Adidas Adistar 4 vs Brooks Ghost Max 2:
Which to Choose

On paper these two are almost twins: both score high for cushioning and stability, medium for responsiveness and pace, both are stable-neutral with no plate and no medial post, and both run a 6mm drop. Their geometry is nearly identical too — the Adistar 4 sits at roughly 40mm in the heel and about 30mm in the forefoot, and the Ghost Max 2 is within a millimeter of that at both ends, so neither is meaningfully taller or lower underfoot. The two real, ride-defining differences are weight and how the cushioning is tuned. The Adistar 4 lands around 275g, while the Ghost Max 2 is noticeably heavier at roughly 305g; that 30-gram gap is felt over the course of a long run, giving the Adidas a slightly more willing feel when you settle into rhythm. The Adistar 4 gets its composure from a dual-density setup — firmer Repetitor+ under softer Dreamstrike+ — that keeps its tall foam planted and stable rather than tippy, with a mild rocker to ease transitions. The Ghost Max 2 leans harder on geometry: its pronounced GlideRoll rocker does most of the work rolling you heel-to-toe, over a DNA Loft v3 midsole that is protective but on the firmer side, not the pillowy soft its "Max" name implies. Neither shoe rewards genuine speed — push much past an easy-to-moderate cruise and both feel soft and a touch dead. Fit is close, with both running true to size in a medium width, though the Adistar 4 has a slightly roomier, more accommodating toebox while the Ghost Max 2's is a touch more tapered. The clearest use-case split is distance: the Adistar 4 is happiest stretching out to the half and full marathon, while the Ghost Max 2 is pitched slightly shorter, at its best over the 10K to half.