Brooks Cascadia Elite ($275)
Introduction
The Cascadia Elite is Brooks’ first entry within the path tremendous shoe class designed for quicker paced extremely working. My definition of a path tremendous shoe is that it has a excessive stack peak (approaching 40mm on the heel), supercritical foams, a plate of some sort (however not at all times) and weighs underneath 10 oz / 280 or so. Present rivals within the class embrace Hoka’s Tecton X and Rocket X Path, Terrex’s Velocity Extremely, ASICS MetaFuji, and On’s Cloudultra Professional.
The Cascadia Elite matches the invoice with a stack peak of slightly below 40 mm on the heel and 34mm on the forefoot with the load of the US M9 pattern 9.7 oz / 276g. Its midsole foam is Brooks DNA Gold PEBA compound and is identical as within the street marathon racer Hyperion Elite 5.
It differs from a number of however not all of its rivals in having a carbon infused PEBAX horseshoe formed plastic plate as an alternative of a carbon plate. The non full carbon plate is a consciously thought-about selection together with a notably broad 100 mm heel / 90 mm midfoot platform.
Consequently, I discovered in my testing that the Elite has a broader tempo vary and is extra secure/adaptable to technical terrain than most of its rivals. And to not fear about its velocity Chris Myers ran to 2nd place in one in all quickest occasions in Western States historical past in his Cascadia Elites
The outsole is Vibram’s new Megagrip Elite compound with 3-4mm lugs.
The higher is a Matryx mesh with a beneficiant match and very good maintain.
Up to now, I’ve run them at UTMB in Chamonix the place I acquired my pair, in New Hampshire on a mixture of gravel and pavement and on smoother Park Metropolis single tracks.
Execs:
Extremely max cushion pleasant using and becoming path shoe for elites.. and the remainder of us
Very mild at 9.7 oz / 276g US9 given its 40/36 stack peak, broad platform, and full protection Steady constant journey really feel: no sharp edges, no particular studying curve or explicit strike wanted
Deep forgiving cushion with a nicely built-in PEBAX plastic plate with some flex
Gentle, completely supportive, particles proof, comfy Matryx higher
Technical trails succesful (at slower paces)
Versatile Megagrip Elite outsole
Cons:
For those who’re out for an hour or two faster run it’s possible you’ll discover it a bit ponderous, even when for certain mild
Notably broad midfoot platform (and heel) result in a flattish (however very secure) slower to transition rear really feel than rivals
A narrower platform and barely decrease stack peak might scale back weight and improve agility
Very noisy outsole on exhausting surfaces
Stats
Approx. Weight: males’s 9.7 oz / 276g
Pattern Weight: males’s 9.7 oz / 276g US9
Stack Peak: 39.85 mm heel / 33.85mm forefoot
Platform Width: 100 mm heel / 90 mm midfoot / 115 mm forefoot
$275. Accessible March 2026
Most comparable footwear
Hoka Rocket X Path
On Cloudultra Professional
Nike ACG Ultrafly 2
Terrex Velocity Extremely 2
First Impressions, Match and Higher
The higher is a Matryx mesh with a stretch knit tongue which extends to the rear to kind a particles collar (and a really efficient one)
The Matryx mesh is single layer, skinny, very densely woven for particles resistance but nonetheless in my testing very breathable. The vertical grey stitching are Kevlar fibers.
The inside heel and ankle space is abundantly and fairly softly padded for a race shoe with a black delicate cloth lining the rear of the shoe with no additional lining additional ahead
The heel maintain is great, vital given the 40mm heel peak.
The stretch knit tongue has a central pad and is provided with “krinkle” minimize laces which guarantee a stable by no means have needed to regulate maintain. It extends to the rear to kind the collar. There isn’t a gusset and none is required.
The toe field building is especially glorious. Not overly broad or slim however notably excessive, the mixture of Matryx mesh and a few brief toe bumper overlays lock me in completely right here with loads of foot splay, no squeezing or sloppiness once more, all important given the massive 34mm entrance stack peak.
My pattern is a US9, so half measurement up from my regular and matches my slim to medium foot good. Most ought to do the identical and measurement up a half particularly in the event you plan is to run lengthy distances in warmth within the Elite.
A lot as with the journey, the match is constant, clean and comfy with nice maintain, loads of room and no “sharp angles”, or inappropriate from path run functions sloppiness.
Midsole & Platform
The midsole foam is Brooks DNA Gold PEBA compound, the identical as of their street marathon racer the Hyperion Elite 5. Sandwiched between two layers of DNA Gold , with each layers to urgent and on the run feeling the identical density/softness, is a carbon infused PEBAX plastic Speedvault+ plate.
Prototype plate: be aware the broader medial midfoot for assist in addition to wider massive toe width for push off
The plate is horseshoe formed and actually extra of an elongated U form than a standard plate.
Brooks introduces Cascadia Elite at UTMB 2025
The distinction between this strategy and a full plate. and even partial full carbon parallel plates, is clearly felt. The plate disappears within the shoe. The midfoot just isn’t overly springy at slower paces, the geometry does dictate a mid to forefoot strike and the RapidRoll rocker spring ahead is relatively mellow but efficient. With a 40mm heel / 34mm full stack peak there’s loads of forgiving and dynamic cushioning for lengthy efforts
When mixed with the broad platform, and particularly the broad 100mm heel and 90 mm midfoot dimensions, the plate foam mixture is essentially the most secure of any supershoe I’ve examined.
The underfoot really feel is constant by way of the stack peak (no plate harshness or most well-liked stride kind) with the journey related in any respect paces. No massive bouncy (Rocket X Path) or aggressively springy (Terrex Velocity Extremely) sensations within the Elite however a stable, nicely planted and clean move at any tempo and over time.
Outsole
The outsole is Vibram’s newest and biggest Megagrip Elite on Litebase. Solely the 2024 Norda 005 has had Elite up to now.
Right here the 3-4mm lugs are enhanced with Traction Lug mini lugs on the entrance going through surfaces on the heel for braking and rear going through surfaces on the entrance for toe off traction. The design and compound clearly helps scale back weight with rubber the heaviest materials in a working shoe,
The traction is unbelievable on all surfaces up to now with the broad lugs additionally having loads of contact for agency surfaces.
The rising sections at midfoot, a typical Vibram design, assist with midfoot stability and the Elite has loads of that even with its massive stack peak as it is usually notably broad at 90mm at midfoot..
In a small detrimental, will say this is without doubt one of the noisiest midsoles on street I can recall, doubtless because of the full protection (apart from some round minimize outs) and the very broad platform.
Trip, Conclusions and Suggestions
Brooks has created a max cushion extremely shoe for elites.. and for the remainder of us a lot as they did of their Hyperion Elite 5 street marathon shoe. The burden is low for the stack peak and broad platform. The foams are prime notch as is the MegaGrip Elite outsole. The Matryx higher is beneficiant in match but completely safe.
You’ll discover extra “thrilling” extremely path shoe rides as the texture right here is constant regardless of the tempo and terrain, very secure and considerably flat feeling. The Elite has no sharp edges, no prescriptive sure approach to run it, and no slim agenda of being a shoe designed only for one course and or one athlete. As such, it isn’t as thrilling as say the very aggressive agency and slim platform tremendous forefoot centered Terrex Velocity Extremely or the enormous stacked roll and bounce off the entrance Rocket X Path.
Ultimately, whereas it might lack a bit in “character” it has been a brilliant sensible and pleasant tremendous path shoe choice and one I don’t hesitate to lace up for any sort of path run.
Sam’s Rating: 9.3 /10
Trip (30%): 9.1 constant, versatile, leg pleasant and straightforward all paces and terrains however missing some pizazz
Match (30%): 9.6 whole assist, whole consolation
Worth (10%): 8.7 at $275 dear however versatility for each coaching and racing
Model (5%): 8.8 white for path? with massive branding a bit overdone and rapidly soiled
Traction (15%): 9.4 MegaGrip Elite is performant, mild, sturdy and versatile
Rock Safety (10%): 9.7 deep foam and outsole offers loads
😊😊😊 ½ constant, dependable, versatile however not essentially the most thrilling
Video Description and Mini Assessment after 1st Run at UTMB
