Brooks Cascadia 19 Reviews

Loves the Cascadia 19, their favourite trail shoe after La Sportiva and Salomon: grippy, sturdy, cushy enough and comfy.

After the Trabuco 13 pinched their midfoot, the 2E Cascadia 19 fits like a dream.

First 14 km in the Cascadia 19 on steep, muddy and paved terrain: a perfect fit, more cushioned than the 18 but still stable on technical ground.

A wide-footed runner loves the Cascadia 19 as a solid replacement for Topos on technical and long runs, though it's slick on wet rock out of the box.

Finds the Cascadia 19 a good update for wide feet: comfortable yet speedy, with long-lasting soles.

After hating earlier Brooks shoes, enjoys the Cascadia 19: a Goldilocks softness underfoot with good bounce and grip, even on wet rock.

Two testers with about 87 and 98 miles, covering long mountain runs in heavy rain and a 41-mile race section. They liked the soft, bouncy foam that felt lighter than its 11 oz, the secure lockdown despite the very padded tongue, the roomy forefoot and the flexible forefoot. The flaw is thin rock protection: the 87-mile tester punctured the exposed forefoot foam and felt rock hits, expects 300 to 400 miles of running, and prefers it for training over racing.

After Cascadia 15s and 18s, absolutely loves the 19: light, nimble and kinder laces, though one toe rubs on longer runs.

About 31 miles of mixed road, gravel, mud and rocky trail with creek crossings, starting with a 12-plus mile first run. They found the foam soft and comfortable, the fit true to size with no blisters or heel slip, and the midfoot snug only until it broke in. Downsides are poor drainage after creek crossings, taking over a mile to feel dry, and a heavily padded tongue that holds water. They'd use it for daily and long runs, even a 50k, on rough terrain.

'A boss of an ultra training shoe' for long, varied efforts where consistency matters, and surprisingly capable on scary technical pitches. Good for the bulk of high-mileage trail training.