Males’s Brooks Cascadia 18 Evaluation

Backside Line

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are versatile, comfy, and breathable and a few of our favourite males’s mountaineering sneakers constructed for lengthy miles on established trails. These sneakers are one in all 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 steadiness sturdiness and agility properly because of stable traction and springy foam midsoles that make it a breeze to sort out varied terrains.

Nonetheless, the Cascadias are much less sturdy than different mountaineering sneakers, particularly on tough routes, for the reason that 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. In case you’re searching for light-weight footwear for a summer season of path runs, day hikes, and long-distance backpacking, these are an important selection.

Consolation

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are comfy out of the field and require virtually no break-in time. Their cosy match and easy, efficient lacing system is a successful mixture that makes these one in all 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 stable on most terrain and obstacles.

We’re additionally massive followers of their breathable mesh uppers that maintain your ft cool and dry, which is particularly noticeable throughout intense exercise and scorching 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 number of downsides with regards to consolation, although. This model of the Cascadias has a inflexible inside plastic liner below its gentle ankle cuff that may rub in opposition to 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 inclined to stiffen over a couple of hundred miles, and is usually a bit cumbersome to string and tie. And, the 8 mm heel-to-toe drop is on the excessive finish with regards to assist, which could not go well with everybody’s biomechanics or wants.

Traction

The Brooks Cascadia 18s have respectable traction because of their sticky rubber outsoles and knobby multidirectional lugs. This tread sample grips surfaces properly throughout ascents because of their triangular tread on the toe and forefoot and supplies dependable braking on the heel on descents, making the Cascadias really feel particularly steady on trails with numerous ups and downs. The Cascadia 18s traction makes them very best for tackling a wide range of path circumstances for sustaining a gradual tempo and protecting glorious management.

Though the thick foam midsoles present nice consolation, this quantity of froth reduces your general floor really feel and diminishes the sensory suggestions wanted to regulate your stride and discover excellent foot placement on technical routes. The lugs on these sneakers are additionally a bit shallow, limiting how efficient they’re on slick rocks, steep grime trails, and moist surfaces the place deeper traction issues. We additionally discovered that the tread sturdiness is just not as strong as different path trainers, so you might wish to keep away from rugged terrain otherwise you’ll threat 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 prime 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 vital areas just like the toe, sides, and heel to supply further safety in opposition to typical path obstacles like grime, roots, and bramble. The rubber tread extends over a portion of the toe for further resistance in opposition to 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 bought individually) to assist maintain particles out of the shoe and decrease abrasion on the mesh uppers whereas mountaineering.

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

Climate Resistance

One in every of our favourite issues concerning the Cascadia 18s is that they dry shortly and supply stellar air flow. Their woven mesh uppers are glorious at dumping warmth and expelling moisture, in order that they’re very best for mountaineering and working on scorching days with sweaty ft. They’re additionally an important selection for hikes with numerous water crossings since they dry a lot of the method inside solely 30-40 minutes after being totally submerged in water – though they may 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 shortly as a result of their mesh uppers. You’ll wish to look elsewhere in case you’re mountaineering in shoulder seasons or colder circumstances the place your ft may get chilly and moist simply. Their lack of insulation and waterproofing means they gained’t maintain ft heat in colder climate, so that you’ll wish to maintain these solely for summer season adventures.

Ought to You Purchase the Brooks Cascadia 18?

The Brooks Cascadia 18s are soft, steady, and responsive sneakers excellent for path runners, day hikers, and long-distance backpackers. In case you’re searching for stable 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 crew on trails throughout the nation, these sneakers have confirmed their consolation, performance, and dependability for years. They provide a steadiness of durability and agility, making them excellent for nearly any journey on a path, from deserts to forests and past. 

Nonetheless, the Cascadia 18s aren’t essentially the most sturdy sneakers, so we don’t suggest them in case 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 robust leather-based uppers or strengthened toes and heels. We additionally discover they’ve much less floor really feel than different path runners, which could be a difficulty for navigating obstacles. However in case you’re searching for a dependable, versatile, and well-rounded path shoe for working and mountaineering, the Cascadia 18s will maintain your ft comfortable.

What Different Mountaineering Sneakers Ought to You Contemplate?

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 because of gentle, breathable mesh uppers. Nonetheless, the Ultraventure 3s have a roomier toe field for pure foot flexion and a lacing system situated greater on the foot for a extra custom-made match.

HOKA Speedgoat 5 Evaluation: In case you just like the soft 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 essentially 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 building, breathable uppers, and superior versatility on path. Nonetheless, the Peregrines have a extra aggressive lug sample that gives higher traction and fewer foam via the midsole for higher floor really feel.