Cascadia 11 GTX

I am a similar size runner. 6’2” and 185. A bit of a heal striker. I really like Brooks Caldera and Cascadias. The Caldera have a bit more cushion. 100s of miles on a pair of Cascadia 11s that I wore until they disintegrated last year. Just bought the Calderas and I really like them. I find the Cascadias a little more narrow in the toes than the Caldera. Both work well in a number of different conditions.

Brooks Divides are considered road to trail shoes.  I actually do the same thing but I bought a dedicated pair of Brooks cascadia GTX as my vacation running and everyday shoes/boots. 

I ran with GTX brooks cascadia shoes, ankle gaiters, and kathoola exospikes when I lived in New England. Worked great. Feet were warm and dry while I always felt sure footed.

I ran through the winter in New England, and I did fine with Brooks Cascadia with goretex and ankle gaiters, along with kahtoola exospikes. My feet generally stay pretty warm, so insulation wasn’t necessary.

I'm happy with the Brooks Cascadia GTX, no longer fear the wet morning grass. For winter I more often turn to Oboz Sawtooth II Low and have older mids for deeper snow.

I’ve had GTX versions of the Brooks Cascadia and Saucony Peregrines, both great shoes with good grip.

Same here I got the last year model cascadia gortex on sale and they have been a hell of a solid trail shoe and the gortex keeps me dry and warm even during my Canadian winter

I wear my Brooks trail running shoes when the course is wet. They are Gore-Tex, so great for wet turf, but still let my feet breathe, unlike some waterproof golf shoes.

I like the mud as well but the high alpine is closed until June! Love the NNormal, these are the Tomir 2, didn't really like the first model which had a weird-ish fit but these are my favorite trail shoes ever. Super comfortable with great durability. I have 800+km on them now and feel like they can keep going for at least 1/3 more. Only shoe as durable I've owned were an older model of Brooks Cascadia that are now long gone.

I had a few pairs of Hokas and enjoyed them but durability is a major issue. Same thing with Salomon really. My only durable shoe in the pas has been a pair of Brooks Cascadia. Today I've moved on to NNormal Tomir 02 and I find much more comfort, grip and durability than Hokas - just a thought! On to my third pair!

Most people are fine starting with any trail running shoes. See what’s on sale and fits and start there. Brooks Cascadia are a nice place to start, but it depends on what’s comfortable for your foot shape. I only wear boots for snow now and average probably 500 miles a year.

Try them on first. The soles are so padded and thick they are a little unstable on steep rocky trails. They are so cushy they can make me trip walking on a sidewalk if I’m not accustomed to them. I bought a pair and they stayed in a closet after one use. Later, I had a severe painful sprain which took 6-months to heal and they were a godsend because the softness helped me be active while healing. They are weird shoes and very very soft.

Most trail runners dry super fast. When temps are above 25°F or so, wool socks will keep your feet warm in trail runners even when a little damp. Shoes that dry fast are better than shoes that advertise being waterproof but never dry if they do get wet, and retain tons of sweat in all 4 seasons.

I hike around 1500 miles per year on steep rocky trails (I live next to a mountain). I only wear trail runners because many are durable, affordable, light, and breathe well. If they get wet, they dry fast too. “Hiking” shoes are always hot and heavy in comparison. Wearing boots will make your ankles weak, just wear light shoes that fit well, breathe well, and have good grip. My favorites are Brooks Cascadia and Merrell Nova. Trail runners have a lot of variety. Many are ultra light and fall apart. Many are so cushioned that you can’t feel the ground under your feet and the soles are so pillowy you’ll trip. Some are waterproof/gore so they are super hot and sweaty and never dry if they do get wet. Try them on at a store and get a feel for what is “just right.”