doesn’t have as much grip as its predecessors, however. One reviewer mentioned that the reduction of grip was actually a ‘pro’ for them as previous models had too must grip that ended up fatiguing their knees.
Flexibility

Flexibility

The Ghost 11 is an extremely flexible running shoe. The forefoot area of the outsole features a blown rubber material as well as a new lug pattern that not only adds flexibility but responsiveness and longevity as well. There are Omega Flex Grooves present in the midsole that help to make the sole more flexible. As mentioned earlier in this Brooks Ghost 11 review, the upgraded mesh fits around the foot securely and snugly but allows for some wiggle room whenever your foot needs to flex.
Stability

Stability

The Brooks Ghost 11 provides a rather smooth and stable ride. This smoothness is due in part to the Brooks’ Segmented Crash Pad that they integrate into a lot of their running shoes. This technology is actually a system of little shock absorbers that provide cushioning during your entire gait cycle.
Drop

Drop

The drop for both the men’s and women’s version of this shoe is 12mm. This is the same drop as featured in the previous version of the Ghost. The significant heel-to-toe drop is great for runners who heel strike.
Key Features

Key Features

-Brooks’ BioMoGo DNA cushioning
-Segmented Crash Pad for added shock absorption
-Brooks’ DNA Loft cushioning & crash pad
-Breathable upper
Bottom Line

Bottom Line

Brooks just keeps raising the bar with the Ghost model. This 11th iteration was generally well-received by consumers. This is a great choice for an everyday trainer with just enough cushioning and protection to take you most distances during different types of weather conditions. While they’re not the cheapest option out there, we believe these shoes are well worth their modest price point, as you can see in this Brooks Ghost 11 review.