Forums >Gears and Wears>Trails Running shoes - looking for little more flexible shoes than Brooks Cascadia
Hi,
I have been wearing Brooks Cascadia 7 for trail running. I like the protection they provide, but I don't feel them flexible.
Here is my road/trade running situation:
I like Saucony Triumph as road running shoes and would be happy if they make a trail version of Triumph. Used saucony cortana previously and would buy them again if they are not $150. Use saucony Kinvara sometimes, but I prefer more shoes than Kinvara specially when it comes to trail running.
Since I like Saucony, I read reviews of Saucony Peregrine and Saucony Xodus and seems like these dont last after 300 miles.
Compare to Brooks Cascadia 7, I am looking for
little more flexibility
little less drop (Brooks Cascadia has 10 mm)
little less weight (12.2 oz (size 9) for Cascadia)
I ran few 3+ hours runs and looking to run longer gradually. Trails I run on are rocky and a good protecting plate and good grip are important.
I also like wide toe-box as my front foot is wider than average. I am wearing wide (2E) for Kinvara and would buy wider Triumph next time.
What are your recommendation/suggestions?
If you ask
Hey Hector!
I've run in NorthFace, Brooks Cascadias, Scott eGrips, Adidas, New Balance, and LaSportivas. I was at a trail race and asked the race director what shoes he preferred. He had a pair of Saucony (road shoes) and basically said that unless I'm running in the mountains of Colorado or Utah, road shoes work just fine for trails (we run in rocky, root-laden, sometimes muddy trails of Reading, PA).
I started running the trails in my Brooks Ghosts and think they are the perfect shoe for roads and trails.
Good luck!
I love Pearl Izumi Trail Line (and there road shoes too). I run in the Trail M2s and race in the Trail N1s. I love these. They have a plate on the ball of the foot. And they are there EMotion line. You should check them out (pearlizumi.com), and they are super light. I don't remember but they are light. I need a bit of stability since I mildly pronate. There shoe line is pretty simple N=Neutral, M=Midfoot Stability, and H=Heel Stability. The numbers are for the amount of cushion 1=least amount and 4=highest. I did notice a stiffness to them the first 2 times I ran but I absolutely love the PI shoes.
i use the cascadia & really like them. yes they are abit stiff & heavy-almost took them back after 1st few runs because of the stiffness but stuck with them & when broken in much better. i can easily see how the ghosts could work for trails/roads as they have a more aggressive outsole than typical road running shoes. how about the salomon xr mission? light weight, flexible, wide toe box, & a more hybrid type outsole
I run trails in Vibram 5 Finger shoes. It's great. Super light and flexible...make me feel like I'm flying over the trail!
~RDR~
I wore the Cascadias a few years ago and was unimpressed. I had a good experience with the Asics Gel Trail Attack later but these days I'm running in the Salomon CrossMax and I really like it. Nice and grippy on any trail surface and it handles paved surfaces well too, no small deal in a place where I often have to string trails together and that means going over some roads in between trails during a longer run. Surprisingly good energy return for a fairly heavy shoe (11 oz.). Definitely recommend if you are a neutral runner.
I like the Salomon Speedcross. They are much more flexible than the Cascadia but still offer some light support and cushioning if you aren't looking for minimalist. Also, check out the shoe reviews on irunfar.com but keep in mind some of the athletes that review the shoes are sponsored.
Based on your criteria, the brooks Puregrit may be a good fit as well, or as Edith suggests trail shoes are not always a necessity especially for tame trails. I train and race in trail shoes for two reasons:
1) you can never predict how muddy a trail will be come race day, so better to train in what you plan to race in so you are comfortable in them come race day. Maybe not important for distances less than a marathon, but beyond that you don't want to find out that you get blisters after 5 miles into a 50 from a certain shoe.
2) I find that I race better in trail shoes that are more flexible than road shoes. I like to feel the nuances of the ground when I run trails. I need to be able to react instantaneously to rocks and roots etc. When I run roads I feel like the ground finds me and too little cushioning really wears me down.
I, too, like the cascadia. And I agree that it took a couple of runs to lessen the stiffness but overall, it has been the best trail running shoes I have worn. In fact, I just ordered another pair, in a different color. I've had my running form/foot strike, etc. analyzed due to blisters/numbness the more I run on paved roads which I don't care for as I am more of a trail runner but sometimes, road races are the only races around. My shoes are now a whole size larger and the numbness has subsided. Also, through trial and error (and patience), found that eliminating wearing certain 'running' socks, which I believe also contributed to the problems, has decreased the blisters.
I really don't like changing my trail running shoes now mainly for the reason that it took a lot of time, and different shoes, insoles, podiatrist visits, RICE, etc. to get past the blisters/numbness issues. I don't want to go through that again.
Hi Edith!
I went to a running shoe store and a person who helped me said the same thing!
Lyssaboo – thanks for suggesting the shoes. I’ll check the out.
Skyedog - Salomon XR Mission has a little less support then Cascadia. Seems like Salomon XR Mission are natural running shoes and Cascadia are neutral. I use Kinvara on roads sometimes and they are natural shoes. But I like little more shoes when it comes to daily trainer and trail running shoes. I am not sure if I want to try little less supportive shoes on trails.
Isis – thanks for the suggestion I don’t get excited about minimalist shoes on trails right now
CMJHawk86 – I will check outSalomon XR Crossmax
Flatfooter – I will check out Salomon Speedcross
az2mntrail – the more I read about other shoes, I think Cascadia are not bad. I ran around 350 miles in them and feel like they can go for 300 more miles
Skyedog - Salomon XR Mission has a little less support then Cascadia. Seems like Salomon XR Mission are natural running shoes and Cascadia are neutral. I use Kinvara on roads sometimes and they are natural shoes. But I like little more shoes when it comes to daily trainer and trail running shoes. I am not sure if I want to try little less supportive shoes on trails. Isis – thanks for the suggestion I don’t get excited about minimalist shoes on trails right now az2mntrail – the more I read about other shoes, I think Cascadia are not bad. I ran around 350 miles in them and feel like they can go for 300 more miles
hectortrojan: same thoughts here on minimalist shoes on trails ......... it works for some. I don't feel my soles have the same 'cushioning' and 'durability' .......... my feet belong in the neutral category so Cascadia is the best ones that have worked for me. I keep my old Cascadia for hiking, they continue to be just comfortable for round the house chores.