For me, the Ghost is great because it does everything well,” one reviewer says. “It’s comfortable, it’s soft, it’s light. I love it because I know I won’t have to think about it once I start running.” From time to time carriers may deliver earlier or later, or on non working days however this is cannot be guaranteed nor should it be expected. Most of the daily trainers have received sweeping updates which have improved them drastically and are all worthy upgrades of their predecessors.

One thing testers loved about the Ghost 13 is its ability to blend into a run. The Ghost isn’t heavy or bulky; it isn’t turbocharged with carbon-fiber or reduced to its absolute minimum weight. DNA Loft is the newer of the two midsole foams in the Ghost 13 but it feels very similar to BioMogo. I hope that Brooks transitions to their new DNA Flash foam which is lighter and much more responsive. My first run was on a cold winter morning and I could feel the icy wind on my feet so it’s definitely airy and breathable. The battle of the daily trainers is now more fierce than ever before. It’s such an important battle because a big chunk of a company’s shoe sales come from their mid-tier daily trainers.Dozens of perforations in the mesh create a vent over the toe box to let excess heat and moisture escape. Testers didn’t experience any clamminess even during humid summer runs. The big change this year is the extended DNA Loft foam in the midsole. In the Ghost 12, Brooks contained the softer DNA Loft mostly to the heel, with a slight extension into the midfoot. This year’s model takes that extension farther into the forefoot. My first run in Ghost 13 was one of familiarity. The Ghost personality came through strongly even in my first couple of metres in them.

The Ghost was born in 2008 when it replaced another neutral trainer called the Brooks Burn. Since then, Brooks’ strategy when it comes to the Ghost series is to make small, incremental changes from year to year, rather than doing complete overhauls. I’m normally in-between shoe sizes so I made the decision to go with the bigger size because Ghost uppers are so padded and plush. The toe box allows more than enough room for natural toe splay. Some experts even found that their “toes slide around.” I like the Ghost 13 most for easy-paced runs between 10 and 25 kilometres but its midsole is not overly soft so it can handle the occasional tempo outing although its substantial weight might be a problem. The high-volume forefoot means that the standard width Ghost 13 is more suited to wide-footed runners who need extra room for their feet to splay.A gripe that the majority of the experts share is that the Ghost 13 “lags behind in responsiveness.” They agree that it’s simply not "it" for those who want to go fast. Smooth and stable ride If I could change anything about the Ghost 13, I would make the outsole rubber more durable and I would add in a gusseted tongue for an even better upper fit. There are reflective strips on both sides of the toe box and on the heel for night time visibility. Plush fit: The new Engineered Air Mesh upper hugs the foot for a secure – but still breathable – fit. The general consensus on the traction of the Brooks Ghost 13 is that it’s good both on wet and dry surfaces.

The Ghost 13 rides medium soft, just like the Ghost 12 and the Ghost 11 and most of the other Ghost versions. The medium-soft ride results in an incredibly versatile shoe which all daily trainers strive to achieve. I can’t mark the upper of the Ghost 13 down for anything except the fact that it doesn’t have a gusseted tongue. The comfort delivered by the new midsole and upper of the Brooks Ghost 13 received nothing but praise from almost all experts. Many are fond of the instant step-in comfort of the shoe and its stretchy plush upper. They describe the midsole as “far more luxurious” than other mid-range daily runners and the upper as “very soft.”

Experts who commented on weight are in sync when they say it’s heavy (10.1 oz). For reference, it’s also heavier than its competitors like the Nike Epic React Flyknit 2 (8.7 oz) and the Saucony Ride 13 (9.7 oz). Good grip on Ghost 13 Forefoot DNA cushioning gel is a highly viscous liquid that changes to become more or less firm in response to each individual's weight, pace, biomechanics, and running environment.