Brooks Cascadia Elite Review

The DNA Gold PEBA midsole is that sweet spot between soft and firm, and will be an ideal underfoot experience for most runners. It feels good running fast or slow for long miles. It has a good rocker and plate that, when combined with the responsive midsole, provides a charged ride across a variety of trails and road sections.

The amount of foam underfoot is substantial, making it a great ultra-distance shoe, yet it feels stable and instills confidence navigating different terrain. Across a variety of distances, paces, and trails, the Cascadia Elite took everything in stride.

Even though it isn't a shoe meant for the most technical terrain, we found it still did an adequate job scrambling over light roots and rocks. Additionally, the shoe felt great on an extended road section of our run where we accelerated into uptempo paces. The performance range is strong here.

We would hesitate recommending it for a muddy or overly technical course where longer lugs might be preferred, but otherwise it is suitable for the majority of trails we'd expect to encounter.

The Brooks Cascadia Elite is one of the most comfortable trail "super shoes" we've tried. The combination of the cushioning underfoot, padded heel collar, and thick tongue keeps the shoe feeling fantastic the whole time it's on your foot.

Unfortunately, getting it on foot can be a bit of an ordeal. The bootie with its integrated gaiter can feel snug and finicky at first, but once you're in the shoe, it does a good job of balancing comfort with performance.

We were impressed by how well the high midsole stack holds up over long distances. The foam feels impressively responsive, like we'd expect from racing foam, but also durable enough to hold up on trails and comfortable enough to support long, arduous, ultra-distance efforts.

We found the Cascadia Elite to run true to size, and the Matryx upper fit well and was durable and performance-oriented, as we'd expect. A secure fit that wasn’t too snug gave us the confidence we needed to run aggressively through some trickier sections of our trails, knowing the shoe was secure enough.

Our one pain point came from the sock-like slip in the area, where the tongue meets the ankle in the front, irritating some of us near our shins. This is a recurring issue with one of our testers, and sock-like fits, so if other shoes with the same construction have worked for you, then you're likely to be okay here. 

"The North Face Summit Pro 3 has a little more cushion underfoot, with a PEBA/EVA blend midsole, which offers a little bit more softness and comfort to the ride. It is also an ounce heavier than the Cascadia Elite, which may be noticeable to some. For me personally, the upper of the Summit Pro 3 is a better choice because it doesn’t cause me any chafing, and that goes a long way during longer races/adventures." -Becky

"The Summit Vectiv Pro 3 weighs a bit more and has a more aggressive plate/rocker. I don’t think the ride is as smooth and cushioned as the Brooks Cascadia Elite. I’d go for the Cascadia Elite here unless you are looking for a shoe that will strictly be a sturdy racing shoe." -Erik

"The closest model comparison I can think of is the HOKA Tecton X 3. Both shoes use a PEBA midsole with a plate and a little bit of a socklike construction around the ankle area. With nearly identical specs (weight, stack height, foam, plate), the biggest difference I noticed is that the gaiter on the Tecton X 3 is higher. Both feel stable, are not overly soft or firm, and can handle big mileage days. If you like the Tecton X 3, you will also like the Cascadia Elite." -Becky

"We have a pretty comparable set between the Metafuji Trail and Cascadia Elite. I find the Cascadia Elite to be a little more versatile with cushioning and ability to tackle a variety of trails. I feel the decision here comes down to fit and feel." -Erik