Brooks Ghost 16 vs Ghost 17: What Changed, and Which Fits Your Foot?
Brooks cut the Ghost’s drop from 12 to 10 mm and added foam under the forefoot, and a lab agrees. It also found what the change notes leave out: in the pairs measured, the Ghost 17’s toe box was 2.5 mm narrower at the big toe and 2 mm lower than the 16’s.
On this page
That makes the 17 the better Ghost for a sore forefoot or a hard heel landing, and the 16 the less cramped of two narrow toe boxes and the steeper heel for a tight Achilles. Both have since been replaced by the Ghost 18.
This is a spec comparison. We have not measured, worn or scored either shoe. The brand figures below are Brooks’ own for the Ghost 17 and, for the Ghost 16, its launch figures as a review site recorded them; the lab figures are RunRepeat’s, from one pair of each. We keep the two apart because they are not the same tier of evidence.
What Brooks says changed
The changes that matter are underfoot. Brooks cut the Ghost’s heel-to-toe drop from 12 to 10 mm and added foam, by a review site’s count 1 mm at the heel and 3 mm at the forefoot, on the same nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 midsole. The upper also moved to a jacquard mesh, the listed men’s weight rose by about a quarter of an ounce, and the 17 launched at $150 against the 16’s $140. Brooks publishes no stack height for either shoe.
| Specification | Ghost 16 | Ghost 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | $140 | $150 |
| Stated heel-to-toe drop | 12 mm | 10 mm |
| Stated weight, men’s | 9.8 oz (277 g), US 9 | 10.1 oz (286 g) |
| Stated weight, women’s | 8.8 oz (249 g), US 8 | 9.0 oz (255 g) |
| Midsole foam | Nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 | Nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 |
| Stack height | Not published by Brooks | Not published by Brooks |
Sources: Brooks’ figures for the Ghost 17 as recorded in our Ghost 17 vs 18 comparison; the Ghost 16’s launch price, drop and weights from Believe in the Run’s January 2024 review, and the foam changes from its Ghost 17 review, read 28 September 2026. Brooks’ own Ghost 16 page no longer shows its specifications.
What the lab measured
RunRepeat cut, weighed and measured one pair of each, and it agrees with Brooks on the headline: the drop fell from 12.4 to 10.4 mm, and the 17 measured 3.1 mm more at the forefoot and 1.1 mm more at the heel, insole included. The foam also measured softer and the heel absorbed a little more impact. What the change notes leave out is the toe box: in the pairs measured, the 17’s was 2.5 mm narrower at the big toe and 2.0 mm lower.
| Measurement | Ghost 16 | Ghost 17 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toe-box width at the big toe | 72.1 mm | 69.6 mm | 2.5 mm narrower |
| Width at the widest point | 96.1 mm | 95.2 mm | 0.9 mm narrower |
| Toe-box height | 26.8 mm | 24.8 mm | 2.0 mm lower |
| Heel stack | 35.1 mm | 36.2 mm | 1.1 mm higher |
| Forefoot stack | 22.7 mm | 25.8 mm | 3.1 mm higher |
| Measured drop | 12.4 mm | 10.4 mm | 2.0 mm lower |
| Weight | 266 g | 289 g | 23 g heavier |
| Midsole hardness (Asker C, higher is firmer) | 41.5 AC | 36.2 AC | About 13% softer |
| Energy return at the heel | 57.0% | 53.8% | Less bounce |
| Heel shock absorption | 133 SA | 140 SA | About 5% more |
| Force to bend the forefoot | 9.6 N | 10.9 N | About 14% stiffer |
| Heel counter stiffness (1 to 5) | 5 | 5 | The same |
| Insole thickness | 5.0 mm | 5.7 mm | 0.7 mm thicker |
| Force to twist (torsional rigidity) | 3 of 5, older test | 12.6 Nm | Not comparable |
Source: RunRepeat lab, one pair of each, read 28 September 2026, with the same toe-box, cushioning and bending tests on both shoes. Hardness is on the Asker C scale and shock absorption in RunRepeat’s SA units; the lab now measures torsional rigidity in newton-metres and tested the older shoe on a 1-to-5 scale, so the two cannot be compared (the median of the 24 shoes we review with the newer test is 14.5 Nm). Medians of the lab-measured shoes we review (34 for the toe-box figures, 35 for the rest): 72.8 mm at the big toe, 95.2 mm at the widest point, 27.0 mm of toe-box height, 38.7 mm of heel stack, 8.5 mm of drop, 137 SA and 15.3 N.
What a foot and ankle surgeon takes from this
Brooks cut the drop, and the lab agrees. Brooks lists 12 mm for the Ghost 16 and 10 mm for the 17; the lab measured 12.4 and 10.4 mm. Only four of the 35 shoes we review measured steeper than the 16, and the HOKA Clifton 10 matched it; even the 17 sits above the 8.5 mm median. A higher drop takes load off the Achilles and calf and moves it toward the forefoot, so for insertional Achilles pain or a tight calf the 16 unloads a little more, and for a sore forefoot the 17 is the kinder of the two. Our heel-to-toe drop chart puts both in context.
More under the forefoot, and softer. With the insole in, as the lab measures it, the 17 stood 3.1 mm taller at the forefoot, 0.7 mm of that from a thicker insole, and 1.1 mm taller at the heel. Its foam measured about 13% softer on the Asker C scale, 36.2 against 41.5, and it absorbed about 5% more impact at the heel, 140 SA against 133. The 16’s forefoot, at 22.7 mm, was thinner than any of the 35 shoes we review, so for metatarsalgia the 17 is the better Ghost. It is also 23 g heavier in the lab.
The toe box got tighter, in the pairs measured. At the big toe the 17 measured 69.6 mm, 2.5 mm narrower than the 16; only two of the 34 shoes we review are narrower there. Its toe box is also 2.0 mm lower, 24.8 mm, and only five are lower. At the widest point the two are within a millimetre. A big toe that drifts or hammertoes will find less room in the 17, and a neuroma does not like a squeeze. Neither is roomy: the 16’s 72.1 and 26.8 mm are both just under our medians. Brooks’ Wide and Extra Wide fittings add room, though the lab measured standard widths only. Compare both on our toe box width chart.
Both bend easily and hold the heel hard. The 16 took 9.6 N to bend at the forefoot, less than any of the 35 shoes we review, and the 17 10.9 N; of the 35, only the Adrenaline GTS 24 bends more easily. A stiff or arthritic big toe joint, or sesamoiditis, wants a stiffer sole than either. Both heel counters scored 5 of 5, which steadies a heel that rolls but can press on a Haglund’s bump.
Which should you buy?
Choose the Ghost 17 if…
- The ball of your foot hurts: 3.1 mm more forefoot foam, and softer.
- You land hard on your heels: about 5% more heel shock absorption.
- The 16’s 12 mm drop felt too steep: the 17 measured 10.4 mm.
Look for a leftover Ghost 16 if…
- Your toes feel cramped: the 16 measured 2.5 mm wider at the big toe and 2.0 mm taller, though both are under our medians; for real room, buy a Wide.
- A tight Achilles or calf likes a higher heel: 12.4 mm of drop.
- You want the lighter shoe: 266 g against 289 g in the lab.
Orthotics and inserts
Both insoles come out, 5.0 and 5.7 mm thick; the 17’s is thicker than most, so removing it frees more depth. The 17’s lower toe box, 24.8 mm, leaves less room over the toes for a full-length device than the 16’s 26.8 mm. Both heel counters scored 5 of 5, which holds an orthotic’s heel cup well. Our Orthotic Volume Rating explains how to check the fit.
Questions runners ask
Is the Brooks Ghost 17 better than the Ghost 16?
For a sore forefoot or a hard landing, yes: the lab found 3.1 mm more forefoot foam, about 13% softer foam and about 5% more heel shock absorption. For toe room, no: in the pairs measured, its toe box was 2.5 mm narrower at the big toe and 2.0 mm lower, and only two of the 34 shoes we review are narrower there. It is also 23 g heavier.
What changed from the Ghost 16 to the Ghost 17?
Brooks cut the drop from 12 to 10 mm and added foam, 1 mm at the heel and 3 mm at the forefoot by a review site’s count, on the same nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3. In the lab the drop went from 12.4 to 10.4 mm, the forefoot stack rose 3.1 mm with the insole in, the foam got softer and the toe box got narrower and lower.
Does the Ghost 17 have less drop than the Ghost 16?
Yes. Brooks lists 12 mm for the 16 and 10 mm for the 17, and the lab measured 12.4 and 10.4 mm, so both labels hold. Only four of the 35 shoes we review measured steeper than the 16.
Is the Ghost 17 narrower than the Ghost 16?
At the toes, yes: 69.6 mm at the big toe against 72.1, and a toe box 2.0 mm lower, 24.8 against 26.8 mm. At the widest point the two are within a millimetre. Brooks sells the 17 in Wide and Extra Wide, which adds room; the lab measured standard widths only.
Is the Ghost 16 or Ghost 17 better for plantar fasciitis?
Both hold the heel firmly, with heel counters of 5 of 5, and both have a high drop. If the heel pad is sore or thin, the 17’s softer, better-cushioned heel helps; if a tight Achilles or calf comes with the heel pain, the 16’s steeper drop. Both bend very easily at the forefoot, which loads the plantar fascia at push-off, so neither is a complete answer on its own.
Is the Ghost 16 discontinued?
Brooks replaced it with the Ghost 17, and the 17 has since given way to the Ghost 18. Leftover pairs of both turn up at discount retailers; our Ghost 17 vs 18 comparison covers the newest change.
Read the full analysis
Our spec analysis of the Brooks Ghost 17 carries its full figures and sources, and Ghost 17 vs 18 covers the next change. For heel pain, see the Ghost 17 for plantar fasciitis; against Brooks’ stability shoe, Ghost 17 vs Adrenaline GTS 24.
Sources
- Brooks, Ghost 17 specifications (10 mm drop, 10.1 oz men’s, 9.0 oz women’s, nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3, $150) as recorded in our Ghost 17 vs 18 comparison, September 2026.
- Believe in the Run, Brooks Ghost 16 review, January 2024 ($140, 12 mm drop, 9.8 oz men’s US 9, 8.8 oz women’s US 8, nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3), and Ghost 17 review (1 mm more heel foam, 3 mm more forefoot foam, 12 to 10 mm drop), read 28 September 2026.
- RunRepeat, Brooks Ghost 16 (July 2024, updated February 2026) and Brooks Ghost 17 lab reviews, read 28 September 2026.
Recently reviewed
Individual shoe pages state their evidence tier, published measurements and who should skip them.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 5
Spec AnalysisLight plated neutral trainer. Saucony publishes both stack heights and they match its 8 mm drop — not yet tested.
HOKA Mach 6
Spec AnalysisLower, firmer neutral HOKA. HOKA publishes a 5 mm drop and neither stack height — not yet tested.
ASICS Novablast 5
Spec AnalysisBouncy high-stack neutral. ASICS publishes an 8 mm drop and neither stack height — not yet tested.
Our funding and evidence policy
We earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases. Our policy is to assess published evidence and fit needs rather than rank products by commission rate. Current reviews are specification analyses; see our method for their limits.