Brooks Ghost Trail (women’s) review: road-shoe comfort for the trail
If your favourite walking shoe is a cushioned road runner and you want something that will not slide on a dirt trail, the jump to a rugged trail shoe can feel like too much. The women's Brooks Ghost Trail is the gentle version of that jump: the soft ride of the Ghost road shoe with an outsole built for trail.
Quick take
A comfortable, cushioned first trail runner for maintained trails and mixed walking. DNA LOFT v3 foam and an 8 mm drop feel familiar, and TrailTack Green rubber grips well on dirt and gravel. There is no rock plate, the stiff layer that shields the foot from sharp stones, and the lugs are shallow, sizing is inconsistent, and the mesh can fray early under heavy hiking use. Choose it for comfort on easy to moderate trail rather than rough mountain ground.
What it does
The women's Ghost Trail puts Brooks' Ghost road-shoe cushioning on a trail outsole. Nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 foam sits about 36 mm deep at the heel and 28 mm at the forefoot, an 8 mm drop, giving a soft and familiar ride. The TrailTack Green rubber outsole has 3 mm lugs for grip on wet and dry dirt, gravel and packed trail. The engineered air mesh upper is breathable, with a 3D-printed layer adding light protection over the toe and mudguard. The women's pair weighs about 1 lb 3.2 oz (544 g), and it is available in regular and wide.
What verified buyers say
Across verified-purchase reviews, the same points come up:
- Step-in comfort is the main draw. Owners describe it as one of the most comfortable shoes they have worn, for hiking several days in a row, walking and long shifts on their feet.
- Traction is good on trail. Owners report reliable grip on the kind of maintained trail the shoe is designed for.
- It sits between the Ghost and the Cascadia. Owners who know Brooks describe it as a middle ground: firmer and more trail-ready than the road Ghost, softer than the Cascadia.
- Sizing is inconsistent. Some owners found it true to size with enough width, others found it ran large or felt narrow and pointed at the toe.
- Durability is a concern for heavy hiking use. A minority report the mesh fraying at the front edges after about 100 miles (160 km) and tread peeling by about 200 miles (320 km).
Worth knowing
This is a light-trail shoe with no rock plate and shallow lugs, so it is not the right choice for talus, scree, deep mud or long days on sharp rock; the Brooks Cascadia 19 is built for that ground. Try it on before buying if you can, because length and toe shape vary more than usual between feet. If you hike many miles a week, expect the upper to show wear sooner than a more rugged trail shoe.
Who it is for
The women's Ghost Trail is for hikers moving from road shoes into trail runners, and for anyone who mostly walks maintained trails, gravel paths and mixed routes that include pavement. For rocky, rooty mountain trail, step up to the Brooks Cascadia 19. For a roomy toe box and zero drop over long distances, try the Altra Lone Peak 9. For waterproofing and ankle support, a boot such as the Merrell Moab 3 is the better choice.
Specs at a glance
- Typelight-trail running shoe
- Fitwomen's shape, regular and wide, sizing varies
- Drop8 mm, 36 mm heel and 28 mm forefoot stack
- Listed weight1.2 lb (544 g) · pair, women's
- SoleTrailTack Green rubber, 3 mm lugs, DNA LOFT v3 foam, no rock plate
- Trade-offslittle underfoot protection, shallow lugs, upper can fray early
- Best formaintained trail, gravel and road-to-trail walking
These links go to MEC and REI, which both stock the men's and women's shoe first-party. We have no affiliate relationship with either and earn nothing if you buy through them. We link these retailers rather than Amazon because a trail shoe has to be bought in your size and width, and both carry the full run.
The Verdict
The women's Ghost Trail is a comfortable, approachable first trail runner. It brings the soft Ghost ride to the trail with an outsole that grips properly on dirt and gravel, and it needs almost no adjustment period. Keep it on the trails it was designed for, try the fit carefully, and expect a rugged shoe to outlast it under heavy hiking mileage. The men's version is covered in our men's Ghost Trail review, and choosing between trail runners, boots and approach shoes is in hiking boots, trail runners, or approach shoes.
