ShoeGeometry

Brooks Ghost 18 vs Nike Downshifter 14

Two shoes compared on measured geometry. Each cell carries a provenance badge; open a shoe for sources.

heel boneBrooks Ghost 18: heel 36 mm, forefoot 26 mm (drop 10 mm); toe rocker 33 % of length, radius 41 % of length; heel bevel 6 % of length, 14 mm high at the back, ending behind the heel bone (only the back edge is rounded).Brooks Ghost 18: toe rocker 33 % of lengthNike Downshifter 14: heel 34 mm, forefoot 23 mm (drop 11 mm); toe rocker not measured, typical shape drawn; heel bevel 13 % of length (height not measured), ending about under the heel bone.
  • Brooks Ghost 1836/26 mm · toe rocker 33 % · heel bevel 6 %
  • Nike Downshifter 1434/23 mm · toe rocker not measured · heel bevel 13 %
Illustrative profiles, not photographs: drawn from published stack heights and photo estimates of the unloaded shoes on a common length (300 mm), heels aligned, toe to the left; dots mark where each toe rocker starts; the dotted vertical line is under the heel bone (12 % of length), so a heel curve reaching past it is a bevel in front of the heel bone. Dotted lines use typical values where a shoe has no measurement. Exact values are in the table below.

Which suits you

If you wantPickBecause
A smoother roll at toe-offBrooks Ghost 1836.6 vs 27.7 mm toe tip
More cushioning under the heelBrooks Ghost 1836 vs 33.9 mm heel stack
A lower dropBrooks Ghost 1810 vs 11 mm drop
A stiffer, snappier forefootAbout the same22 vs 17 /100 stiffness
A firmer, more stable feelAbout the same77 vs 77 /100 firmness
A wider base under the forefootBrooks Ghost 18115.7 vs 111.9 mm forefoot base

From the values below, with differences inside measurement noise shown as about the same. This describes the shoes, not what is right for your feet; comfort in the first few runs decides.

MetricBrooks Ghost 18
Daily trainer · Road
Nike Downshifter 14
Daily trainer · Road
Heel-to-toe drop10 mmStated11 mmMeasured
Heel stack36 mmStated33.9 mmMeasured
Forefoot stack26 mmStated—
Weight289 gStated358 gStated
Toe rocker33 %est.—
Rocker radius41 %est.—
Rocker rise angle28 degest.—
Rocker angle at toe60 degest.—
Toe tip over ground37 mm*est.28 mm*est.
Visible rocker lift onset79.1 %est.—
Toe spring (relative)17.4 %est.—
Heel bevel length6.1 %*est.12.8 %est.
Heel bevel height14 mm*est.—
Midsole width (forefoot)115.7 mmMeasured111.9 mmMeasured
Midsole width (heel)95.9 mmMeasured89.7 mmMeasured
Interior forefoot width96 mmMeasured91.2 mmMeasured
Toebox width70.6 mmMeasured71.3 mmMeasured
Longitudinal stiffness22Derived17Derived
Midsole firmness77Derived77Derived
PlateNo plateNo plate
Primary foamDNA Loft v3EVA foam
List price$150$80

Key differences

  • Brooks Ghost 18's heel-to-toe drop is 10 mm, 1 mm lower than Nike Downshifter 14's 11 mm.
  • Brooks Ghost 18's heel stack is 36 mm, 2.1 mm thicker than Nike Downshifter 14's 33.9 mm.
  • Brooks Ghost 18's weight is 289 g, 69 g lighter than Nike Downshifter 14's 358 g.

Read more about both shoes

We measure the shape. For how they feel over many miles, and for lab tests of cushioning, grip and fit:

Brooks Ghost 18

Nike Downshifter 14

Independent sites; we are not affiliated with them.

Brooks Ghost 18 details · Nike Downshifter 14 details · Add more shoes