New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15 vs Brooks Ghost 17:
Which to Choose

October 12, 2026

Verdict

This is genuinely close — on cushioning, stability, responsiveness, and intended use these two are effectively the same shoe from different brands, so don't agonize over which is "better." Decide on three things: drop (the 880v15's 8mm versus the Ghost's 12mm), how much foam and weight you want underfoot (the 880v15 is taller and a bit heavier, the Ghost lighter and lower), and fit. If you're a heel-striker or want calf relief on long runs, go Ghost 17; if you prefer a lower, more natural drop, a plusher maximal stack, or need a specific width, go 880v15. The best tiebreaker is to try both on — whichever hugs your foot better wins, because everything else here is a wash.

New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15

99.97 USD

Brooks Ghost 17

99.97 USD

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

4 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

Pace

3 of 6

Cushioning

4 of 6

Responsiveness

3 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

12 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15Brooks Ghost 17

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15

Pick the Fresh Foam X 880v15 if you want the softer, taller, more cushioned platform and prefer a lower 8mm drop that keeps your footstrike feeling natural rather than tipping you onto your heel. It's the stronger call for midfoot strikers, for runners who want maximum foam underfoot on easy and long days, and especially for anyone with a hard-to-fit foot who needs the wide range of widths New Balance offers. Beginners building steady mileage who like a plush, planted, forgiving ride will be at home here.

Choose

Brooks Ghost 17

Choose the Ghost 17 if you're a heel-striker or want that taller 12mm drop to ease the load on your calves and Achilles over long runs, and if you'd rather have a slightly lighter, lower-to-the-ground trainer than the maximal 880v15. Its DNA Loft v3 ride is smooth and reassuringly consistent, making it a great base-building and long-run shoe for recreational runners who value a quiet, predictable transition. It's the pick for runners who've historically gotten along with higher-drop trainers and don't want to adapt to a lower offset.

Head-to-Head

Start with where they're genuinely interchangeable: both ride smooth, even-tempered, and predictable rather than bouncy, both roll through the gait without an aggressive rocker, and both go a little flat the moment you ask them to sprint — their honest comfort zone is right around 5:00–6:00 min/km (8:03–9:39 min/mile). Neither has a plate; both lean on a soft-but-controlled foam and a breathable engineered-mesh upper. The differences are real but measured. The biggest is geometry: the 880v15 runs an 8mm drop, while the Ghost 17 sits at a taller 12mm — a 4mm gap that makes the Ghost's higher heel more forgiving for heel-strikers and easier on the calves and Achilles over long runs, while the 880v15's lower slope feels a touch more neutral and natural underfoot. The 880v15 also carries a taller, more maximal stack (around 40mm at the heel versus roughly 36.5mm on the Ghost), so there's noticeably more foam between you and the road on the New Balance. The trade is weight: the Ghost 17 is the lighter shoe at about 10.1 oz against the 880v15's roughly 10.7 oz in men's — not dramatic, but perceptible on a long run. The foams differ in pedigree more than in feel: New Balance's Fresh Foam X is plush and durable, Brooks' DNA Loft v3 is nitrogen-infused for a soft, controlled ride, and both end up smooth rather than springy. Fit is the last real lever — both come in multiple widths, but New Balance's 880 line is famous for an unusually broad width range, which can be the deciding factor for genuinely wide or narrow feet.