Brooks Cascadia 15, Men’s race Running Shoe

Product Information

The more closed mesh of the 15 also helps keep out debris as opposed to the more open mesh of the previous version. TAYLOR: To answer the question from before, sadly, the Brooks Cascadia 15 is more like the bighorn king who once was. I tried. I really, really tried. After reviewing the overhauled Cascadia 14 last year, I had zero interest in stepping foot in it again. I worked myself up to be excited about the 15 and was really let down again.

Canice: This was a big miss for me. I was looking or expecting a well cushioned shoe with good rebound and didn't find any of that. They felt flat and had no spring or pop when toeing off. Yes, I felt protected but that was about it. 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. The Brooks Cascadia is the flagship of the American brand’s trail collecting. Of course, it’s impossible to talk about the Cascadia without mentioning Scott Jurek: the legendary athlete has undoubtedly been a critical component of the shoe’s commercial success over the years. For those who do not know Scott Jurek, let’s just say he’s won the Western States 100 seven times (!)! Yup. And, by the way, if you’re looking for a great book on running (with delicious vegan recipes as a bonus), you should read E at and Runwhen you have the chance. I’ll get into the details of the shoe in the proceeding sections, but as stated previously, this is a well-constructed shoe that looks like it is ready for just about anything one can throw at it! This year’s Cascadia 15 resembles the previous version in almost every way, which makes sense– only real update is an enhanced upper.

The Bad

The multidirectional lugs are pronounced and numerous, spread across the entire outsole for maximum traction.

However, I did find a great variety of surfaces and environments to get a perfect sense of what to expect, with plenty of dirt trail running, crossing plenty of water and even some high altitude hiking. 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.The toe box offers optimal protection and is flexible, which contributes to the shoe’s enhanced softness. 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. My initial impression of the Brooks Cascadia 15 was very positive, and I was a bit surprised. I had never considered a Brooks trail shoe and had always seen them as a road shoe company. 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. 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.