by Two of the most popular running shoe brands on the market, Saucony and Brooks, are known for making great trail and road running shoes. Today, we’ll be looking at the latter, comparing two of the brand’s top-selling road models. With a surprising amount of similarities, by the numbers, there is good reason to compare the Saucony Triumph vs. Brooks Ghost. We’ll break down the specs, pics, and go into a bit more of a detailed review. So let’s get to running!
Saucony Triumph vs Brooks Ghost
- Both are neutral road running shoes. Meaning they will work for the majority of runners.
- The Saucony Triumph is the slightly lighter of the two shoes. With the men’s and the women’sweighing 0.03oz less than Brooks Ghost.
- Heel stack height on the Triumph is higher at 37 mm. Compared to 35mm on the Ghost.
- While the drop on the Brooks Ghost is 11mm. And the Triumph has a drop of 10 mm.
- Both shoes are listed as “more cushion” by their brands. Making for a more comfortable ride compared to minimalist shoes.
- The Brooks Ghost has a more aggressive tread. Compared to a typical tread you would expect from a road runner on the Triumph.
- Both shoe profiles and top views are very similar in design. See the photos below!
Saucony Triumph
MSRP Price: $140
Men’s Link: Click Here
Women’s Link: Click Here
Surface: Road Running
Weight Men: 9.8 oz / 279 g
Weight Women: 8.8 oz / 250 g
Support: Neutral
Drop/Offset Men’s: 10 mm Drop
Drop/Offset Women’s: 10 mm Drop
Cushion: More Cushion
Stack Height: 37 mm / 27 mm
Brooks Ghost
MSRP Price: $140
Men’s Link: Click Here
Women’s Link: Click Here
Surface: Road Running
Weight Men’s: 10.1oz / 286.3g
Weight Woman’s: 9.1oz / 258.5g
Support: Neutral
Drop: 11mm
Arch: Medium/High
Experience Type: Cushion
Stack Height: 35 mm / 23 mm
Performance Summary
Walking into any running shoe store, and you are going to see these two brands. With their popularity, these two models will most likely be recommended. With very similar comparables, it’s really understandable to look at the Saucony Triumph vs. Brooks Ghost. But there are a few differences worth paying attention to. Below is a more in-depth breakdown of each shoe.
Saucony Triumph
The Saucony Triumph has been around for a long time and is one of the brand’s most popular running shoes. With a ton of color options, more than most brands, it’s really hard not to find one that you like. My first impression when unboxing the Triumphs is that they feel light, and the upper Form Fit build looks to be comfortable. I was excited to go for my first run in them.
On the feet, the Triumphs feel comfortable yet supportive. Just as I hoped, the upper build conforms to your foot, making it really comfortable. When hitting the road, I was impressed with the cushioning, damping, and response of the ride. For being as light as they are, they take a ton of the road shock out of your runs. And the Form Fit upper proved to be really breathable on warm and humid days.
Overall, I was impressed by these shoes. And I can say the Saucony Triumph would be a great shoe for both logging big miles or as a choice for both running and power walking. If you like more room in the toe box or have wider feet, you will most likely want to half to full size up.
Brooks Ghost
The Brooks Ghosts have been around a long time. First released in 2008, with many iterations leading to the refined and polished running shoes that the Ghost is today. I’ve run in the Ghosts before, but this will be my first time in the newer model. So I was excited to test them out. I’m a big fan of the updated design and color options. The Ghost is a good-looking shoe. But will it perform as well as it looks?
Trying on the Ghosts, they feel light and fast. That may have to do with the 11 mm drop, which is a bit higher than I’m used to. And they definitely give you that propelled forward feel. The toe box feels roomy for the fit of the shoe, but you still may want to half size up if you want a roomy feel. My one point would be the arch support. If you need more arch support, the Ghost may be a little lacking. But for low to medium, it should feel great.
On the road, the Ghosts feel fast, and the cushion is noticeable, taking a good amount of the road shock off your legs. The upper build is comfortable and secure but could be more breathable. Ghosts feel fast and would be a shoe for up to the 10k distance. The traction also feels like something I would love on wet roads. For me, though, the 11mm drop feels better suited for short faster distances than logging the large amount of training miles that I do every week.
Image Comparison
Below is a side-by-side image comparison of the Saucony Triumph vs. Brooks Ghost. You can see how similar the profile design is, with the added lug size on the Ghost.
Saucony Triumph Profile
Brooks Ghost Profile
Again, from above the two shoes look incredibly similar in shape. You will notice the difference in upper build material.
Triumph Top View
Ghost Top View
The soles of the Ghost have noticeably more more traction.
Saucony Triumph Soles
Brooks Ghost Soles
Conclusion – Saucony Triumph vs Brooks Ghost
Both Saucony and Brooks have a lot of shoe options to look at. But when it comes to a lightweight design with enough cushion, the Triumph and Ghost account for a large number of both of their brand’s total sales. And for good reason. They are both great shoes. But the difference in drop, traction, and upper design could be a deciding factor.
Which road running shoe to buy?
You really can’t go wrong with either of these running shoes. They both are in the top 10% of shoes when it comes to overall design and comfort on the road. And deciding on which to buy would come down to a few factors.
If you are logging a lot of miles and running half marathons plus in distance, then to me, the Triumph, with the lower drop and slightly more cushion, would be the better choice. But if you are looking to go fast for distances of 10k or less quickly, the Ghosts fit the bill. With a 12mm drop and traction for days, they will get you moving.
