Brooks - Cascadia 14

Brooks Cascadias are my favorites. They can do it all, and have always protected my feet at all distances (up to 50 mile).

I keep popping up in questions like this to recommend Brooks Cascadia. They’ve been my old reliable that I trust for any trail and any distance (farthest I’ve done is 50 mile). They have never given me foot issues. They’re admittedly not very exciting. They’re like the Toyota Prius of trail shoes (I also love my Toyota Prius).

I will always pop up when this question is asked to recommend Brooks Cascadia wide. The current version is my favorite by far. I have yet to find a trail shoe that works better for my wide, flattish feet. I tried on the Speedgoat wide and knew immediately it wasn’t even close.

I wear Brooks Ghost 4E as my road running shoe. Brooks Cascadia 2E fits me well as my trail shoe (it has a wide toebox).

I love Cascadias but they’re unfortunately not quite as wide as Brooks wide road running shoes

I have very wide feet and really the only options are Topo and Altra which sucks because: 1. the low / no drop thing isn’t for everyone; 2. Neither make shoes with a drop larger than 5mm; and 3. The quality on Topo is underwhelming I overall like my Topos (LOVE the toe box - most comfortable I’ve ever tried in my life) but wish they had an 8mm drop shoe with a rock plate and also - they just fall apart kind of fast compared to other trail shoes. They’re a relatively new brand though so hopefully they keep getting better but tbh the improvement from the ultraventure 3 to 4 was non existent (2 to 3 got a little better). Brooks Cascadia comes in 2E and those shoes are sick. However, still not wide enough for me (and not as wide as the adrenalines which are my go to road shoe) and I’ve blown the sides out in 2 pairs although they held up extremely well for hiking running and backpacking other than that (which is because they’re not quite an ultra wide shoe despite being the widest non Altra or topo trail runner option I could find)

**Absolutely!** I’ve got wide/voluminous feet too and know the struggle. A few trail shoes that have worked really well for me (or others in the same boat): * **Altra Lone Peak** – Foot-shaped toe box, zero drop, super roomy. Great for comfort and natural splay. * **Topo Athletic Ultraventure or Terraventure** – Similar to Altra with a wide fit, but with a slight drop and more structure. * **HOKA Speedgoat (Wide version)** – Surprisingly comfy once broken in. The wide version gives more volume than you’d expect from HOKA. * **New Balance Hierro v7 (2E width)** – Cushioned, roomy, and solid grip for trails. * **Brooks Cascadia (Wide)** – Good all-rounder with trail stability and comes in wide sizes. Make sure to try them on if you can—volume fit can vary a lot even among “wide” shoes. Good luck out there! 👟🌲

Thanks! Yeah Windham would definitely be a good run for sure. Not too technical. I hadn’t done Balsam Lake in forever and that’s a pretty easy trail and Slide is about as straightforward as it gets in the Catskills. I figured both would be well traveled with a good snowshoe trench already formed. Balsam was a little soft to be honest…wasn’t easy but super fun going back down. I just wear my Cascadias non gortex w/spikes. It’s was pretty dry powdery snow on Balsam and Slide had a pretty solid trench all the way up so my feet never got buried. I can deal with cold feet if I’m not going to be out there too long and always bring an extra pair with me.

I use Brooks Cascadias for hiking and love them!

This is my thought exactly. Everyone’s feet react differently to shoes and everyone I know have to try several types before they find the right match. For me, Brooks Cascadia (non-gtx) has been my go to for several years now. They have worked in all conditions, wet, dry, muddy, rocky, etc. one thing I will say is I have to switch them out pretty regularly because I do a lot of hiking during the year and notice when my legs start to hurt after a 15 mile hike, I need new shoes (at least one or two new pairs a year). I am not sure how some people wear the same pair for years?

I live and backpack in the Northern Rockies. I used to think I needed boots for all those alpine streams and snow field crossings (mud less of an issue). But I'm much happier using trail runners than I ever was in boots. I use brooks cascadia, the non-waterproof ones, and pair the shoes with darn tough wool hike/run socks -- I've have never been happier. Yes, my feet may get wet, but more importantly, they dry hella fast. My feet also got wet in high quality waterproof hiking boots, and then they were damp the rest of the trip... For me, trail runners = happy feet. Of course, this is for "warm" season hiking. If everything is covered in a blanket of snow then I'll go with a pair of pack boots. But I can't remember the last time I wore hiking boots....

Make sense just keep track of wear and tear on the shoes. Might be a little harder since you obviously aren’t tracking the mileage just walking around all day.  I travel with a pair of Brooks Cascadia as my wearing around and running shoe while I’m on vacation. Brooks Divides would make a lot of sense if the terrain of your race supported those shoes. 

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.”