Products , of all kinds, change incrementally or disruptively (as they like to say in recent times). In other words, new models or upgrades of established products can be “disruptive” or present “only” improvements over previous models.
The best known case is that of the iPhone, which, although much changed and improved in terms of hardware, in terms of form and usability has remained (almost) identical to the first version.
Similarly in the world of running shoes there are models that can either completely change the trajectory taken by those that preceded them or continue on, refining themselves more and more.
The latter route is the one chosen by Brooks for the Ghost 14, their best-selling and most popular model in the world.
The new version is a confirmation of the goodness and appreciation of many technical choices of previous models, which not surprisingly have always made it appreciated as one of the most reliable and versatile neutral shoes on the market.
I have often written that, taking everything away and going to the essence of their nature, Brooks are shoes that give immediate confidence and do not need an instruction booklet. And if you think about it, that’s one of the best gifts a shoe can give you: there’s no threshold to understanding and appreciating it, you just have to slip it on and run with it.
Aesthetics
The design of the Ghost 14 is, colorations aside, a great Brooks classic, especially in terms of how the American company’s aesthetic has been established in recent years. As this is a very versatile and friendly model, it also has a lot of details that I personally really appreciate: the collar with generous padding, a soft and wide tongue, and cushioning that is always consistent and on time. Making an automotive comparison (you know we love them a lot), the Ghost 14s are a comfortable, sporty minivan. You travel well with them and for a long time, and if you need a cue they don’t betray you.
The non-disruptive, overwrought aesthetic is also and especially justified by the point made at the beginning, namely that of incremental changes.
To the feet
The feeling the Ghost 14s give you on the road is the best spendable guarantee of all Brooks: when you wear a new model you immediately find their usual feel again. They are well-wrapped, they are soft, they have proven cushioning, and most importantly, they have consistent cushioning over the entire sole of the foot. This is a great merit and I never take it for granted: there are shoes that, designed more for heel-to-toe running, come across as a bit unloaded or less responsive midfoot but this is not the case with the Ghost 14. In fact, the responsiveness and cushioning of the midsole are very smooth and consistent no matter how you run.
In short, everything conspires to give you a feeling of comfort and reliability at all times, accentuated not so much and not only by the mechanical and elastic qualities of the midsole but by the balance that its compound achieves with the geometry. In other words, the perception is that you are running in very tight, solid shoes that rest totally on the asphalt and use all their surface area to transmit confidence to you and to get power off the ground.
The Ghost 14s confirm themselves as the friendly running shoes (to quote Spiderman) that never betray in reliability and comfort, not surprisingly enjoying just and great popularity, not least because of how well they adapt, thanks to their protection, to long and very long runs, even for those who are a bit out of shape.
One more thing
I cannot help but conclude by mentioning something that is very close to our hearts, and that is ecological sensitivity. Indeed, the Ghost 14s usher in a path that Brooks wants to complete long before the deadlines set by world powers, and that is to produce everything with zero impact. By minimizing the use of materials, using recycled ones as much as possible, and promoting programs to take back old shoes, Brooks will get as far as 10 years ahead of the limit decided by the Paris Agreement on climate change and that is in 2040.
And if that is not enough and the calculation of the environmental footprint of their products shows that they are still producing CO2 emissions, then offsetting programs will step in, which, in return for the pollution produced, will fund projects that restore a global balance of emissions.
Reliable, increasingly better, and now also increasingly environmentally sensitive-we should introduce a yardstick for the environmental footprint as well. In this case the Ghost 14s would rank very well.