Males’s Brooks Cascadia 18 Evaluation

Backside Line

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are versatile, snug, and breathable and a few of our favourite males’s mountaineering sneakers constructed for lengthy miles on established trails. These sneakers are one in every of our favorites at CleverHiker: we’ve logged over 6,000 miles on America’s most scenic trails in these sneakers, together with the PCT, CDT, the Pinhoti Path, and sections of the Colorado Path. Weighing solely 11 ounces per shoe, they stability sturdiness and agility properly due to strong traction and springy foam midsoles that make it a breeze to deal with numerous terrains.

Nonetheless, the Cascadias are much less sturdy than different mountaineering sneakers, particularly on tough routes, because the skinny higher mesh can develop holes after 400 miles. With a heel-to-toe drop of 8mm, they provide glorious cushioning, however on the expense of floor really feel. When you’re on the lookout for light-weight footwear for a summer season of path runs, day hikes, and long-distance backpacking, these are an incredible alternative.

Consolation

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are snug out of the field and require virtually no break-in time. Their cosy match and easy, efficient lacing system is a profitable mixture that makes these one in every of our favorites for lengthy days. The Cascadias really feel safe all day without having to re-tie your laces each few hours. These sneakers stand out for his or her glorious lateral stability, making them really feel agile and strong on most terrain and obstacles.

We’re additionally large followers of their breathable mesh uppers that maintain your toes cool and dry, which is particularly noticeable throughout intense exercise and sizzling climate. Their versatile uppers permit for pure foot flexion, and the froth midsoles create plush cushioning whether or not you’re working quick downhill on pavement or backpacking slowly uphill. 

The Cascadias have a couple of downsides in terms of consolation, although. This model of the Cascadias has a inflexible inner plastic liner beneath its smooth ankle cuff that may rub towards ankles over time, resulting in potential ache and irritation on longer outings. And the skinny tongue doesn’t present a lot cushioning, which we actually really feel on the highest of the foot after 15+ mile days. 

The laces, whereas efficient initially, are likely to stiffen over a couple of hundred miles, and generally is a bit cumbersome to string and tie. And, the 8 mm heel-to-toe drop is on the excessive finish in terms of assist, which could not swimsuit everybody’s biomechanics or wants.

Traction

The Brooks Cascadia 18s have first rate traction due to their sticky rubber outsoles and knobby multidirectional lugs. This tread sample grips surfaces properly throughout ascents due to their triangular tread on the toe and forefoot and offers dependable braking on the heel on descents, making the Cascadias really feel particularly steady on trails with plenty of ups and downs. The Cascadia 18s traction makes them preferrred for tackling a wide range of path circumstances for sustaining a gentle tempo and preserving glorious management.

Though the thick foam midsoles present nice consolation, this quantity of froth reduces your total floor really feel and diminishes the sensory suggestions wanted to regulate your stride and discover good foot placement on technical routes. The lugs on these sneakers are additionally a bit shallow, limiting how efficient they’re on slick rocks, steep filth trails, and moist surfaces the place deeper traction issues. We additionally discovered that the tread sturdiness will not be as sturdy as different path trainers, so chances are you’ll need to keep away from rugged terrain otherwise you’ll danger faster put on and have much less efficient grip over time.

Weight

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are a number of the lightest mountaineering sneakers we’ve examined, weighing in at only one pound, six ounces for the pair. Due to their mesh woven uppers, skinny TPU overlays, and light-weight foam midsoles, the Cascadias’ low weight will make you are feeling agile all day lengthy and cut back each foot and leg fatigue throughout lengthy days.

The con of such a featherlight shoe is that the Cascadia 18s aren’t very sturdy. Nonetheless, in case your high precedence in a mountaineering shoe is gentle weight for quick motion throughout lengthy summer season adventures, the Cascadias are a winner.

Sturdiness

The Cascadias have plenty of options that give them added sturdiness. Skinny TPU overlays reinforce essential areas just like the toe, sides, and heel to offer further safety towards typical path obstacles like filth, roots, and bramble. The rubber tread extends over a portion of the toe for further resistance towards scuffs and impacts from rocky terrain, and the laces are textured, flat, and long-lasting. We additionally just like the Velcro gaiter attachment on the heel (gaiters offered individually) to assist maintain particles out of the shoe and decrease abrasion on the mesh uppers whereas mountaineering.

However, there’s no manner round it: the Cascadia 18s aren’t our first decide for sturdiness. They’re at first path runners, in order that they’re meant to be gentle, quick, and ethereal and aren’t corresponding to burly mountaineering sneakers with leather-based uppers, thick outsoles, and protecting options. The mesh uppers are liable to blowing out across the toe space after roughly 400 miles of use – however that quantity is way decrease in the event you’re mountaineering technical terrain. Additionally, the tread on these sneakers doesn’t final particularly lengthy, with the lugs sporting down inside 300 miles, diminishing their grip, and the smooth heel cuff wears down rapidly with common on/off.

Climate Resistance

One in every of our favourite issues in regards to the Cascadia 18s is that they dry rapidly and supply stellar air flow. Their woven mesh uppers are glorious at dumping warmth and expelling moisture, in order that they’re preferrred for mountaineering and working on sizzling days with sweaty toes. They’re additionally an incredible alternative for hikes with plenty of water crossings since they dry a lot of the manner inside solely 30-40 minutes after being absolutely submerged in water – though they’ll take longer to dry in climates with excessive humidity and decrease elevation. And, the gaiter attachment on the heel is a sensible characteristic to maintain particles, rocks, and water out of your sneakers.

Nonetheless, the Cascadia 18s aren’t weather-resistant and tackle water rapidly because of their mesh uppers. You’ll need to look elsewhere in the event you’re mountaineering in shoulder seasons or colder circumstances the place your toes may get chilly and moist simply. Their lack of insulation and waterproofing means they received’t maintain toes heat in colder climate, so that you’ll need to maintain these solely for summer season adventures.

Ought to You Purchase the Brooks Cascadia 18?

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are comfortable, steady, and responsive sneakers good for path runners, day hikers, and long-distance backpackers. When you’re on the lookout for strong all-around footwear that’s light-weight, versatile, and breathable to knock out in depth mileage on established trails, the Cascadias are for you. With over 6,000 miles logged by our staff on trails throughout the nation, these sneakers have confirmed their consolation, performance, and dependability for years. They provide a stability of durability and agility, making them good for nearly any journey on a path, from deserts to forests and past. 

Nonetheless, the Cascadia 18s aren’t probably the most sturdy sneakers, so we don’t advocate them in the event you’re heading off-trail or into particularly rugged terrain. Whereas they’re extremely gentle and breathable, the higher mesh is vulnerable to wreck and doesn’t maintain up properly via bushwhacks, scree, and rocky trails in comparison with mountaineering sneakers with sturdy leather-based uppers or strengthened toes and heels. We additionally discover they’ve much less floor really feel than different path runners, which may be a problem for navigating obstacles. However in the event you’re on the lookout for a dependable, versatile, and well-rounded path shoe for working and mountaineering, the Cascadia 18s will maintain your toes pleased.

What Different Climbing Sneakers Ought to You Take into account?

Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 Evaluation:  The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 are simply as versatile and comfortable because the Cascadias, with a equally ethereal and light-weight design due to gentle, breathable mesh uppers. Nonetheless, the Ultraventure 3s have a roomier toe field for pure foot flexion and a lacing system positioned larger on the foot for a extra personalized match.

HOKA Speedgoat 5 Evaluation: When you just like the comfortable soles, springy really feel, and steady trip of the Cascadia 18s, the Speedgoat 5s take these options to the subsequent stage. Just like the Cascadias, the Speedgoats supply unmatched consolation and agility however have a decrease heel-to-toe drop with probably the most foam cushioning of any path runner we’ve examined.

Saucony Peregrine 14 Evaluation: The Peregrines are a really shut competitor to the Cascadias with their equally light-weight development, breathable uppers, and superior versatility on path. Nonetheless, the Peregrines have a extra aggressive lug sample that provides higher traction and fewer foam via the midsole for higher floor really feel.