Brooks Cascadia 4

Bigvern
Reviewed: 30 June 2010

A shoe you don't need to break in, cushioned with a firm feel.

It has a very light feel and comfortable on your feet and gives confidence on the trail.

There is enough cushioning to take these shoes on the road but the sole is soft and wares very quickly.

I have only had these for just over a month but they have done the South downs trail marathon, done 48 miles around the Lake district and gave great service. I can't find a fault. I have even used them for a 100 mile road ultra and the only problem was the ware on the soles. They are cushioned enough to handle the road but the soft sole wares quickly. The only thing I might do with my next pair is change the insole to one that gives more protection to the ball of my feet as they do get a bit tender on the longer runs. But I would recommend them to anyone.

Chris.T.
Reviewed: 26 January 2010

Great shoe for racing on trails n mud, with good cushioning for longer distances...never had a blister!

Lightweight, fast, breathable, low profile, good support and cushioning. Good grip off-road.

In-sole a bit flat for my high arches (though probably suit most). Sometimes slippy on wet pavements.

A great shoe. I bought these a week (yes, just one week) before the London to Brighton off-road ultra. I have high arches so swapped the flattish insoles for something more supportive.

I didn't get much of an opportunity to wear them in...turns out I didn't really need to. The Cascadia saw me through the 56 miles of trails, fields and roads. Miraculously, I arrived with no blisters, no bruised toes, no rubs, no problems at all with my feet! Needless to say though, the rest of my body was suffering.
(In all other shoes, I normally gets toes rubs and bruised nails after about 25 miles. But not these...)

The low profile and flat racer style of these shoes gives a good ride over both soft and rocky terrain, with enough grip to give you the confidence to leap over boulders and down muddy slopes, but not so many nobbles that the soles clog up with mud. They have performed well in the recent snow and ice too.

The only less positive observation is that they can slip a bit on wet pavements (not roads though) and slimy wooden stiles. But hey, they are otherwise near perfect.

I also like the fact that the uppers are water repellent - as opposed to resistant - so you still get a cold feeling if you've jumped in a puddle, but they remain otherwise pretty dry. And if they do get wet, they dry quickly too.

I normally go for Salomons off-road, and while these are certainly comparable on rugged performance, they also feel a bit faster for racing.

Give em a go!

Red Squirrel.
Reviewed: 14 January 2010