The Brooks Ghost Amp is a do-almost-everything daily trainer.
There’s a nice irony sitting at the center of the Brooks Ghost Amp, though it takes a little franchise history to see it.
When the original Ghost launched back in 2008, it was initially a lighter, more responsive everyday trainer, at least compared to the stodgy, not-very-light daily trainers of the time. It wasn’t that it was built to be a performance trainer—it’s just that its original specs and materials allowed it to feel a tad lighter and more nimble than a lot of daily trainers at the time.
But that original Ghost quickly became wider, thicker, and cushier in its second and third incarnations, and continued along those lines as max-cushioned shoes became the norm through its evolution to the Ghost 18.
Don’t get me wrong. The Ghost is still a great shoe, a very dependable, distraction-free, daily driver a lot of runners reach for precisely because it doesn’t feel exciting. There’s a reason it’s been one of the top-selling running shoes for more than a decade. It’s a durable workhorse of a shoe that can last for 500 miles or so for just about any runner.
Yet I find it a little amusing that Brooks’ fix for that reputation is a shoe called the Ghost Amp, built to reintroduce the same lightness and responsiveness the original Ghost was all about—just under a different name, on a different chassis, for a runner who wants some of that old spark back. Whether it actually recaptures what made the original edition feel fresh, or simply proves that “light and responsive” are characteristics every trainer eventually grows out of as materials and models age, remains to be seen.
In short, the Ghost Amp is Brooks taking its most trusted, best-selling neutral trainer and creating a bouncier, more energized cousin for runners who want a bit more zip without stepping all the way into a high-performance trainer like the Brooks Hyperion 2 or a dedicated racing shoe like the Hyperion Elite 6. Is the Ghost Amp just a better version of the Ghost 18?
Ultimately, the Ghost Amp is a very good but limited daily trainer that beats the Ghost 18 at its own game. You can think of it as a takedown of the Ghost, only with more pop and a fresh, lighter feel underfoot. It’s lighter, livelier, more agile, and perhaps even more comfortable, and it handles everyday miles, long runs, and moderate tempo work well, however it’s not particularly propulsive at faster paces. And the Ghost has never meant to be that, so that’s not a problem, but it’s important to understand that the Ghost Amp isn’t a performance trainer.
So, yes, it’s probably a better version of the Ghost, and perhaps it’s time to send the Ghost into the afterlife for good.
Price: $150 (women’s / men’s)
Approximate Weights: 8.0 oz. (women’s size 8.0), 8.9 oz. (men’s size 9.0)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 37mm (heel), 31mm (forefoot)
What’s New: The Ghost Amp is a brand-new shoe in the Brooks line, built on a new midsole foam compound called DNA HYPE, which blends nitrogen-infused EVA with PEBA foam to combine cushioned comfort with added responsiveness. It also features a denser durometer of foam placed under the forefoot, part of Brooks’ SpringRamp technology, providing a firmer platform to push off from—mimicking the propulsive effect of a plate without actually including one. The upper is a lightweight, breathable warp-knit design with a gusseted tongue that enhances airflow and secures a comfortable midfoot fit.
Fit/Feel/Ride: The Ghost Amp fits true to size. The Brooks Ghost Amp delivers a noticeably more energetic ride than the traditional Ghost, without straying from daily-trainer territory. At easy paces, it’s comfortable and controlled, with soft-but-stable cushioning that gives way to a firmer forefoot for a purposeful toe-off. Pick up the pace and that firm forefoot comes alive, offering something solid to push against—short of a plated racer’s launch, but enough for a balanced, moderately springy feel overall.
Why It’s Great: You might consider the Ghost Amp a great training shoe because it combines cushioning, stability, and long-haul durability, giving it enough versatility to handle most of the runs in a weekly training schedule. It feels comfortable and predictable at easy paces but has enough energy and responsiveness to pick up the pace for steady efforts and light workouts. Its secure, balanced platform also makes it a dependable choice for accumulating mileage, particularly when fatigue sets in during longer runs.
Why You’ll Love It: If you’re a new or novice runner, the Brooks Ghost Amp could be the only running shoe you need for the next few months of running. Its cushioning stays comfortable and controlled at easy paces without ever feeling mushy or unstable underfoot. The SpringRamp forefoot and DNA HYPE cushioning add just enough liveliness to make runs feel fun and motivating, without demanding the specific technique a plated racing shoe requires. Combined with a secure, comfortable fit from its gusseted tongue and knit upper, it’s an approachable, confidence-inspiring shoe rather than a demanding one—exactly what tends to hook someone new to the sport.
Why You Might Not Like It: The challenge with the Ghost Amp is that it’s kind of a ‘tweener of a shoe. It’s lighter than most everyday trainers (including the Ghost 18) but not as cushy, and yet it’s not a super-light, fast performance trainer either.
Pros: It’s lightweight, nimble, and plenty cushy, making it easy and fun to run in on a daily basis.
Cons: It’s not very propulsive at speed, and the cushioning tends to fade late in long efforts.
Contributing editor Brian Metzler is the Content Director for UltraSignup.com, who has raced every distance from 5K to 100 miles. He has wear-tested more than 2,000 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019) and “Trail Running Illustrated” (2021). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado and riding trains to run trails in Chamonix, France.
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