Brooks Ghost 18 vs Asics Gel-Cumulus 28
Two shoes people weigh up against each other constantly. Here is what actually separates them, taken from the same database that drives the Shoe Finder quiz, with nothing added by hand. The short version: the Brooks Ghost 18 has the higher heel at 12mm against 8mm, the Asics Gel-Cumulus 28 is 37g lighter.
Side by side
| Brooks Ghost 18 | Asics Gel-Cumulus 28 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £135 RRP | £139.99 RRP |
| Type | Everyday trainer | Everyday trainer |
| Support | Neutral | Neutral |
| Weight | 289g | 252g |
| Heel drop | 12mm | 8mm |
| Heel stack | 36mm | 41mm |
| Widths | Standard, wide and 4E | Standard, wide and 4E |
| Plate | None | None |
What the differences mean
Weight
The Asics Gel-Cumulus 28 is 37g lighter, at 252g against 289g. As a rough guide every 100g costs about one percent in running economy, so 37g is worth a fraction of a percent. You will feel it more than it costs you, and it counts for more on a fast 5k than on a slow long run.
Heel drop
This is the real difference. The Brooks Ghost 18 has a 12mm drop and the Asics Gel-Cumulus 28 has 8mm. A higher heel asks less of your achilles and calf and more of your knee, and a lower one does the opposite. If you get regular trouble at one of those, pick accordingly. If you get none, pick whichever is closer to what you already run in, because changing drop suddenly is the most reliable way to give yourself a new problem.
Feel underfoot
The Asics Gel-Cumulus 28 is the softer ride. The other sits in the middle. Preference rather than performance.
How long they last
The Brooks Ghost 18 is built to take more mileage. If one pair is doing all your running, that is worth more than it sounds, because cost per mile matters more than the price on the box.
Price
Within about £5 of each other at full price, so this is not the thing to decide on. Whichever happens to be discounted on the day is the better buy.
Which should you buy?
Neither, until you have tried both on. Fit decides more than any specification on this page, and the two shoes above are close enough that a foot shape will separate them faster than a spreadsheet will.
Brooks Ghost 18
The safe, do everything trainer. If you are unsure what to buy, start here.
Asics Gel-Cumulus 28
Softer and cheaper than the Nimbus. A sensible first proper running shoe.
Or let the quiz decide
This page compares two shoes. The shoe finder compares all 104 of them against your width, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute.