Twenty! That’s how many versions of the Cascadia we’ve now seen from Brooks. For those who’ve been around since the very first release, it’s been a long road of transformations. Some updates were better than others. Following a run of “dull” and “reliable” iterations, the Cascadia 19 was a genuine neck-turner, earning a permanent spot on our trail team’s daily trainer favourites list. It had that rare plush-to-pop ratio out on the trails. The Cascadia 20 is a whole different animal, and it’s already splitting opinions in the trail running world, including in our own team. Today, we’re digging into Brooks’ newest trail shoe to find out who it’s really built for. We’re asking whether, two decades in, this is an update or a full reinvention.
Upper and Fit of the Brooks Cascadia 20
What works for me
Taking the Cascadia 20 out of the box, I hardly recognized it to be a Cascadia. Scott Jurek’s prodigy trail shoe gets a completely new perforated mesh upper that makes it look like a road shoe with a trail outsole. There’s no doubt about it, the Cascadia 20 has immediate crowd appeal: road to trail crowd appeal that is. I am not sure how I feel about this. I was almost nervous to take my dusty pink and white shoe out in an all terrain alpine setting.
Putting it side by side with the Cascadia 19, it’s apparent how much narrower the standard fit of the Cascadia 20 is. Surprisingly, the fit and lockdown here are chef’s kiss for my feet. The lockdown is dialed in where it needs to be, cinched at the waist with just enough room to splay the toes. Note that what worked in my favour given my foot shape, may be a dealbreaker for runners who appreciate a wider toe box.
The shoe is built high but light. The tongue loses some weight without losing its padding, and the laces have traded their racy, thin profile for something wider, more casual. Just a few overlays decorate the soft mesh.
The shoe still delivers on Brooks’ signature plush, pillowy feel. Back from three hours of rolling alpine hills with a good amount of vertical, I never got any rubbing or hot spots, even with this narrower profile. That’s a huge win for this shoe.
What doesn’t work for me
The new dual-layer air-mesh makes the upper immediately more breathable. That’s a welcome touch in summer. But to me, it no longer feels like an off-road trail mesh. It’s almost reminiscent of the Ghost Trail line. I could see this being its max-stack cousin: a Brooks Ghost Max Trail of sorts. In that capacity, this upper is perfect. As a commuter shoe from road to trail, also perfect. But for places I would normally take my Cascadia: across rockfall, down my local mountain path, on a root network – it leaves me wondering how abrasion-resistant the perforated mesh will be. Will it catch on a rock or root? Time will also tell how solid the mesh holds up once the mesh is put under strain on technical descents. Stay tuned!
Midsole and Ride of the Brooks Cascadia 20
What works for me
The heel stack now sits at 38mm, equating to 4mm extra foam underfoot to soak up impact. We’re looking at a nitrogen-injected DNA Flash v2 midsole foam, said to optimize both comfort and energy. It’s a foam used in Brooks road running line up, like in the Hyperion shoe. The 6mm drop means that the ride doesn’t lose its dynamism despite the added height.
The midsole has been completely reshaped in the Cascadia 20, giving it an entirely different feel when lacing up. Before, you sat close to the ground on a tapered broad base. Now, it’s a higher, blockier platform. I was torn on this for a while, since I loved the agility the 19 gave me on a network of roots for example. But what you lose in that low-to-the-ground nimbleness, you gain in a dynamic, plush sensation underfoot, thanks to a rocker at the metatarsals that keeps the legs turning over. The Trail Adapt guide system keeps the foot fairly stable avoiding that ankle twist.
What doesn’t work for me
The Cascadia 20 uses nitrogen-infused DNA Flash v2 underfoot, which is supposed to be soft and bouncy like in its road line. For so much of this foam, the ride felt firmer than expected. That firmness keeps things nice and reactive on flats and hard-packed climbs, but downhills were where it felt less pleasant to me.
In addition, you lose quite a bit of ground feel in the forefoot in this version. This trade-off makes the Cascadia 20 less of a technical shoe, but perfectly suited for buffed out or rolling trails. I miss that technical agility but to be fair, this shoe suits the type of trails many of us run on.
Outsole of the Brooks Cascadia 20
Grip and Traction
The grip of the Cascadia 20 exceeded my expectations. Brooks rubber has been replaced with the gold standard Vibram Megagrip for better traction on wet surfaces. The shoe is perfectly grippy most places you will take it. 4mm lugs have micro spurs and get a small redesign that just works. This Cascadia keeps its decoupled groove for more flexing on uneven surfaces. I can’t say I could feel that underfoot given all the extra cushioning but that’s the theory anyway!
Durability
It’s too early to make a final judgement on durability on my side. But so far, after running in the Cascadia 20 for about three weeks, it is showing no signs of wear and tear on the upper or to the lugs. That extra midsole chunk will also keep you going for quite some time.
Conclusion
Value for Money
160 euros put this in a competitive bracket for a daily trainer. This price tag seems spot on for how versatile this shoe is. It becomes a solid deal now with Vibram Megagrip rubber. This is your all-rounder that covers light to rolling trails with moderate technicity, through hiking and can even be used on a daily basis.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
For many runners, the Cascadia 20 will be the only trail shoe in their closet and it’ll do that job so well. It’s a Swiss Army knife: capable across distances, dependable in most conditions. Personally, I am reaching for it on 10-20km casual trail runs where pace isn’t my main priority.
If you live near more buffed out or rolling trails, you might go with the Ghost Trail, Cascadia 20, Cascadia Elite trio for your casual, longer, performance winning combo.
I don’t live near much flat so for me, for chasing steep, technical single track, I might add the Brooks Catamount 4 into the mix. It’s lighter, stripped back, but has that same Brooks locked-in fit. For longer, steady efforts, I’ll pair it with the Hoka Mafate 5 to give my feet that added softness.
Final Verdict
After a good stretch of miles across mixed terrain, I see the story of the Cascadia 20 as one of reinvention rather than refinement. Brooks has widened this shoe’s appeal, but in doing so, it has sacrificed some ground feel and technical edge for a firmer, more crowd-pleasing ride. We sure miss the sparkle that its older brother brought to uneven descents, though the Cascadia 20 makes up for it with best-in-class Vibram Megagrip traction. It trades agility for cushioning, and while that won’t suit every runner, it stays true to what the Cascadia line has always delivered: a dependable, versatile all-rounder. For many runners, this will be the only trail shoe they need. And that is a huge selling point.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
Brooks Cascadia 20 vs. Brooks Cascadia 19
The Cascadia 20 trades the 19’s plush, wide platform for a narrower, higher-stack build with 4mm more cushioning and a firmer, more structured ride. The upper also shifts from soft mesh to a more perforated, road-like construction, while Vibram MegaGrip replaces Brooks’ own rubber for the first time for more grip and traction on wet surfaces. The softer DNA Loft foam is replaced with DNA Flash in the Cascadia 20 for a more dynamic ride.
Brooks Cascadia 20 vs. Hoka Speedgoat 7
Prices of these two all rounders are comparable. The Cascadia leans firmer underfoot, trading ground feel for dependability and durability on rolling trails. The Speedgoat 7 sits lower. It is both a touch lighter and livelier, offering a more nervous ride. Both are packaged with Vibram Megagrip but the Speedgoat 7 handles technical terrain with much more ease. Fit-wise, the Cascadia 20 has a trim upper, particularly through the arch. The Speedgoat 7 is also narrow but mainly through the toe box. If you want an all-rounder with more pop and confident descending, the Speedgoat edges ahead; if you prioritize a secure, stable platform for daily miles, the Cascadia 20 is a great choice.
Other People’s Takes on the Brooks Cascadia 20
Raoul’s Take on the Brooks Cascadia 20
Having just returned to more regular running after dealing with a long-time injury, the Brooks Cascadia turned out to be the perfect shoe after spending most of the first 4 months of the year banging out fast miles in carbon plated road and trail shoes. It was also going to be a great shoe to compare against the Ghost Trail and the Cascadia Elite.
Having reviewed the Ghost Trail as well as the Cascadia Elite, there is a design language that follows through the range that I am pleased to take note of, as well as a few consistent elements in the on-trail usage of all three shoes. The upper of the Ghost Trail & the Cascadia 20 are near identical but the midsoles vary somewhat and the outsoles are entirely different. They are different shoes for different uses and the Cascadia Elite is an upgrade in every department on the Cascadia, so I believe the Cascadia 20 fits firmly between the two. I am most excited to see how Brooks adapts the next generation of Catamount, a firm fan favourite, based on the above shoe rotation. Back to the Cascadia 20!
For the upper, I absolutely love what used to be a ‘road upper’ but which we are now seeing more of in trail. It breathes well, is suitably snug and is aesthetically pleasing. It does not feel like a clownish trail shoe. The laces are long enough for my runners knot, also allowing extra stability on more technical trails. They have the perfect amount of give. The upper breaths well and while there are some concerns about longevity, it was very stable running technical trails. I love this upper and would have it on every shoe I own.
Sizing is consistent to the other shoes in the Brooks lineup and they fit true to size for me. The tongue is a great length and offers ample padding. The upper is a winner.
The Cascadia 20 offers a midsole that is narrower and a little more stacked than previous versions. Brooks have added a 4mm layer of DNA Flash 2 nitrogen-infused foam to the midsole which gives it a lovely little jump in your step. The midsole can feel a little firm at higher paces but the shoe is designed to work best at moderate paces, where it truly shines.
As Esther says – this is the Swiss army knife shoe. It is livelier at lower and medium paces, giving just enough ‘pop’ to keep you wanting to run just a little longer. All this while protecting the feet incredibly well. Indeed, I have not yet bottomed out this shoe and I have bombed some steep technical trails in it. I am not longing for a previous version of this shoe and I think Brooks is looking for a new audience with this one.
The ride is reliable, agile and will suit more people than it ever has. The shoe feels more Catamount-ish now, which is a good thing. Torsional rigidity in the midsole shines with the new Trail Adapt feature that resists the shoe twisting in uneven ground. Brooks have created a midsole that will please the majority of runners in the majority of scenarios with the Cascadia 20. This is a low to moderate pace workhorse with a little spring in its step. The midsole, you guessed it – also a winner.
A Vibram Megagrip outsole! Having discussed at length the extra cost to the end consumer that this brings, I was so pleased to see this shoe at 160 euros with the Vibram outsole. Vibram brings the best technology to the table and the 4mm lugs on the Cascadia 20 shine exactly where they need to. I noticed that the lugs on the Cascadia match the Cascadia Elite in design. They differ in height of course. The compounds are a little different as well. Brooks has found an ideal shape for lugs, relying less on tall mechanical ‘teeth’ and more on compound, contact geometry and controlled deformation.
This specific design from Brooks allows propulsive as well as braking shear to perform better than expected. With the road shoe design you could be fooled into thinking the Cascadia would be unstable in technical terrain. This would be a mistake. The outsole design and compound make this shoe incredible to climb as well as descend in. As footwear brands are tuning outsoles more like performance cycling tyres, we are the ultimate beneficiaries, as consumers. Vibram are the magicians we know them to be here. The outsole – winner winner, chicken dinner.
In conclusion, this shoe found me at the perfect time. I am running regularly, but not wildly. Out and out performance will come and then, I will lace up the Cascadia Elite. I love aesthetics and Brooks have nailed them on the Cascadia 20. The upper is amazing and the midsole is the Swiss Army Knife. The cherry on top is the Vibram Megagrip outsole, which shows how far outsole design (lugs height, geometry and compound) has come and where it is going.
Call me a Cascadia convert. I know this shoe will not be as pleasing for those who ran in the 19, but the 20 shines bright like a diamond for runners like myself.
Brooks Cascadia 20 Quick Questions:
How should I use Brooks Cascadia 20?
This is a versatile shoe you can use on all sorts of terrains and paces. It’s first and foremost a go-to daily trainer for the trails though. It’s chef’s kiss for your favourite 10-15km rolling trail loop.
Is Brooks Cascadia 20 a good shoe for long runs?
Given its underfoot cushion, this shoe is happy clocking up some mileage. I would be happy to use it up to about 30-40km. After that I might consider a shoe with a more forgiving midsole.
Is Brooks Cascadia 20 a good shoe for fast sessions?
This is not really where the shoe shines in our opinion. For fast short sessions, consider the Catamount 4. For fast long sessions, the Cascadia Elite is your partner of choice.
Is Brooks Cascadia 20 a shoe for daily training?
Yes, this is where the Cascadia 20 shines.
Can I wear Brooks Cascadia 20 as a lifestyle shoe?
You could totally get away using the Cascadia 20 as a normal shoe. Especially the women’s colourway is subtle enough to wear on a daily basis.
Is Brooks Cascadia 20 suitable for all terrains?
This shoe is really versatile on all terrains with Vibram Megagrip shining even on wet surfaces. The stack does make the shoe a little less of a match for technical trail than the Cascadia 19.
Is the Brooks Cascadia 20 a good shoe for racing?
This isn’t your racing shoe. For fast short races, consider the Catamount 4. For fast long races, the Cascadia Elite is your partner of choice.
Is Brooks Cascadia 20 a good shoe for stability?
The Trail Adapt system does give this shoe some stability despite a narrower platform. That said, the Cascadia 19 was more grounded.
