Brooks Cascadia Elite Review
By Matthew Klein
Brooks Cascadia ElitePrice: $274.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9.5 oz, 266 g (men's size 9 / women's size 10.5)
Stack Height: 40 mm heel / 34 mm forefoot (30 mm / 24 mm midsole only)
Drop: 6 mm
Shoe Purpose: Super Trail Racing Shoe
Pros: Secure fit, stable ride, efficient rolling ride, fast on smooth trails
Cons: Stiff heel counter, poor traction on slick and steep terrain
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Brooks Cascadia Elite is a super trail shoe for those who want a snappy, stable ride for long distance workouts and races. A slightly wider, but lower volume woven MATRYX upper provides solid security and mild water resistance to keep feet dry. A full length DNA GOLD PEBA midsole combined with a carbon-infused pebax plate provide protection from terrain and a snappy/bouncy ride that responds well over longer and faster efforts. A wide base and sidewalls provide a stable neutral ride while a rocker geometry helps roll you along best on smooth trails and somewhat on steeper terrain. A highly protective, ultramarathon super shoe, the Brooks Cascadia Elite comes out of the gate rivaling the best in this category.
SIMILAR SHOES: Hoka Rocket X Trail
PAST MODEL: New Model
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Brooks Cascadia Elite fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The Matryx upper fits slightly wider width and a normal volume. The overlays at the toe box create structure and cause a little taper up front. This continues into a wider forefoot that has plenty of room and structure. The end of the laces initially went forward and pinched a tiny bit of the top of my foot but this disappeared after 2-3 miles. The midfoot is easy to secure thanks to the tongue being integrated with the upper and the Kevlar fibers great a locked in fit without being too stiff. The tongue has some mild padding with easily protects from the laces, so it is easy to lock the laces down for a secure fit. The heel has a mild booty construction that easily fits around the ankle. Most of the heel is flexible except the heel counter, which is thin but extremely stiff. This greatly irritated my Halgund Deformity and made it difficult for me to wear these. It took almost 3 weeks to ease into these before I could get miles in them. Once I did, it was better and the heel is held securely in place thanks to both extra padding and the counter. However, all runs have resulted in heel irritation, so those with Haglund deformities or insertional Achilles tendinopathy will not do well. The internal structure of the upper requires socks, so sockless running should not be attempted with this shoe. Despite some of the stiffness, the security is quite good thanks to the above-mentioned overlays and Kevlar strands. Turning, sliding on mud and quick footwork all had my feet feeling secure. If not for the heel counter, this would be one of my favorite trail uppers.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Hoka Gaviota 6, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Saucony Azura, Salomon Aero Glide 3
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: High / Above Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Brooks Cascadia Elite is a super trail racing shoe for long distance workouts and long distance trail racing. The midsole is full-length DNA GOLD (PEBA) with a carbon-infused PEBAX plate. The combination of the plate, full length Vibram outsole and the midsole provide a cushioned and snappy ride. The midsole has plenty of protection but is more responsive and stable than it is soft. Even over longer miles, the resilient foam holds its shape and does not bottom out or firm up. It also does not soften, maintaining a controlled and bouncy feel regardless of the mileage. The weight sits in an average spot for trail super shoes, coming in at 9.5 oz for a men's size 9 and 10.2 oz for my men's size 10. This makes the shoe feel solid and protective, but not light enough to feel like an aggressive road racing shoe. This is what keeps it comfortable for hiking, easy pace running and faster running. So it mixes the comfortable lighter trainer weight with a solid shoe that holds up over long miles.
There is a 6mm drop, which feels lower if you load the heel. Fortunately, the rocker profile works well to roll you forward and helps reduce most of the calf stress. The heel transition is smooth on trail thanks to the bevel and the foam that compresses well and quickly. The heel rolls you forward quickly through the midfoot and off the longer forefoot rocker. There is no flexibility to the forefoot and the only mild toe spring shoe would for those with toe mobility deficits. The forefoot feels stable, slightly snappy but comfortable thanks to the quick but easy roll. This feels great both at slower speeds but comes alive most at uptempo and tempo-type efforts.
I have used the Brooks Cascadia Elite for a variety of trail efforts and even a few road miles. The Vibram outsole grips well on most surfaces, including dry/wet road, gravel, bark chips (many of the trails around me) and dry/damp dirt. The lugs are smaller but grip well on these surfaces. In soft or watery mud, this shoe struggles as the lugs are not deep enough to create traction, so more difficult soft terrain may be challenging. On rocky terrain, the Vibram outsole grips extremely well and I have had no trouble traversing more technical areas. Pace-wise, the Cascadia Elite is best for longer and faster efforts. Sprinting in this shoe feels odd and I have found short hill repeats to feel a bit awkward due to the larger size of the shoe and the larger forefoot rocker. During uptempo and tempo efforts, getting into a rhythm is so smooth and feels fantastic. Hammering through rolling and flatter terrain is what this shoe is best for. On shorter or long mild climbs this shoe is great and downhill efforts are a breeze as long as they are not too steep. On steeper terrain, the smaller lugs and lower drop are a bit difficult and require slowing down to avoid slipping. So flat, downhill or rolling courses will be fine but technical, steep terrain may be more difficult with this shoe.
I have 45 miles on my pair and there is next to no wear on the outsole. Even with some mild road use, the Vibram outsole has held up extremely well. The midsole, which seems balanced between soft and firm, is snappy, responsive and has maintained that feel extremely well. For that reason, I expect this shoe to last a long time, even with heavy use.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Brooks Cascadia Elite is a stable neutral trail racing shoe. Although there are no traditional stability methods, there are several guidance methods that do a great job of keeping the foot centered. I have used this shoe on longer runs and I do not get fatigued the way I do with neutral or less stable footwear. The first stable component is the wider base. The midfoot is filled in and the platform is quite wide with sole flare in both directions, although more medially in the heel. The softer PEBA foam is well stabilized by the PEBAX plate and Vibram outsole. There are also solid sidewalls that run from the heel/midfoot into the posterior forefoot. This creates a highly centered ride from heel to forefoot that will provide a stable ride for those with neutral, mild stability needs and mild guidance needs.
Thoughts as a DPT: Preventing Instability
By David Salas
The Brooks Cascadia Elite is a neutral trail racing shoe. The taller stack height and full PEBA midsole make for a softer platform. However, it has components that help with stabilizing the platform. The first is the wide base underfoot. The Cascadia Elite has a large amount of cross sectional area underfoot. This gives you a larger landing platform and gives your nervous system a more predictable landing. The second is the upper construction. The upper is made of Matryx, a woven Kevlar blend. The Matryx upper wraps the entirety of your foot and has a sock like bootie construction that goes up the ankle. This helps with improving lockdown ensuring foot security. The third component is gentle guidance. The rocker profile and the plate are oriented in a way that keep you rolling forward without much medial or lateral movement. The Vibram Megagrip outsole also provides a good amount of traction underfoot and helps firm up the platform. The Brooks Cascadia Elite is not a stability shoe, but it has good measures to make for a fluid ride on what would seemingly be an unstable platform.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: The Brooks Cascadia Elite is a fantastic trail super shoe that is among the best in this category. This is an incredibly impressive debut from conservative Brooks, further showing that they do have what it takes to compete at the highest levels. The midsole and ride is great, balancing responsiveness with protection to keep long-distance runs feeling solid. It isn't a short-distance trail racer, but it isn't meant to be. This is an trail marathon/ultramarathon racer. My only suggestion is to rework the heel aspect of the upper. Having a heel counter that stiff right at the back with the slight inward curve is asking for excessive pressure on the Achilles insertion. This is not optimal in a long-distance shoe that needs to maintain comfort and optimal pressure relief across the entire foot. While the traction is good, I would like to see a slightly deeper lug pattern for grip on steep climbs and terrain. This shoe is amazing on smooth terrain and descents, but some deeper lugs may be needed for longer and steeper climbs, especially on soft, muddy terrain.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Brooks Cascadia Elite is for those looking for a super racing shoe for smooth or rolling trail terrain over marathon or ultramarathon distances. The Matryx upper will do best for those with normal width to slightly wider feet wanting a little extra room, good security, a stiff counter and a little toe box taper. The ride will work best for those who want a highly protective, rockered, snappy, cushioned, resilient but not overly soft ride. The geometry will work for those with mild stability/guidance needs in a rockered platform. It will not work for those who want an incredibly light, nimble, narrow platform shoe for 5k or shorter trail races as it is designed for ultramarathon distances.
The $275 cost is consistent with many super shoes out there and while normally I would pick on it for being $25 more than many, the durability really sets it apart and may make it worth that extra money. Additionally, it easily sits among the top trail racing shoes out there for ultramarathons and is one of the few along with the Hoka Rocket X Trail that are stable neutral racing options for the trail. While that heel counter needs to be fixed, Brooks finally hit a super racing shoe out of the park on the first try. This makes me excited to see what the Hyperion Elite 6 brings and I hope they can maintain the momentum they are starting to demonstrate.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B (Secure fit with high amount of structure from overlays, Kevlar fibers. Highly stiff, narrow and difficult heel counter which may eliminate this shoe for those with heel sensitivity)
Performance: A- (Snappy, rockered, rolling ride that is excellent for long uptempo and tempo efforts during races and workouts over ultra-distance trail events. Great traction on smoother/rolling surfaces but challenging on steep climbs/mud)
Stability: A [Stable Neutral] (Stable ride from wide base, filled in midfoot, sidewalls and plate stiffness that keep foot centered)
Value: B+ (High cost but high durability and excellence that will work great if the upper/ride fit you)
Personal: B+ (I love everything about this shoe except the heel counter, which has really bothered me. Glad I pushed through to fully experience this shoe but it may limit me from continuing to use it. If that was fixed, this would be my all time favorite trail racer)
Overall Design: B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DORBrooks Cascadia ElitePrice: $274.95 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
*Using the link to purchase helps support Doctors of Running. Thanks so much!
Check out Gear We Love
Naked Belt The best way to carry your phone and goods on the run. No bounce and various sizes for waist.
Saysky Running Gear: We were really taken aback by this Scandinavian company's ultra-thin, durable performance clothing
Skratch Recovery, Coffee Flavor: Mental and physical boost post run. Coffee flavor is excellent and goes great straight into a fresh brewed cup
goodr Sunglases: Run in style with goodr's super fun sunglasses.
Feetures Socks: Massively grippy socks that will make you feel more one with the shoe
Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Water Bottle: Perfect for long runs when you need hydration in the summer
Trigger Point Foam Roller: Help get those knots out post-run and feel better for tomorrow
Ciele Hat: Our team's favorite running hat of choice!
Fractel Hats: Our team's wider fitting running hat of choice!
FURTHER READING
Lightweight workout trainer!
Update to last year's surprise daily trainer.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
Thanks for reading!
FOLLOW DOCTORS OF RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Doctors of Running
Youtube Channel: Doctors of Running
Instagram: @doctorsofrunning
LinkedIn: Doctors of Running
Strava: Doctors of Running
Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
PODCAST
Check out the Doctors of Running Podcast to find more reviews, interviews, and running features from the team.
Visit our Podcast Page
Find us on Apple
Find us on Spotify
Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
NEXT: Skechers Aero Razor
