Males’s Brooks Cascadia 17 Assessment

Backside Line

The Brooks Cascadia 17s are versatile, comfy, and breathable sneakers constructed for climbing 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 stability sturdiness and agility effectively because of strong traction and springy foam midsoles that make it a breeze to deal with numerous terrains.

Nonetheless, the Cascadias are much less sturdy than different climbing 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 wonderful cushioning, however on the expense of floor really feel. Should 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 17s are comfy out of the field and require virtually no break-in time. Their comfortable 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 wonderful lateral stability, making them really feel agile and strong on most terrain and obstacles.

We’re additionally massive followers of their breathable mesh uppers that preserve your ft cool and dry, which is very noticeable throughout intense exercise and sizzling climate. Their versatile uppers permit for pure foot flexion, and the froth midsoles create plush cushioning whether or not you’re operating quick downhill on pavement or backpacking slowly uphill. 

The Cascadias have a couple of downsides in relation to consolation, although. This model of the Cascadias has a inflexible inner plastic liner beneath its delicate ankle cuff that may rub towards 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 in relation to help, which could not swimsuit everybody’s biomechanics or wants.

Traction

The Brooks Cascadia 17s have first rate traction because of their sticky rubber outsoles and knobby multidirectional lugs. This tread sample grips surfaces effectively throughout ascents because of their triangular tread on the toe and forefoot and offers dependable braking on the heel on descents, making the Cascadias really feel particularly secure on trails with numerous ups and downs. The Cascadia 17s traction makes them very best for tackling quite a lot of path circumstances for sustaining a gradual tempo and maintaining wonderful management.

Though the thick foam midsoles present nice consolation, this quantity of froth reduces your total 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 dust 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 chances are you’ll wish to keep away from rugged terrain otherwise you’ll danger faster put on and have much less efficient grip over time.

Weight

The Brooks Cascadia 17s are a number of the lightest climbing 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’re 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 17s aren’t very sturdy. Nonetheless, in case your high precedence in a climbing shoe is gentle weight for quick motion throughout lengthy summer season adventures, the Cascadias are a winner.

Sturdiness

The Cascadias have a variety of options that give them added sturdiness. Skinny TPU overlays reinforce important areas just like the toe, sides, and heel to offer additional safety towards typical path obstacles like dust, roots, and bramble. The rubber tread extends over a portion of the toe for additional resistance towards 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 preserve particles out of the shoe and decrease abrasion on the mesh uppers whereas climbing.

However, there’s no means round it: the Cascadia 17s usually are not our first choose for sturdiness. They’re at the beginning path runners, so that they’re meant to be gentle, quick, and ethereal and aren’t similar to burly climbing sneakers with leather-based uppers, thick outsoles, and protecting options. The mesh uppers are liable to blowing out across the toe space after roughly 400 miles of use – however that quantity is way decrease when you’re climbing technical terrain. Additionally, the tread on these sneakers doesn’t final particularly lengthy, with the lugs sporting down inside 300 miles, diminishing their grip, and the delicate heel cuff wears down shortly with common on/off.

Climate Resistance

One in every of our favourite issues in regards to the Cascadia 17s is that they dry shortly and supply stellar air flow. Their woven mesh uppers are wonderful at dumping warmth and expelling moisture, so that they’re very best for climbing and operating on sizzling days with sweaty ft. They’re additionally an important selection for hikes with numerous water crossings since they dry a lot of the means 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 17s usually are not weather-resistant and tackle water shortly because of their mesh uppers. You’ll wish to look elsewhere when you’re climbing in shoulder seasons or colder circumstances the place your ft might get chilly and moist simply. Their lack of insulation and waterproofing means they received’t preserve ft heat in colder climate, so that you’ll wish to preserve these solely for summer season adventures.

Ought to You Purchase the Brooks Cascadia 17?

The Brooks Cascadia 17s are soft, secure, and responsive sneakers excellent for path runners, day hikers, and long-distance backpackers. Should you’re searching for strong all-around footwear that’s light-weight, versatile, and breathable to knock out intensive mileage on established trails, the Cascadias are for you. With over 6,000 miles logged by our workforce on trails throughout the nation, these sneakers have confirmed their consolation, performance, and dependability for years. They provide a stability of durability and agility, making them excellent for nearly any journey on a path, from deserts to forests and past. 

Nonetheless, the Cascadia 17s aren’t probably the most sturdy sneakers, so we don’t advocate them when you’re heading off-trail or into particularly rugged terrain. Whereas they’re extremely gentle and breathable, the higher mesh is inclined to break and doesn’t maintain up effectively via bushwhacks, scree, and rocky trails in comparison with climbing sneakers with sturdy leather-based uppers or strengthened toes and heels. We additionally discover they’ve much less floor really feel than different path runners, which is likely to be a problem for navigating obstacles. However when you’re searching for a dependable, versatile, and well-rounded path shoe for operating and climbing, the Cascadia 17s will preserve your ft blissful.

What Different Mountain climbing Sneakers Ought to You Contemplate?

Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3:  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 positioned increased on the foot for a extra personalized match.

HOKA Speedgoat 5: Should you just like the soft soles, springy really feel, and secure experience of the Cascadia 17s, the Speedgoat 5s take these options to the subsequent degree. Just like the Cascadias, the Speedgoats provide unmatched consolation and agility however have a decrease heel-to-toe drop with probably the most foam cushioning of any path runner we’ve examined.

Saucony Peregrine 14: 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 provides higher traction and fewer foam via the midsole for higher floor really feel.