The shoe itself is pretty middle of the road in its specifics, weighing in around 11oz, a moderate stack height, and an 8mm heel to toe drop. Beyond being both functional and comfortable, the upper wears dirt well; the practicality of dark fabric when it comes to trail shoes outweighs flashy color combinations in my closet.

As has been my experience with Brooks in the past, I found these shoes to be comfy right out of the box, requiring no break-in time. Different shoes may work better for different arch types, but it doesn't reflect more or less arch support.The 8mm drop felt OK hiking uphill (decreased gradient) or running on the flat (reduced calf fatigue), but it annoyed me while hiking downhill (increased gradient). Based in temperate southern Oregon, Annie has year-round access to marvelous trail systems and public lands that she shares with more wildlife than she does people … the perfect paradise. While the midsole is not super responsive or agile, the durability is what will cause a runner to keep on lacing these bad boys up for one trail after another. One nice change though is the plate has vertical striations that help it flex laterally, giving the shoe a bit more accommodation on corners or off-camber terrain. My feet were well protected from the rocky trail despite my best attempts to seek out the pointiest points.

The heel-to-toe drop is still 8 mm, which is relatively standard, and a good middle ground for most people. More importantly, it's a trail tank that kept our feet well-protected through the jagged rocks and roots.

Each product tile provides a user the ability to select it for comparison with up to two other products via a compare button. That combo is few and far between and is especially nice for drying quickly and keeping the footsies at an appropriate temp. If you do like gaiters, you’ll be happy to hear that these shoes have a hook loop at the toe of the laces and a Velcro pad on each heel.

Sure, there might be a hole or two in the mesh (largely dependent on terrain), and the lugs will be worn, but they’ll make it. Security, fit, traction and durability are comparable, though Cascadia has a slightly more forgiving toe box.The shoe is still extremely stable, thanks to its slightly wider base, but ultimately removing the post is a smart move. Jeff V: Very close in my opinion in all ways, though the Mad River TR 2 has perhaps a touch better traction and a slightly softer midsole. Canice is a 2 x finisher of the Wasatch 100, the Bear 100, Moab 100, Western States 100, and Leadman as well as many other ultras. We ran into some issues on grip, especially on mud and wet rocks, but nonetheless, this beast kept our strides surefooted and stable with its supportive midsole.