The BioMoGo midsoles felt significantly firmer than my Altra midsoles. I expected this to change after a short break-in period, but the firmness remained. From a pure comfort perspective, I prefer a softer midsole, but foresee the slightly harsh Cascadia ride to benefit long-term durability and foot protection. Brooks describes the upper as a “New engineered monoloop mesh, and 3D Fit Print upper [to] increase breathability and speed up dry time,” which is one of the few changes from the previous Cascadia 14 model. Canice: The Cascadia is one of the iconic shoes in the history of trail running and as crazy as it is, this was the first time I have run in the Cascadia. We’re now on version 15 and the shoe has evolved nicely over the years. When you first slip a pair on you’ll notice the shoe is soft and flexible and has a very roomy toe box. I found the shoe to fit true to size, has a good heel hold but is a little loose over the instep. John Tribbia (5' 6", 130lbs) is a former sponsored mountain/trail runner who has run with La Sportiva, Brooks/Fleet Feet, Pearl Izumi, and Salomon. Even though he competes less frequently these days, you can still find John enjoying the daily grind of running on any surface, though his favorite terrain is 30-40% grade climbs. He has won races such as America's Uphill, Imogene Pass Run, and the US Skyrunner Vertical Kilometer Series; and he's held several FKTs on several iconic mountains in Boulder, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah. If you follow him on Strava , you'll notice he runs at varying paces between 5 minutes/mile to 12 minutes/mile before the break of dawn almost everyday. Jeff V: The Caldera 4 has a very similar upper in regard to material, but the Caldera has a wider, more relaxed fit that makes it more suited to moderate to mellow terrain than the Cascadia. Cushioning is also softer and more ample, though traction and overall technical performance does not match the Cascadia.

According to the reviewers who tested the shoe, this new Brooks Cascadia offers the perfect combination of comfort, protection, and bounce. Jeff V: The mesh upper is, as John states, is very similar in construction to the Caldera 4 which has proven to be very durable over time. However, to achieve this, Brooks removed the lugs from under the midfoot. In the end, testers didn’t notice it much: there wasn’t a moment when they thought it was missing. So let’s see in the long term how opinions converge. Interestingly, Nike’s Terra Kiger 7 has gone the other way: it now includes lugs under the midfoot, which was not the case in previous versions.This mesh upper is much like the Brooks Caldera 4’s (left above) and since I have already put 500 miles on those shoes without incident I know this material is top quality. John: As Canice points out, the midsole is designed to give greater stability. To determine if that’s true, I took these up and down a steep and technical trail. I felt in complete control laterally and ankle rolls were non-existent. The width is the first thing that stands out by giving sufficient counter to ensure an ankle roll is unlikely. And don’t worry about being on a bandwagon. We all have our preferences, and old habits die hard. Especially when it comes to footwear. Pivot Post Stability: Ever wonder if those two colorful triangles on Cascadia midsoles do anything besides look cool? Yeah, me too. Turns out they are the Pivot Post system, which adds stability on uneven terrain.

The Cascadia 16 has a purpose again thanks to this year’s updates, but there are a lot of trail shoes on the market and in my opinion, the Cascadia fills a narrow need as a protective, stiff shoe. Cascadia 16 fits great Sorry Josh, just seeing this a year later! 😊 I think the 14 and 15 are so similar, I would suggest a 14 at sale price. That said (now a year on), the upcoming 16 blows them both away and certainly worthy of consideration (8/1/21 release). Of course you will soon be able to get the 15 at a sale price, but would spring the extra money on the 16 personally. While the midsole cushioning is softer, testers still note a hint of firmness. Clearly, on a scale of one to ten, with one being very firm and ten very soft, we are on six. The arch support is sufficient to be comfortable during long runs, regardless of your arch type. Are you running in either the Brooks Cascadia 15 or the Brooks Cascadia 15 GTX? Leave a comment to share your thoughts on either or both shoe models. The two big stand out impressions I had when I first tried the Cascadia 15 is that the toe box is great and there’s not a lot of cushion in the shoe. I had always envisioned the Cascadia as being more of an all around trail shoe so I was expecting something more substantial under foot but the Cascadia has a lot more ground feel than I would have guessed.The upper uses tightly woven engineered mesh to keep water out. However, it’s also breathable enough. The Brooks Cascadia 16 is available in GTXfor more optimal protection from the water, and there’s a velcro attachment point if you plan to use gaiters. My one complaint is that my feet kept on sliding forward in the shoe, cramming my toes in the toe box (especially my big toe), which eventually caused some blisters. If you hadn’t noticed, Brooks has been dropping some great updates and new shoes in its trail line. The Catamount is a new flashy speedster, the Divide provides some promise as an entry-level trail shoe, and the Caldera has a plush and smooth ride.

As for the cushioning, I think it falls more into the firmer category, but it does not make for an uncomfortable experience. I am disappointed with the amount of pop and energy return from the midsole, but the comfort more than makes up for this inconvenience. Gone are the days of a slow medial-post construction as well. The shoe is still extremely stable, thanks to its slightly wider base, but ultimately removing the post is a smart move. Canice: The classic Cascadia feature and arguably the number one feature Brooks talks up for the Cascadia is the “Pivot Post” system. John: Adding to Jeff’s comparison, the Caldera 4 is suitable as a road to trail hybrid and has a more running oriented ride. In my lone critique of the Cascadia 15’s ride, I mention that the shoe doesn’t “spring off” and the Caldera 4 is where you can find a more runnable shoe in the Brooks line. I am a big fan of bold, bright colorways on shoes that have really cool names like Citron Mutant. The Brooks Cascadia 15s don't have a lot going on in the style department.Brooks has a history and reputation of making well-built, high-end, reliable running footwear, and this is no exception. iRunFar’s Trail Running Shoe Archive: 2016-2019 Releases Here at iRunFar, for the most part, we’ve been publishing two articles outlining each season’s new trail running shoes (and […]... The grip is also top-notch. Even if some reviewers note that the profile of the lugs (medium depth) may not be suitable in some rare cases (really technical terrain, such as mud), not much to complain about here.

The 3mm lugs allow for running on a variety of surfaces, including a pretty comfortable pavement experience when needed. Conclusion It’s the dry season in the Pacific Northwest, and so I didn’t get all of the opportunities to test these shoes in the nasty winter conditions I was hoping for. One should also note the universal gaiter loops and durable lacing. Again, besides the restrictive feeling in the toes, this shoe is well constructed. Midsole New Mesh Upper: The big update for this model manifests itself in the new upper. Specifically, monoloop mesh works in tandem with added mudguard slots to improve breathability and drainage over previous models. I went out of my way to test these claims by jumping in every puddle or creek I could find and was pleasantly impressed by the dry-out time. I know good breathability when I feel it, and these Cascadia 15s breathe as well as any of them. Upper durability is always a huge question mark when it comes to thru-hiking footwear. With only 150 miles on my pair, the jury is still out. This year’s Cascadia 15 resembles the previous version in almost every way, which makes sense– only real update is an enhanced upper.

Typically, I like a firmer trail shoe that has some rigidity, but these did not have any rebound or energy return. It felt like a very flat ride without any spring to the toe-off.