em>Packed Trail
In a word: smooth. The Cascadia 4 can handle both big miles and varied terrain, making it an ideal training shoe for trail marathons or ultras. The environmentally sensitive BioMoGo midsole (which, Brooks claims, will break down in a landfill 50 times faster than most other foams) provides ample and responsive cushioning, and the transition from heel strike to toe-off is seamless. Although this flexible shoe excels on nontechnical trails, it’s not limited to subdivision footpaths; widely spaced lugs underfoot gripped (and then efficiently shed) even the sloppiest mud. Caveat: The soft upper made us feel a little unsteady on off-camber terrain. 12.2 oz;