Brooks Ghost Trail (men’s) review: an easy first trail runner
The most common route into trail runners is a hiker who already owns a comfortable pair of road shoes and wants something with more grip for the weekend. The Brooks Ghost Trail is built for exactly that step: the soft, familiar ride of the Ghost road shoe, a moderate heel-to-toe drop, and a grippier outsole for dirt and gravel.
Quick take
The easiest trail runner to get used to. Soft DNA LOFT v3 cushioning, an 8 mm drop and a flexible sole feel like a road shoe, while TrailTack Green rubber and 3 mm lugs add real grip on maintained trail and gravel. There is no rock plate, the stiff layer that shields the foot from sharp stones, and the lugs are shallow for mud and technical ground, and the wide version runs narrower than its label. Buy it for well-kept trails and mixed road-to-trail walking, not rough mountain terrain.
What it does
The Ghost Trail takes the geometry and cushioning of Brooks' long-running Ghost road shoe and adapts it for light trail. Nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 foam gives a soft landing over about 36 mm of stack at the heel and 28 mm at the forefoot, an 8 mm drop that feels familiar to anyone coming from conventional shoes. The TrailTack Green rubber outsole uses 3 mm lugs for traction on wet and dry dirt, gravel and packed trail. An engineered air mesh upper breathes well, and a 3D-printed layer over the toe cap and mudguard adds light protection. The men's pair weighs about 1 lb 5.3 oz (604 g), and the shoe comes in regular and wide.
What verified buyers say
Across verified-purchase reviews, the same points come up:
- Comfort is overwhelming. The large majority rate it five stars, and owners describe it as comfortable straight out of the box for hiking, walking and all-day wear at work.
- It works well as a road-to-trail hybrid. Owners report enough cushion for comfort with enough ground feel for trail, and good lateral stability.
- Fit is mostly true to size. The common report is accurate sizing, though a minority found it ran half a size small.
- The wide version disappoints some. Several owners who ordered wide or 2E found it narrower than expected, and extra-wide buyers wish it came in 4E like the road Ghost.
- A few fit details rub. Isolated reports mention a stiff lining around the eyelets rubbing the top of the foot and a high collar rubbing the ankle.
Worth knowing
The Ghost Trail has no rock plate, and its lugs are shallow. That is the right design for maintained trail, gravel roads and parkland, and the wrong one for talus, loose scree, deep mud or long days on sharp rock, where the Brooks Cascadia 19 protects your feet far better. If you have genuinely wide feet, try the wide version on before committing, because it runs narrower than the label suggests; a foot-shaped shoe such as the Altra Lone Peak 9 may suit you better.
Who it is for
The Ghost Trail is for hikers moving from road shoes or boots into their first trail runner, and for anyone who walks mostly well-kept trails, gravel and mixed routes that include pavement. If your hiking takes you onto rocky, rooty mountain trail, the Brooks Cascadia 19 is the step up. If you want a roomy toe box and zero drop for long distances, look at the Altra Lone Peak 9. If you want waterproofing and ankle support, a boot such as the Merrell Moab 3 is the better fit.
Specs at a glance
- Typelight-trail running shoe
- Fittrue to size, regular and wide (wide runs narrow)
- Drop8 mm, 36 mm heel and 28 mm forefoot stack
- Listed weight1.3 lb (604 g) · pair, men's
- SoleTrailTack Green rubber, 3 mm lugs, DNA LOFT v3 foam, no rock plate
- Trade-offslittle underfoot protection, shallow lugs, wide width is narrow
- 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 Ghost Trail is the least intimidating way into trail runners. It keeps the soft, forgiving ride that made the Ghost road shoe a best-seller, adds an outsole that grips properly on dirt and gravel, and asks almost nothing in the way of adjustment. It is a light-trail shoe and honest about it: no rock plate, shallow lugs, and a wide option that is not very wide. On the maintained trails where most people do most of their hiking, that is exactly what it needs to be. Women's sizing is covered in our women's Ghost Trail review, and choosing between trail runners, boots and approach shoes is in hiking boots, trail runners, or approach shoes.
