If the budget allows, I vote for Goldmember to do the ad read because this stuff is gold. Brooks’ new DNA Gold midsole is reportedly made of 100% PEBA material. If you have been in either of their road racing shoes that have it, the foam in the Cascadia Elite feels a bit denser.
Like in one of my all-time faves, the North Face Vectiv Pro 2, the midsole concoction strikes a really nice balance of soft cushion and true energy return without feeling too unstable for rockin’ and rollin’ on the trails. I have a hunch that this is largely due to the SkyVault Plus plate adding stability, but, again, this foam falls into the softer end of the spectrum without being overly mushy.
There was a little bit of a density shift from the forefoot to the heel. Even though the heel has a higher stack of foam, it’s actually the forefoot that feels softer because of the plate construction opening up in the forefoot. There’s really not much underfoot there, and I appreciated the amount of cushion and subtle amounts of ground feel.
Another aspect that aligns with many of our favorite long-distance trail racers of this year (i.e., On Cloudultra Pro, Puma Deviate Nitro Elite Trail, La Sportiva Prodigio Pro, and even the Hoka Rocket X Trail) is that the Brooks Cascadia Elite prioritizes efficiency. The forefoot rocker is noticeable, but it certainly isn’t extreme. This one actually has one of the more subtle rockers, and it plays well with moderate to technical terrain, providing a “grounded” and controlled sensation.
