The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a decently cushioned daily trainer for neutral runners who want a reliable shoe for weekly miles. Its broad, firm platform is impressively stable, and it rolls fairly well, making it a very good option for regular mileage. However, it falls short of the impact protection expected from a true max-cushion shoe, and its significant heft and poor rebound make it unsuited to picking up the pace.
| ✅ Buy If: | ❌ Skip If: |
|
|
Our Verdict
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is an okay choice for marathon racing. Its impressively stable platform remains trustworthy as fatigue builds, while the decent cushioning takes some sting out of the road. However, its significant heft and poor rebound make sustaining race pace harder, and though the midsole doesn't bottom out, it holds up unremarkably deep into marathon efforts.
Very stable underfoot as fatigue builds.
Acceptable impact protection deep into longer efforts.
Heavy build makes sustaining race pace hard.
Poor energy return limits efficiency.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a passable 5K and 10K racer. Its firm forefoot provides a solid platform for pushing off, while its impressive stability keeps the ride trustworthy when running hard. However, its significant weight and poor rebound make the ride flat and inefficient, and the compliant rocker makes it hard to turnover at speed.
Very stable underfoot as fatigue builds.
Firm forefoot provides very planted toe-off.
Too heavy to be a speedy racer.
Poor rebound and compliant rocker make faster paces inefficient.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a decent long-run shoe. Its impressively stable platform stays secure underfoot when form fades, while the good overall rocker geometry helps keep your legs ticking over adequately. It also provides decent impact protection, and though it drops deep into longer efforts, it's still passable overall. However, its significant heft is cumbersome underfoot, and the compliant rocker flattens too easily to be an out-and-out cruiser.
Very stable underfoot as fatigue builds.
Acceptable impact protection deep into longer efforts.
Decent impact protection over long runs.
Weight is very cumbersome as miles build.
Compliant rocker limits capability as a cruiser.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a very good daily trainer. Its broad, firm platform is impressively stable and easy to trust, while the decent cushioning provides satisfactory protection for regular mileage. Its assistive heel rocker also helps heel strikers move smoothly through the stride. However, its significant heft and poor rebound stop it from being a versatile, pace-pushing daily shoe.
Impressively stable and trustworthy underfoot.
Absorbs impact decently enough for regular mileage.
Impressive heel rocker makes it a great option for heel strikers.
Lacks the versatility needed for faster daily sessions.
We've bought and tested more than 250 running shoes. Every pair purchased with our own money, never supplied or sponsored by brands. Our data-driven tests are designed to go beyond marketing claims, and since every shoe goes through the exact same methodology, you can directly compare results to find the right pair for your needs.
Test Results
Energy Return
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has bad energy return. Its midsole focuses more on absorbing impact than giving anything back, leaving the ride flat and lacking pep.
Ride is very flat underfoot.
Struggles to pick up the pace.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has bad forefoot energy return. It improves considerably over the Brooks Ghost Max 3, but still gives little back at toe-off.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has awful heel energy return, much like the Brooks Ghost Max 3. The midsole absorbs far more than it gives back, so heel strikers get very little rebound, and the shoe relies on its geometry to assist transitions.
Stability
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has impressive stability. Its broad platform and firm midsole keep the shoe secure through landing and toe-off, while the wide heel means the shoe is easy to trust even when fatigued.
Broad platform is very secure underfoot.
Wide heel keeps ride trustworthy when fatigued.
Firm midsole provides planted base.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has impressive heel firmness. It stays consistently firm across different force levels, giving heel strikers a stable, controlled landing.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has excellent forefoot firmness. It remains very firm even under heavier loads, creating a solid platform for pushing off.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 uses the same setup as the Brooks Ghost Max 3, with a non-gusseted tongue and no plate.
Cushioning
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has satisfactory cushioning overall. The heel absorbs impact well at light to moderate forces and still provides decent protection under heavier loads. The forefoot performs impressively at lower forces, so lighter runners at easy paces get the most protection, but it drops significantly under higher loads. As a result, heavier or speedier runners will find the forefoot less forgiving.
Good heel protection across light to moderate forces.
Impressive forefoot protection for lighter runners at slower paces.
Forefoot much less forgiving under higher forces.
Cushioning becomes less protective as the miles build.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has satisfactory heel cushioning, similar to the Brooks Ghost Max 3. Interestingly, Brooks appears to have tuned it for better protection at lighter and moderate forces, though it remains only decent under heavier loads. The heel also absorbs significantly less impact than the Brooks Glycerin Max 2, suggesting the Ghost Max 4 still has walking very much in mind.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has decent forefoot cushioning. It provides impressive protection at lower forces, making it best suited to lighter runners and easier paces, but drops markedly under heavier loads. It performs slightly worse than the Brooks Ghost Max 3 overall and falls far short of the deep protection offered by the Brooks Glycerin Max 2.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has adequate long-run cushioning. It continues to absorb impact over extended efforts, though it's nowhere near as impressive as the Brooks Glycerin Max 2.
Bounciness
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 bounces poorly. The midsole compresses inadequately, and the lack of energy return means it lacks spring or a trampoline-like feel.
Lacks compression needed to deliver spring.
Poor energy return makes ride flat.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has poor heel compression depth. The heel compresses only modestly underfoot, so it lacks the deep sinking sensation associated with a soft, bouncy ride.
Snappiness
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has decent snappiness. Its firm forefoot and decent bending stiffness provide some leverage at toe-off, but the forefoot gives little energy back, and the modest rocker angle limits how much propulsion the shoe provides.
Firm forefoot provides a solid platform for pushing off.
Good bending stiffness adds some leverage at toe-off.
Poor forefoot rebound limits propulsion.
Modest rocker angle provides little forward assistance.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has poor forefoot bending energy return. It loses a lot of the energy stored while bending, limiting efficiency.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has good forefoot bending resistance. Its forefoot is stiff enough to provide a solid platform at toe-off, though the shoe still loses too much energy as it unbends to feel impressively snappy.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has very good forefoot rocker geometry. Its high toe spring and early apex help the foot roll forward more easily through late stance and into toe-off. However, the shallow rocker angle limits propulsion.
Roll
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 rolls reasonably well. Its impressive heel rocker provides great assistance from landing into midstance, while the forefoot geometry supports the transition into toe-off well, too. However, the compliant rocker flattens too easily under load, reducing the assistance provided by the geometry, so the ride isn't as smooth as it could be.
Impressive geometry guides the shoe well from landing through toe-off.
Compliant rocker makes assistance forward less smooth.
The rocker of this shoe is compliant and flattens too easily under load, reducing the mechanical assistance from its geometry and making the roll less smooth.
Brooks once again claims a 6 mm drop in this shoe, but we measured it much higher. It has also increased from the Brooks Ghost Max 3, making the shoe better suited to heel strikers.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has impressive heel rocker geometry. Its pronounced heel spring smooths initial contact, while the steep rocker angle helps heel strikers roll forward quickly. However, the slightly early apex prioritizes a bit more stability at the expense of some smoothness through midstance.
True To Size
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 fits true to size. Its length is bang on, while the forefoot and arch offer ample room. Though the toe box height is lower than our reference fit, it likely won't cause issues for most runners, so we confidently recommend choosing your usual size.
Generous forefoot and arch.
Length is spot on.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 has dropped a significant amount of weight from the Brooks Ghost Max 3. It now falls within an acceptable range for a daily trainer, though it remains a bit heavier than average.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 uses a nitrogen-infused EVA midsole. The Brooks Glycerin Max 2 uses the same basic foam, but arranges its dual-cell setup to create a softer, plusher, and more protective landing, even at the expense of energy return. The Ghost Max 4 struggles to deliver either. Its cushioning is only decent, while its energy return remains poor, leaving the midsole feeling dated next to more modern compounds.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Brooks Ghost Max 4 in men's U.S. size 9, as indicated on the label of our unit. The colorway shown here is Black/Black/Ebony. Brooks offers Medium, Wide, and Extra-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 Max 4 is a cushioned daily trainer whose place in the Ghost family is a little unclear. The Ghost Amp is the lightest, peppiest option for uptempo work, while the Ghost 18 has a mid-stack, the highest drop, and the most traditional ground-feel first ride. Despite having the tallest stack of the three, the Ghost Max 4 falls short of a true max-cushion shoe. It's far less protective than modern cruisers like the Brooks Glycerin Max 2 and never delivers the deeply shielding ride its name suggests. If you want the Ghost ride with more stability and stack, it's the shoe to go for. Otherwise, the Amp is your shoe for faster work, the Ghost 18 for a dependable daily trainer, or if you're craving the deepest impact protection, go straight to the Glycerin Max 2.
For more options from the brand, check out our picks for the best Brooks running shoes. If you want to take as much sting out of the sidewalk as possible, check out our top recommendations for the most cushioned running shoes.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a meaningful upgrade over the Brooks Ghost Max 3. It's more versatile and stable, while its lower weight makes it less cumbersome across daily training. Its higher drop also makes it better suited to running, rather than mainly walking like the Ghost Max 3. Neither shoe is particularly bouncy, though the Ghost Max 4 has a bit more life underfoot. That said, the Ghost Max 3 offers slightly more impact protection, but most runners are unlikely to notice the difference.
The Brooks Glycerin Max 2 is a better shoe for most runners than the Brooks Ghost Max 4. Its taller stack delivers superior impact protection and rolls much more smoothly, delivering the true, luxurious max-cushion experience that's missing from the Ghost Max 4. However, the Ghost Max 4 is much lighter, lower to the ground, and far more stable, so it's the more approachable pick for beginners or those with stricter support needs who still want decent protection underfoot.
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is a better daily trainer than the Brooks Ghost 18. Its taller, more protective, and stable platform makes it the better choice for regular mileage and longer runs. The Ghost 18 sits closer to the road and suits runners who want less shoe underfoot, and its higher drop makes it a bit better suited for heel strikers.