Brooks - Catamount Agil

I’ve had multiple pairs of both brands & have a pair of 1st gen Catamounts still. It’s a real hard choice, love my Catamounts. Also love my Triumphs!

I know la sportiva kaptiva and use them for technical terrain. Akasha is a strange shoe for me … only works on forefoot. I also use speedgoat 5 and like it - can’t go wrong with 5 or 6. Mafate Speed also more for technical. I have also experience with catamount 1 and catamount 3. I don‘t have any experience with saucony peregrine. Over all the catamount 3 ist for me the most interesting shoe right now: fast on forefoot, rolling in the center and a softer feel on the heel than the speedgoat. No Vibram but the rubber of the 3 feels pretty sticky. All in all a really great shoe of it‘s not muddy. If la sportiva - I would give the prodigio or jackal boa a try. More modern kind of shoe. But: depending on your weight, fitness level, and your foot …

I've been dealing with insertional Achilles tendonitis recently and similar pain at the back of the heel. The most comfortable shoe in my rotation is Salomon S/lab Pulsar. It has a soft and pliable heel counter. The second most comfortable is probably NNormal Kjerag. Also I have an old pair of Brooks Catamount, which is the 1st version of the shoe. It is pretty comfortable too.

Northeast trail runner here as well, and am all too familiar with the hunt for the perfect shoe. I’m presently in Brooks Calderas. They’re tanks, and I love them because of it. Tons of protection underfoot and toe for all those pointy rocks and roots we deal with. They’re great for eating up high mileage days, and feel light enough for shorter midweek runs. For shorter, 25k or less, races I’m using the Brooks Catamount Agil. Love those as well, they’re like a beefed up XC spike; and just make you want to go fast! Super confident footing and good toe protection as well.

I wear the Brooks Catamount and I'm really happy with it!

I used Catamounts for my 50 miler last weekend in the San Juans and they’re great, but on their last life

Im ~85kg and found that i prefer firm and responsive when running (short) races, with a not-too-stretchy upper. I think the brooks catamount could be a good option - they feel fast, stable and sturdy (i have the 2’s). The kjerags works well for me too i must say.

You might have luck with Brooks Catamount or Cascadias! They both are fairly narrow and have a protective rock plate. I also love Topo Mtn Racers- they have a wider toe box but are narrower everywhere else, and they have vibram soles with great traction. As a general heads up, I have narrow feet too and swear by heel lock lacing- it’s been a game changer and prevents a lot of heel slipping!

Go with the catamounts. Been doing so for 2.5 years. Get you a girl that can do both

I have a broad forefoot and a narrow heel. Brooks has been good to me as well as La Sportiva. Prodigo Pros and Caldera 8 is what I am working with now. For faster nimbler shoe I have been using the Catamount. Not sure about this latest version, haven't tried it.

Idk if it’s a “heavy” enough option but I’ve enjoyed backpacking in the Brooks trail shoes. I wore the catamount for a 2 day 14-mile trip through the desolation wilderness in Tahoe and loved them. No blisters and felt a lot more nimble than my buddies in hiking boots.

Brooks Catamount > Lone Peak

Hello. I come from the same issue. I had major issues with Plantar Fasciitis after running in the Speedcross and S/Lab Speed for many years. My first shoe was the Hoka Speedgoat Evo. That was an epic shoe, but sold out everywhere so quickly I only ever ran in one pair. Since then I’ve tried many similar shoes, looking for great grip, soft and bouncy ride, but good stability as I over-pronate, plus I recently developed osteoarthritisin my big toes. So, I really rate the following: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4. Good all rounder - Salomon S/lab genesis. A little narrow and unstable but speedy and shed mud quickly - La Sportiva Prodigeo Pro - great foam and good grip, lightweight. - Saucony Xodus Ultra - 1 and 3 are pretty good, ignore the 2. - Hoka Tecton X 3 - my go-to race shoe for hard packed trails and gravel I like the Speedgoat, Catamount, Fuji Lite, Ultra Glide too but they all have compromises that the shoes above don’t have in the same way.

I really love my catamounts. I did an extremely technical half marathon w/ 4500ft of gain/loss during the rain and they never slipped a single time and felt nimble all the way

I have Brooks Catamount (Both 2 & 3) and I like them a lot. They loose some spring/cushion after a few hundred miles but they still look new. I don’t know that it’s realistic to expect the foam to stay bouncy for five hundred hard miles.

I have a really narrow midfoot and heel. Like a really narrow heel and brooks has the best heel lock down, better than everything else. Even the brands known for having narrow shoes like Salomon and La Sportiva. If brooks road shoes fit you really good I’d try the caldera and catamount. Both last years models can be had for about $100. Caldera for long slow days, catamount for faster. Could be catamount for everything if you like a little bit lower to the ground shoe.

I understand the thinking behind Gore-tex shoes. If water can't get in, it also can't get out. Recipe for blisters and skin damage (in longer distances). I've run in Brooks Catamount for everything from one-hour Sunday runs to 35-milers, including several races that were insanely wet and muddy. Paired with Feetures trail socks, I've never had a single problem. They drain really well.

Oh man Catamounts were horrrrrendous for me. I used to run and hike in Cascadia 8s or 9s so when I found them on a good sale I decided to give the Catamounts a try for getting back into trail running after many years off. I could barely walk let alone run a mile and a half without getting the worst shin splints I've ever had. I used to always wear La Sportiva approach shoes for climbing so gave the Prodigios (regular, not Pro) a try and they've been amazing. To OPs question on other gear - no name Amazon shorts with a built in compression boxer 👌 no chafing and half the price of the name brands. Carefully husbanding my last two Arc'teryx Velox tees though - still to this day the best hot weather running/hiking/MTBing shirt out there imo and mine are definitely getting a bit threadbare after the 12 years or whatever I've had them. I hope when they give up the ghost I can find something else with a similar ultralight dotted/pucker weave.

I wear Brooks Ghosts on road runs.. Brooks Catamounts were a lovely transition to a trail runner. Would definitely recommend. I tried on Brooks Cascadias, but they were a little too bulky for my liking

Your 10k time is pretty fast - you can get more racing style trail shoes built short fast trail races . The brooks catamount is an example of that . ( I know this because I’m racing a trail half in July and looking for something !) However you’ll wear the lugs out more quickly on the road hence if it’s basic trail , dry and not technical - and more road - you might be better off just wearing your normal racing shoes and saving a few quid .

I’m in the rocky/rooty Southeast and primarily run in my Brooks Cascadias, and for smoother/faster stuff switch to the Catamounts. Love them.

001 for the Long Haul, Brooks Catamount for the quick dirt, Salomon S/Lab Genesis when I want some cushion and it’s not wet (for some reason that contragrip doesn’t grip on the VT mountains with even the littlest bit of moisture), 002 sometimes but not often

I weigh the same as you and I found I prefer foams that feel rather firm at first because they then break in to feel great. For road running and trail running Brooks and ascics typically fit the bill. I trained for my first ultra in brooks catamounts and loved them for their grip in all conditions and comfort on my feet for 30 miles even without a crazy stack height.

I’m shocked. I run trails in the Catalinas and Rincons half the year and I tear through my Brooks Catamounts in like 200 miles. I need to try these.

Indeed. E.g. Brooks Cascadia is one of the worst shoes I ever had (for me) which is ranking higher than one of my favorites (Brooks Catamount)

I picked up some Gel Trabucos here recently and love them. Other shoes I have been wearing are xodus ultras, mtn racers and brooks catamount. Fit wise I love them, they feel stable and enough cushion while not being clunky like my catamounts.

Big fan of Brooks Catamount. You can usually find last years models at deep discounts. Great all arounder.

Amazing on all types of terrain. Hard rock, mud, hard trail. You name it, Cascadia can do it. It's my big mountain shoe, with Catamount being my daily hard trail lap shoe.

Brooks Catamount. They can do anything. Amazing shoe. (Also PNW)