The Brooks Ghost Amp is a versatile daily trainer designed for neutral runners seeking dependable performance across all of their weekly mileage. Its ride is decently cushioned and very stable, though it's not particularly propulsive. It can handle easy runs, longer efforts, and some uptempo reps, but struggles to keep up during faster workouts. While it can cover race day in a pinch, it's much better suited to daily training paces than chasing personal bests.
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Our Verdict
The Brooks Ghost Amp is an okay choice for marathon racing. Its very good stability helps keep the ride controlled over the distance, and its decent cushioning holds up passably as the miles build. However, that cushioning does fade deep into marathon efforts, leaving legs a bit beat up at the finish line. Its weight and unremarkable propulsion also make it less efficient than dedicated marathon shoes. It can get you to the finish line, but it's much better suited to daily training than long-distance racing.
Very good stability helps keep the ride controlled over the distance.
Decent forefoot rocker helps the shoe roll through toe-off.
Disappointing protection from the road deep into marathon efforts.
Lack of propulsion make it less efficient than dedicated marathon shoes.
The Brooks Ghost Amp is an okay choice for 5K/10K racing. Its very firm forefoot and decent forefoot rocker geometry help the shoe roll forward with a controlled toe-off. However, its rocker is very compliant, and the front of the shoe doesn't hold its shape well enough to deliver the quick, explosive turnover expected from dedicated speed shoes. It's also heavy for a short-distance racer.
Very firm forefoot helps keep toe-off controlled.
Decent forefoot rocker geometry helps the shoe roll through.
Compliant rocker limits propulsion at speed.
Weight and flexible forefoot makes quick turnover hard work.
The Brooks Ghost Amp is a decent long-run companion. Its forefoot rocker geometry helps the shoe roll smoothly as miles stack, while its very good stability keeps the ride controlled. Though its cushioning is decent at step-in, it performs unremarkably as it reaches 40km, so the shoe won't feel particularly protective late into very long runs. It also lacks the propulsion needed for progressive efforts, performing best on easy days.
Very good stability keeps the ride controlled as the miles build.
Decent forefoot rocker geometry helps the shoe roll smoothly.
Cushioning performs unremarkably deep into longer distances.
Ride lacks the propulsion needed for progressive efforts.
The Brooks Ghost Amp is a good daily trainer. It's very stable underfoot with decent impact protection, making it easy to trust for routine mileage, while its non-plated design provides a gentle, accessible ride. However, it's not the liveliest shoe out there, with unremarkable energy return when bent and a tame rocker geometry that can make landings and transitions feel a bit flat.
Very stable platform is easy to trust underfoot.
Decent impact protection for routine miles.
Non-plated design keeps the ride gentle and accessible.
Struggles to handle truly fast paces.
We buy and test running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes so team members can log in miles. This real-world testing is conducted at various paces and conditions, across different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
Energy Return
The Brooks Ghost Amp has adequate energy return overall. The forefoot gives back a decent amount of energy when compressed, which helps add some rebound through toe-off. However, the midsole is uneven, with the heel returning a sub-par amount of energy, so rearfoot landings lack the pop needed to bounce you onto your toes, and the shoe doesn't feel particularly energetic across the whole stride.
Forefoot provides decent rebound through toe-off.
Dull heel makes rearfoot landings feel flat.
Stability
The Brooks Ghost Amp has very good stability. Despite not having dedicated support features, its impressively firm forefoot, generous outsole width, and excellent heel width-to-stack ratio help keep the shoe controlled underfoot. The semi-gusseted tongue also helps provide a secure lockdown. Even though the heel is softer than the forefoot and rearfoot landings aren't quite as controlled as the front, the heel still provides a decently stable platform overall.
Semi-gusseted tongue helps provide a secure lockdown.
Generous outsole width through the arch and forefoot provides a stable platform.
Impressively firm forefoot keeps the front of the shoe controlled.
Softer heel is less planted than the forefoot overall.
The Brooks Ghost Amp has decent heel firmness overall, helping to keep rearfoot landings controlled without making the shoe feel overly harsh.
The Brooks Ghost Amp's forefoot is very firm, providing a stable platform through push-off. However, it's not particularly snappy, as the rocker is compliant and the forefoot returns an unremarkable amount of energy when bent.
Cushioning
The Brooks Ghost Amp has decent cushioning overall, but its protection is very uneven. The heel absorbs impact very well at lighter and moderate forces, though it drops a lot under higher loads. The forefoot starts very protective at lighter loads, too, but drops even more than the heel as forces increase, so runners who load the front of the shoe hard will find it less forgiving. Its long-run protection is also disappointing at the back end of the marathon distance.
Heel absorbs impact very well at lighter and moderate forces.
Forefoot cushioning is very protective at lighter loads.
Forefoot protection drops significantly as forces increase.
Midsole offers disappointing protection deep into longer efforts.
The heel of this shoe is very well cushioned, absorbing an impressive amount of impact at lower force levels, providing heel strikers with great protection from the road. However, protection drops significantly under higher loads, so those who load the rearfoot hard will find it much less forgiving.
Much like the heel, the forefoot of this shoe offers impressive cushioning at lighter force levels, but drops off significantly as forces increase. Runners who load the front of the shoe hard will find much better protection from the ASICS NOVABLAST 5, which holds up decently at higher force levels.
Responsiveness
The Brooks Ghost Amp has mediocre responsiveness. Its forefoot rocker geometry helps it roll forward, but the rocker itself is on the compliant side, which, when combined with the flexibility of the forefoot overall, doesn't turn force into propulsion very effectively. This makes it fine for easy miles, but less suited to explosive, faster efforts where quick turnover matters.
Forefoot rocker geometry helps the shoe roll forward smoothly.
Flexible forefoot makes the ride accessible for easy miles.
Weight and flexible forefoot makes quick turnover hard work.
Compliant rocker limits propulsion.
The Brooks Ghost Amp returns an unremarkable amount of energy when bent at the forefoot. Whilst it doesn't lose all its life through toe-off, it also doesn't give enough back to feel especially efficient or snappy.
The forefoot of this shoe bends too easily to create much leverage through toe-off. While that keeps it comfortable on easy runs and relaxed daily miles, it limits how snappy or direct it feels when pushing the pace.
The Brooks Ghost Amp has decent forefoot rocker geometry. Its early rocker and good toe spring height make it relatively fluid through toe-off, though the angle is much gentler than shoes like the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5, which is more assistive and smoother through stride overall.
The rocker of this shoe flattens too easily under load, which reduces the mechanical assistance provided by its geometry. While the shoe can roll forward, it doesn't hold its shape well enough to provide a guided or propulsive ride through the stride.
True To Size
The Brooks Ghost Amp fits true to size. Its length, forefoot width, arch fit, and forefoot height sit close to our reference fit, so we recommend all runners go with their normal size.
Length fits true to size.
Forefoot width and arch fit closely match our reference fit.
Wide option is available.
The Brooks Ghost Amp is significantly lighter than its bigger brother, the Brooks Ghost 18. This helps it feel less cumbersome underfoot, but it's still much heavier than rivals like the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5.
The Brooks Ghost Amp has a modest heel stack and a low heel-to-toe drop for a modern daily trainer, providing a ride that feels very connected to the road.
The Brooks Ghost Amp has okay heel rocker geometry. It's steep enough to assist from heel strike into midstance, but the low spring means it doesn't guide that transition especially smoothly. The New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 has much more assistive heel rocker geometry, which helps it roll more smoothly overall.
The Brooks Ghost Amp uses a similar foam composition to the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5, pairing PEBA with EVA to balance cushioning and rebound. In the Ghost Amp, that's what gives the shoe decent protection with some pop underfoot. However, the two very different rides show that the same foam can vary wildly between shoes, with blend, density, and tuning all shaping the experience on the road.
The Brooks Ghost Amp uses standard flat laces with moderate stretch. They kept lockdown consistent during testing, so the midfoot stays secure without needing to overtighten the shoe.
The Brooks Ghost Amp has passable long-run cushioning overall, though its performance is sub-par at the back end of marathon distance. If you're regularly taking your shoes on longer efforts, the ASICS NOVABLAST 5 is a much better long-run companion.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Brooks Ghost Amp in men's U.S. size 9, as indicated on the label of our unit. The colorway shown here is Blue/Blue/Black. Brooks offers medium and wide sizing for men and women, with multiple color options available across regions. The design section applies specifically to the version we tested, but we expect other sizes and gender variants to perform similarly.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Brooks Ghost Amp is the lighter, more energetic younger brother to the Brooks Ghost 18, designed for runners who want a more versatile version of that shoe. It aims to compete with shoes like the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 and ASICS NOVABLAST 5 as a do-it-all daily trainer. The reality is that it sits in the middle of those two shoes: more cushioned, more energetic, and more responsive than the New Balance, though much heavier and less stable overall. Both sit lower to the ground than the ASICS, which is the most deeply cushioned and peppiest shoe of the three. While the Brooks isn't the lightest or most protective shoe in its class, it's still a good daily trainer overall. If you're looking for a reliable ride with some pop underfoot to cover weekly mileage, and prefer your feet closer to the ground, it's a trustworthy partner.
For more options from the brand, check out our recommendations for the best Brooks running shoes. If you're new to running and don't know where to start, check out our picks for the best running shoes for beginners.
The Brooks Ghost Amp and ASICS NOVABLAST 5 are both versatile daily trainers that aim to do it all, but the ASICS is the better shoe for most runners. It's more protective underfoot, offering a livelier ride. It's also lighter, and its midsole holds up better over longer efforts as well. The Brooks is still a good daily trainer, and its lower stack and drop mean it's more stable and suits runners who want a closer connection to the road.
The Brooks Ghost Amp and New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 are both versatile daily trainers, but the New Balance is the better shoe overall. It's more stable, more nimble, and rolls more smoothly through everything from easy miles to longer efforts. The Brooks has slightly more cushioning and bounce underfoot, but those gains are negated by it being the much heavier shoe on the road.
The Brooks Ghost Amp is the more versatile younger sibling of the Brooks Ghost 18, and it's the better shoe for most runners. It's more cushioned, more energetic, and more fun underfoot across everything from easy runs to longer efforts. Though the Ghost 18 is slightly more stable overall, most runners won't notice the difference, and its heavier build and duller midsole mean it can't match the Amp's livelier ride or broader performance range.