BROOKS CASCADIA 14
PRICE: $130 | TYPE: Trail
WEIGHT: 11.2 oz (M), 8.9 oz (W) | DROP: 8 mmThis legendary trail
shoe is as comfortable
as the previous model,
even more flexible, and
weighs less. Brooks’s
BioMoGo DNA midsole
provides a supportive,
firm platform over all
surfaces. Our testers ran
through gnarly tech-
nical trails and even
ventured onto the road.
The new rubber outsole
is a major improvement
to the Cascadia line;
the treads are tackier
on wet rock, grippier in
mud, and still forgiving
on the soles of your
feet when you run over
pavement. Brooks likens
the shoe’s Pivot Post
system—four points of
stability at the cornersof the shoe—to an SUV,
for confident footing on
uneven ground. If the
Cascadia had a slogan,
it would adapt the
Scouts’ motto “always
be prepared.” The shoe
is outfitted with all the
features you need on the
trail: The upper has an
internal saddle system
for a secure fit; exter-
nally, a new Cordura
mud guard prevents
any trail dreck from
getting inside your shoe
and allows drainage
after running through
puddles. Testers appre-
ciated the Cascadia’s
ability to beat back
water, saying it kept
their feet completely
dry in rain.—A.F.This is a no-frills,
no-bull, men’s-only
model with a firm EVA
midsole, a TrailPro-
tect rock plate in the
forefoot, and a stabi-
lizing counter at the
heel. While the ride
isn’t plush, the shoe
still has plenty of off-
road protection with a
reinforced TPU upper
and shock-dispersing
insole. According to our
testers, the shoe stayed
light and breathable
in wet conditions, and
dried quickly without
that lingering squishy
feeling. One runner
went as far to dub it the
most comfortable pairof trail shoes he has
ever tried. Vibram rub-
ber and lugs are con-
structed in a variety
of shapes and angles
to grip whether you’re
running uphill or down.
Although Merrell says
the Nova does its best
work on moderate
trails, our testers had no
issues pushing the lim-
its on technical terrain
in Pennsylvania. “I used
these shoes for runs
and hikes in wet and
muddy conditions, and
on rocky and gravel sur-
faces, and they always
gave me good footing
with minimal slippage,”
one tester said.—M.P.MERRELL NOVA
PRICE: $110 | TYPE: Trail
WEIGHT: 11.0 oz (Men’s only) | DROP: 8 mmAVA I L A B L E W I T H
A GOR E-TEX UPPER
FOR AN EXTR A $30.
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