Brooks Ghost Max 2 vs On Cloudmonster 2

Today, I will compare the On CloudMonster 2 and the Brooks Ghost Max 2 regarding fit, comfort, and ability to walk, run, and stand all day.

The first thing we’ll talk about is stack height, so that’s the amount of pushing the shoe in the Cloudmonster 2. You’ve got 35mm at the rearfoot and 29mm at the forefoot, which gives you a 6mm drop, and then in the Ghost Max 2, you’ve got a little bit more stack height, so you’ve got 39 mm at the rearfoot 33mm at the forefoot, and that gives you a 6mm drop. It’s slightly heavier in the Ghost Max 2, roughly around 309g for men size 9 us and 295g for women’s size 9 US in the Cloudmonster 2.

Then, in terms of the cushioning, that’s where they start to get different. In the Brooks Ghost Max 2, you’ve got the DNA Loft V3 Midsole, so that gives you a relatively firm ride but has a little bit of compliancy to it, so when we think about the cushion, we think about compliance and resilience means that’s quite bouncy and pushes back like a spring if it’s compliant you sink into it like a sponge or walking on a cloud. Hence, it’s super soft, with less feedback and a bit more compliant cushioning. The Brooks Ghost Max 2 is a little firmer overall in the On Cloud, which has its Helion cushioning and a new dual-density midsole with a TPU plate rather than a carbon fibre plate.

The plate adds extra stiffness, so it’s really hard to bend the shoe, whereas you can see in the Ghost Max 2 you have lots of flexibility in the toebox, so what you get is a much firmer ride with a Cloudmonster, too. So that’s walking, and for running, what we found with this midsole is that it’s a little bit better for more uptempo runs with the Cloudmonster 2, so faster runs, higher pace. In contrast, the Brooks is a bit more over cruiser, excellent for slow controlled runs over time, with longer slogs, or for walking for long periods.

Regarding the stability of the shoes, we classify the Brooks as a stable neutral, meaning they’re classified as neutral shoes with some stability elements. It’s a bit more stable in the Brooks, and they provide that stability by having sidewalls from the heel to the midfoot. Now, you think of sidewalls as guide rails in a bowling alley. They keep your foot centred in the shoe. As you move in the forefoot, they have some nice sole flare. Hence, the sole comes out a little bit further than where your foot sits in the bed, giving it broader base support, and that provides an extra bit of stability.

Now, the sidewalls are also found in the Cloudmonster 2. Both shoes are excellent for when you’re standing. It cradles the foot and gives you that nice bit of support. Still, it doesn’t have as much sole flare on the On Cloud, so it’s just not as stable. It doesn’t have as broad over the base as the Ghost Max 2, so it is a little bit less stable but still a relatively stable shoe and more on the stable end of a neutral than a neutral only.

Then, as we move up into the upper part of the shoe, both shoes are super roomy, so for other brands, such as the Hoka, I tend to need to get a wider version as it’s too snug on the forefoot. It’s not an issue with the Brooks or the Cloudmonster here; they are super roomy and true to size, so I don’t need to size up for these, but they are slightly different when it comes to the cushioning and the padding, especially in the tongue.

As you can see, the Ghost Max 2 has a really padded tongue, whereas the Cloud Monster 2 has a super thin tongue. On the Cloud Monster 2, we found a little bit of extra pressure on the front of our ankle when we locked down the laces because it lacked that padding, so if you’ve any history of issues with that, you might find it a little bit uncomfortable.

Secondly, the heel counter is super stiff in the Brooks, which is what we’d expect as it provides the extra bit of stability to make up for the unstable aspect of having a high stack. However, there is a lot of motion available in the heel counter on the CloudMonster 2. Now, it’s not completely collapsible, but it’s not as stable as what you have in the Brooks, so you’re losing that little bit of extra stability in the upper in contrast to the Brooks Ghost Max 2.

So overall, you’ve got some differences in the upper, and both shoes have different cushioning. Both are excellent options for walking and standing all day, I’d say, with the Cloudmonster 2, if you’re looking for a maximal cushion shoe to do uptempo runs then is the perfect shoe for you. If you’re looking for a cruiser, I look at the Brooks Ghost Max 2 for those long, slow, or nice, steady runs. If you have any questions about the shoes, please leave them in the comment section.

If you’re interested in more max cushion shoes, check out our latest review on the Brooks Glycerin Max, a shoe that Brooks believes will change the Max Cushion industry.