New to trail running myself, I wanted a pair of trail shoes that would feel sort of similar to my cushioned road running shoes. I chose a pair of Brooks Cascadia 15 for a few reasons. I put them to the test this past week with 4 days of trail running. Nothing like jumping right into trail running Here are my quick thoughts.
Brooks Cascadia 15 Trail Shoes
As a Brooks Running Ambassador, I knew I was going to choose a pair of their trail shoes. I picked the Cascadia as I wanted a shoe that felt similar to my regular running shoes. Cascadias are neutral shoes designed for medium to high arches. Admittedly, I also loved the look of them with the splash of pink.
Features I liked
These trail shoes were very comfortable the moment I slipped them on. I did not feel like they needed to be broken in. However, I did run in them twice before taking them along on my 4 day trail running adventure. They have what Brooks calls a “rock plate” to protect your feet when running over rocky terrain. They felt stable and my feet felt protected from the elements.
“At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling”
I appreciated the extra cushioning around my ankle area. This also helped me to feel more secure out on the trails. There is a “lace guard” on the top of the tongue so that you can tuck in the extra laces. A nice feature for a trail running shoe to offer. Cascadia’s offer a “pivot post system” to allow your foot to adapt to differing terrains.
The grip on the bottom of the shoes helped me to feel secure without the feeling of a bulky shoe. The Cascadia 15’s weigh in at 10 ounces and did not feel heavy. They are cushioned with an 8 mm heel drop. The breathable mesh kept my feet from overheating I found the toe box area to be ample.
Drawbacks
So far, I have not found any drawbacks to the Cascadia 15 Trail running shoe. I would love to see more color options in the future.
Overall thoughts
Brooks Cascadia 15 are a great intro to trail running shoe. I was happy with how my feet felt in them for the 4 days straight that I wore them. No blisters or chafing. I am looking forward to putting in some more trail miles together. Available currently in 2 colors on The Brooks site and also at Road Runner Sports.
Linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida
So glad the shoes worked out for you! I’ve never run in trail shoes before since its so rare that I run on trails.
They were new to me as well and I was very happy with them
Thanks for the review. Yes color is important.
I altra lone peak. Not in love. Not pretty but they have a wide toe box and 0 drop.
Zero drop shoes are not comfortable for me. I was really happy with how these felt and would definitely suggest them as a neutral comfortable trail shoe
These shoes look nice! From the photos it looks like a nice wide toe box. I’ve never worn trail shoes but as I get more into trail running I’ll consider these. i’m looking forward to hearing more about your trail adventures!
These were my first pair of trail shoes and I was glad that I had them
I came close to buying them as my first trail shoes — I don’t remember why I didn’t go with them. I think it was price, the pair I bought was on sale, LOL!
So glad these worked for you on your first trail adventures.
I was really happy with them and they were very comfortable
I’m glad the shoes were a great fit, literally, for all those trail miles. Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Brooks 🙂 Anxious to heat more about your CA adventure with Sue!
They were perfect for our adventures and very comfy
Thanks for the review. They sound like a win all the way around!
Now that your trip is over will you be putting in more miles on the trails in the future?
You know, I loved my time out there but I am not ready to switch to trails full time
Thanks for sharing your review! I am not a trail runner but the few times I have gone to the trail, I’ve run in my regular shoes. Pink is a good color but I understand that other colors would be nice.
I was really happy to have a real pair of trail shoes with me