Men’s Brooks Cascadia 17 Review

Bottom Line

The Brooks Cascadia 17s are versatile, comfy, and breathable and a few of our favourite males’s mountaineering sneakers constructed for lengthy miles on established trails. These sneakers are one among 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 Trail, and sections of the Colorado Trail. Weighing solely 11 ounces per shoe, they steadiness sturdiness and agility properly because of strong traction and springy foam midsoles that make it a breeze to sort out numerous terrains.

However, the Cascadias are much less sturdy than different mountaineering 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. If you’re in search of light-weight footwear for a summer season of path runs, day hikes, and long-distance backpacking, these are a terrific alternative.

Comfort

The Brooks Cascadia 17s are comfy out of the field and require virtually no break-in time. Their cosy match and easy, efficient lacing system is a successful mixture that makes these one among 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 large followers of their breathable mesh uppers that maintain your toes cool and dry, which is very noticeable throughout intense exercise and sizzling climate. Their versatile uppers enable 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 number of downsides in terms of consolation, although. This model of the Cascadias has a inflexible inner plastic liner below its smooth 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 few hundred miles, and generally is a bit cumbersome to string and tie. And, the 8 mm heel-to-toe drop is on the excessive finish in terms of help, which could not go well with everybody’s biomechanics or wants.

Traction

The Brooks Cascadia 17s have respectable traction because of their sticky rubber outsoles and knobby multidirectional lugs. This tread sample grips surfaces properly throughout ascents because of their triangular tread on the toe and forefoot and gives dependable braking on the heel on descents, making the Cascadias really feel particularly steady on trails with plenty of ups and downs. The Cascadia 17s traction makes them perfect for tackling a wide range of path circumstances for sustaining a gradual tempo and conserving wonderful management.

Although 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 good foot placement on technical routes. The lugs on these sneakers are additionally a bit shallow, limiting how efficient they’re on slick rocks, steep filth trails, and moist surfaces the place deeper traction issues. We additionally discovered that the tread sturdiness shouldn’t be as sturdy as different path trainers, so chances are you’ll need 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 few of the lightest mountaineering sneakers we’ve examined, weighing in at only one pound, six ounces for the pair. Thanks to their mesh woven uppers, skinny TPU overlays, and light-weight foam midsoles, the Cascadias’ low weight will make you are feeling agile all day lengthy and scale 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. However, in case your prime precedence in a mountaineering shoe is mild weight for quick motion throughout lengthy summer season adventures, the Cascadias are a winner.

Durability

The Cascadias have various options that give them added sturdiness. Thin TPU overlays reinforce crucial areas just like the toe, sides, and heel to offer additional safety towards typical path obstacles like filth, 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 offered individually) to assist maintain particles out of the shoe and decrease abrasion on the mesh uppers whereas mountaineering.

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

Weather Resistance

One of our favourite issues concerning 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 perfect for mountaineering and operating on sizzling days with sweaty toes. They’re additionally a terrific alternative for hikes with plenty of water crossings since they dry a lot of the manner inside solely 30-40 minutes after being absolutely submerged in water – though they’ll 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.

However, the Cascadia 17s usually are not weather-resistant and tackle water shortly resulting from their mesh uppers. You’ll need to look elsewhere when you’re mountaineering in shoulder seasons or colder circumstances the place your toes might get chilly and moist simply. Their lack of insulation and waterproofing means they received’t maintain toes heat in colder climate, so that you’ll need to maintain these completely for summer season adventures.

Should You Buy the Brooks Cascadia 17?

The Brooks Cascadia 17s are soft, steady, and responsive sneakers good for path runners, day hikers, and long-distance backpackers. If you’re in search of 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 staff on trails throughout the nation, these sneakers have confirmed their consolation, performance, and dependability for years. They provide a steadiness of durability and agility, making them good for nearly any journey on a path, from deserts to forests and past. 

However, the Cascadia 17s aren’t essentially the most sturdy sneakers, so we don’t suggest them when you’re heading off-trail or into particularly rugged terrain. While they’re extremely mild and breathable, the higher mesh is vulnerable to wreck and doesn’t maintain up properly via bushwhacks, scree, and rocky trails in comparison with mountaineering sneakers with sturdy leather-based uppers or bolstered 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. But when you’re in search of a dependable, versatile, and well-rounded path shoe for operating and mountaineering, the Cascadia 17s will maintain your toes pleased.

What Other Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?

Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 Review:  The Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 are simply as versatile and cozy because the Cascadias, with a equally ethereal and light-weight design because of mild, breathable mesh uppers. However, the Ultraventure 3s have a roomier toe field for pure foot flexion and a lacing system situated greater on the foot for a extra personalized match.

HOKA Speedgoat 5 Review: If you just like the soft soles, springy really feel, and steady journey of the Cascadia 17s, the Speedgoat 5s take these options to the following stage. Like the Cascadias, the Speedgoats provide unmatched consolation and agility however have a decrease heel-to-toe drop with essentially the most foam cushioning of any path runner we’ve examined.

Saucony Peregrine 14 Review: The Peregrines are a really shut competitor to the Cascadias with their equally light-weight building, breathable uppers, and superior versatility on path. However, the Peregrines have a extra aggressive lug sample that gives higher traction and fewer foam via the midsole for higher floor really feel.