Cascadia Series

I just took my new Brooks Cascadia 19 out for their maiden voyage and I really enjoyed them. I had a pair of the 17s that I did not enjoy at all— too stiff, too clunky, no energy return— but the 19s are a huge improvement. They fit my feet well, have a moderate drop (6mm; 6-8mm is ideal for me), the uppers are super comfy, and they are so, so stable. I have ankle tendon issues (yes, I am diligently working on them with strength and balance training) so stability is super important for me, especially on trails.

I decided to try Trabucos after running in Cascadias for a few years and I think I’ll be going back to Cascadia. Despite the length of the Trabucos being good I find I have to do the laces up really tight otherwise I feel like I’m sliding around in the shoe even with a heel lock, got bruises from the tight laces during my last ultra.

The toe box thing is interesting - I found the Cascadias pretty roomy too when I tried them on. Maybe it's just how different foot shapes interact with the shoe design For a 5-day 33 mile trek I'd probably lean toward the extra cushioning of the Cascadias, especially if you're coming from the 15s and liked them. Your feet are gonna thank you on day 4 when you still have some padding left under there

Where the hell can you find Cascadia 17s or 18s for sale in a 10 nowadays?? I would trade my 19s for one of the previous two models in a heartbeat

I’ve been dragging a couple of Cascadia 18s through the worst and they hold up pretty well. But deffo not as durable as taking the glycerin for an easy ride around the block.

Lemme throw in the brooks cascadia. A bit of a firmer trail runner, perfect when things get a bit technical or when you don’t know what to expect. In the latest version they kinda merged the caldera logic a bit into the shoe, meaning the sole got a bit softer whit means it’s a perfect compromise of technically sharp and soft enough for very long runs. I tried the caldera as well. Loved everything about it. Just, the toebox was too narrow (to my very surprise) which lead to blisters on longer runs.