The Brooks Ghost Trail is exactly what the name hints at, the Ghost 17 daily trainer for the roads, that’s been given enough trail capability to open up new terrain, without losing the ride that makes it so popular in the first place.
Brooks isn’t trying to replace the Cascadia or Catamount; this one is aimed squarely at road runners who want to expand their routes onto gravel roads, park paths, and light trails without feeling like they’ve suddenly stepped into a totally different shoe.
Think door-to-trail runs, mixed-surface long runs, or those loops where asphalt quietly turns into hardpack trails, and back again.
It sits much closer to the Pegasus Trail 5 and Challenger 8 camp than anything aggressive or trail-first, like all mountain trail running shoes. It’s a hybrid / gravel shoe at heart, and as long as it’s kept in that lane, it makes a lot of sense for Brooks to include in their trail lineup.
Key specifications
- Price: $150 at brooksrunning.com (3 colors available, men's and women's)
- Weight: 10.6oz / 301g (US men’s 9)
- Drop: 8mm drop
- Upper: Breathable air mesh with 3D printed toe cap and mudguard overlays (62.3% recycled materials)
- Midsole: Nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 cushioning
- Outsole: TrailTack Green rubber with 3mm lugs
- Extra attributes: Neutral support, heel pull tab, sustainable upper materials
Sizing and fit
Fit feels very “Ghost”, with a true to size fit, and that familiar step-in comfort Brooks does so well.
The toe box is comfortably shaped, not narrow, not overly wide, and the midfoot and heel feel lightly structured without being restrictive.
The padded tongue sits nicely, which means no lace bite, and heel lockdown is better than you’d expect from a comfort-first hybrid.
If you already run in the road Ghost, this will feel immediately familiar to you.
Performance review
Ride feel and midsole geometry
The Ghost Trail uses nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3, similar in family to what’s used in the Cascadia, but the tuning feels more road-biased.
Out of the box, the ride is comfortable and slightly firm, especially through the forefoot, which I like as that means I'm able to feel the trail enough, in order to respond to it; ultimately giving me control and confidence when things get a little gnarly.
Alastair Dixon
The heel feels softer and more forgiving, which works well for heel strikers and long steady runs.
If you’re more of a midfoot striker, you’ll notice the forefoot is firmer, by no means harsh, but definitely not as soft as at the heel.
After about 15–20 miles of use, the foam softens and settles a little, giving a more balanced feel across the platform.
This isn’t a soft, squishy cruiser, thank goodness. It sits in that medium-firm daily trainer territory, but with enough stack to stay comfortable and protective over long mixed-surface miles.
The 8mm drop also makes the road-to-trail transition feel more natural for runners coming from the standard Ghost; it just rolls in a very familiar way.
Outsole and traction
The TrailTack Green rubber compound is one of the strong points here, and it one of the features I love most about the Brooks Trail running shoe range.
On gravel roads, hard packed dirt, and dry singletrack, the Ghost Trail grips confidently.
It also does well on wet pavement and slightly damp trails, which is important for real-world mixed routes.
The limitation is lug depth, something that tends to be a common theme amongst hybrid running shoes, and for good reason. At 3 mm, it’s well tuned for crossover use rather than true all-mountain trails.
Once you hit mud, loose debris, wet leaves, roots, or slick technical terrain, confidence drops, and on steep descents or messy, uneven surfaces, you start feeling the lack of bite and security.
Alastair Dixon
For fire roads, groomed trails, and dry conditions, it works excellently. For real technical singletrack, especially with elevation and loose surfaces, this isn’t the tool, as the lugs just aren't aggressive enough.
Stability and platform
The platform is wide, stable, and predictable on smooth and moderately uneven terrain.
There’s some subtle structure going on too, but this is still very much a neutral runnign shoe. It's more about smoothing transitions from heel to toe, than actively correcting anything.
On gravel and rolling terrain, stability is solid. But when the terrain gets narrow, off-camber, or highly uneven, it starts to feel like what it is: a road platform repurposed for light trails; and that's okay!
Alastair Dixon
Upper and lockdown
The upper (along with the outsole) is one of the highlights for me.
It has that classic Brooks comfort, with a fairly breathable mesh and 3D printed overlays for toe protection and structure without making it feel armored or stiff.
The forefoot is roomy but controlled, and the heel collar is comfortable and secure.
The tongue is nicely padded without being bulky, and the heel pull tab is actually functional.
Overall, it’s a very easy shoe to just slide into and go, particularly for everyday training use.
Weight and on-foot feel
At 10.6oz for a US men’s 9, it’s not light on paper, but on road and gravel it feels lighter than expected because of the smooth heel-to-toe transition.
Once you’re on uneven or technical terrain, that weight becomes a little more noticeable (if you're like me an notice subtle things like this), especially compared to more trail-specific options.
My verdict
The Brooks Ghost Trail isn’t trying to be a hardcore trail shoe, and that’s exactly why it works.
The hybrid category, in the Brooks lineup, has been left empty for far too long, and at $150, I think the Ghost Trail is going to become a bestseller for the brand!
If you’re a Ghost road shoe fan and your runs regularly drift onto gravel, park paths, or light trails, this will feel like a seamless upgrade.
The ride is smooth, predictable, and familiar, the upper is extremely comfortable, and the TrailTack Green outsole with 3mm lugs gives you enough grip for most real-world mixed routes.
Just don’t expect it to replace a proper trail shoe when things get technical, steep, or messy. This is a hybrid shoe first, a gravel runner’s tool, and a soft entry point into trail running. In that role, it does its job really well!
