Shoe Of The Week: Brooks Cascadia 10

The Cascadia has undergone numerous tweaks and reconfigurations over the past decade, but the most recent changes have helped make it a better and more versatile shoe. Most notably, this well-cushioned and very protective shoe has a new seamless mesh upper that features a free-floating midfoot webbing and a TPU-reinforced saddle that offer a more locked-down fit than previous versions of this shoe. The other big change is the smaller lug pattern around the perimeter of the outsole and the decoupled design of the shoe’s four pivot points—a feature that allows this shoe to be much more agile on technical terrain. A forefoot rock shield alleviates underfoot “stingers” and allows this shoe to chew up gnarly terrain without hesitation. Our wear-testers loved the tacky outsole rubber and reported that it provided great traction on all types of terrain. “The wetter and snowier, and more technical, the better for these guys. I love the lack of ‘slip factor’ on these on more technical terrain,” wear-tester Dave Butler reported. Our consensus was that this is one of the most versatile trail shoes out there, able to run smoothly over mild trails and dirt paths but also able to hold its own over gnarly terrain. That’s mostly a good thing, although the drawback is that it’s not exceptionally agile or super light. “The ride felt secure, but a tad unforgiving,” said wear-tester Casey Blaine. “These are not overly agile, which—depending on the trail and your goals—might be a very reasonable trade-off for their stability and ability to attack tough terrain.”

This is the shoe for you if … You’re looking for a cushioned trainer that is at home on a mix of mild to very technical terrain.

Price: $120
Weights: 11.6 oz. (men’s), 9.6 oz. (women’s)
Heel-toe offset: 10mm; 27mm (heel), 17mm (forefoot)
Info: Brooksrunning.com

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