Brooks - Cascadia 18 GTX

Oldhead here. Still a devotee of the Brooks Cascadia for this kind of stuff in the Cascades. If my foot fit the La Sportiva last I’d probably have a different answer.

Try them on first. The soles are so padded and thick they are a little unstable on steep rocky trails. They are so cushy they can make me trip walking on a sidewalk if I’m not accustomed to them. I bought a pair and they stayed in a closet after one use. Later, I had a severe painful sprain which took 6-months to heal and they were a godsend because the softness helped me be active while healing. They are weird shoes and very very soft.

Most trail runners dry super fast. When temps are above 25°F or so, wool socks will keep your feet warm in trail runners even when a little damp. Shoes that dry fast are better than shoes that advertise being waterproof but never dry if they do get wet, and retain tons of sweat in all 4 seasons.

I hike around 1500 miles per year on steep rocky trails (I live next to a mountain). I only wear trail runners because many are durable, affordable, light, and breathe well. If they get wet, they dry fast too. “Hiking” shoes are always hot and heavy in comparison. Wearing boots will make your ankles weak, just wear light shoes that fit well, breathe well, and have good grip. My favorites are Brooks Cascadia and Merrell Nova. Trail runners have a lot of variety. Many are ultra light and fall apart. Many are so cushioned that you can’t feel the ground under your feet and the soles are so pillowy you’ll trip. Some are waterproof/gore so they are super hot and sweaty and never dry if they do get wet. Try them on at a store and get a feel for what is “just right.”

I’m it from the area that your talking about but years ago I did Mount Bachelor versus the Sisters because there was a forest fire which they shut the entire area down. One huge thing I noticed was it’s all volcanic rock which is super hard on shoes and the soles of shoes, and that grey/black dust that gets into everything. When I did that area I took trail runners that were mainly made with all a soft nylon cloth and no rock protection along but once I saw those kinds of rocks and debris I went and wore all leather hiking boots and short gators after I went for a shorter hiking with the trail runners. For me this was a better option because my all leather hiking boots took the abrasive material better and the short gators kept that dusty debris out. It’s a suggestion, there’s better options now probably than there were when I did this but if I was going to go there again I believe I would look for trail runners that can take that abrasive material better without causing severe breakdown of the overall shoe material that uses some sort of rock protection around the entire shoe or especially around the front so it holds up better from that volcanic material. The newer trail runners also have added features to hook on a pair of gators to keep debris out as well. I know certain Altras do and the Brooks Cascadia do and I know the last couple Cascadia versions did have a sort of toe rock protection to them and those gator things. I would do like someone else suggested, which is go to like REI and try on some pairs and tell the sales associates what your planning on doing. For me I would be partial to the Brooks Cascadia because they are my go to and for me they normally hold up pretty well to abrasives. Hope this is helpful and keep going.

Came here to say this about the cascadia. I tried a pair of New Balance unknown summit which I like too. All the other ones on your list I’ve tried to some extent. Some work for me as well and some not so much but I always feel like I’ve got to find that “one”. Check out Scarpa https://us.scarpa.com trail running shoes, I’ve never tried them but they’re on my list to do so. Little pricey and if the sizing is like hiking boots it might be a little weird but I love their hiking boots it hope this is helpful and keep going.

Brooks Cascadia and CEP socks. Brooks shorts, the ones with the rear pockets and rear center zipper pocket. Garmin watch, some light weight shirt, hat and camelbak vest or camelbak belt. Camelbak flasks or Hydrapak flasks.

I wear my brooks cascadia for all trail running , works fine , no need for 10 pairs , I think it’s getting to deep in the weeds to have that many pairs

Im using them for quite few years already, from 14th edition on, bassically my goto shoes which i always buy new pair alongside other pair from some other brand, bassically cascadia is my goto shoe while idk dynafit, asics, addidas, etc. Re my secondary shoe. As of grip, no complains. It works good/great but does not works like flawless, like i would not go into some heavy mud with them. Soo overwall im felling comfortable taking them into wet conditions. Dry land, works flawless and also outsole is quite durable if youn dont take them into mountains onto sharper rocks or really rocky area all the time. My 17 outsole last around 400km of mixed terrain and i ve could still take them onto some dry surfaces. Soo overwall brooks cascadia re having really good outsole grip imo.

Brooks Cascadia. Good alrounder for me, suitable for longer distances. Did Ultratrail Snowdonia 100m with them, and I don't have any complaints.

I like Brooks Cascadias and Salewa Pedroc (or Predroc Airs which I haven't tried, but have my eye on). Salewa has great customer service too.

Brooks Cascadia. Good alrounder for me, suitable for longer distances. Did Ultratrail Snowdonia 100m with them, and I don't have any complaints.

I’ve had Hoka Kaha 2 and Trail Code. I think they’re just ok. I don’t have the best ankles either. I found them a little too sloppy inside. It is hard to really secure my feet in them. A good amount of sliding around no matter how tight I tie them. I’m into Brooks Cascadias now. The heal cup really holds my foot in there.

lol I ordered cascadia 18s like 3 weeks ago, sounds like I dodged a bullet

I also have weak ankles, and also have used Hokas when hiking. I've had great success with Brooks Cascadia shoes as well, that's what I'm currently rocking on trails when it's wet because they breathe and let water out a bit better. I wear Altas too for their wide toe box.

The length was fine, but it was just at the outside edge of the pinky toe. The employee at REI recommended the wides but they didn't have them in stock at the store to try. I ordered them and they fit much better.

I run in them and never have foot issues! They last a long time too. I also made the same transition from adrenaline to cascadia as you.

Shoes like the Saucony Peregrine, Salomon Speedcross, or Brooks Cascadia provide a good balance between road and trail performance. They are comfortable and super durable. All are within your budget, and with a bit of searching, you can likely find them at discounted prices. I’d recommend trying them on before purchasing, as trail shoes often have a specific fit that can vary between brands.

If you can get hold of it, I'd recommend using wads of raw wool down the back of your sock. Tear off a smallish chunk, hold it against your heel as you put your sock on. You'd think it would move around, but generally it doesn't. Usually by the end of the day, it's formed it's own felted pad that you can re-use every day. Doesn't have to be special "Hiker Wool" in my experience, as long as it's clean and doesn't have any debris in it. The lanolin in the wool helps a little as well, I think. I used this inside my darn tough lighter hiker socks + Brookes Cascadia while doing the JMT, and it worked really well for me. Edit : You can also use the wool for toe blisters by wrapping the wad around the affected toe.

Just got Brooks Cascadia and I love them.

My 14er shoe is the Brooks Cascadia

Brooks Cascadia and CEP socks. Brooks shorts, the ones with the rear pockets and rear center zipper pocket. Garmin watch, some light weight shirt, hat and camelbak vest or camelbak belt. Camelbak flasks or Hydrapak flasks.

There are no stability trail shoes. I do great in Brooks Cascadias and Brooks Divides.

Man, I just bought Cascadia 18s because I have Brooks Glycerine 22s for road running and love them. I had to opt for the wides on the Cascadias as the toe box felt like it was pushing against the outside of my toes. I have never worn wide shoes at any point in my life. Our 2 differing experiences, point directly back to the comment you are replying to. Haha

Try Brooks Cascadia. I have over 400 miles and showing little wear. I just picked up Kjerags and I'm hoping to get at least 500 out of those. I rotate a handful of shoes so I'm set for a while. Or until the next unbelievable deal...

1. Keep practicing fueling. You have to train your stomach for it. I used to have a really hard time with it, but I’ve gotten better with practice. If you found two things that work for you, then use those two things. I use 2 brands of gels (Huma and Maurten) because they work best for me. If you haven’t tried Huma gels, you may want to try them. They work well for a lot of people I know who have stomach issues (including myself). But if you need to stick to fruit leathers, so be it. 2. I have an Ultimate Direction women’s vest with a bladder that I like. But it costs more than $100. 3. I like Brooks Cascadia trail shoes. I think Brooks has a good return policy if you try a shoe and don’t like it.

I’d second the Topo recommendation. I ran in Cascadias and had what sounds like exactly the same issues you mentioned. After looking at Run Repeat’s lab analysis of the Topo Mtn Racer 3 and finding that they are actually about a 7mm drop I decided to try them. Great so far!