Discontinued · trail · Trail / Long run · $160
Earlier generation of the Brooks Cascadia 16 GTX line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for trail, long run, at a target pace of 9:30–12:30 /mi on trail.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Brooks Cascadia 20 GTX.
Brooks tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 34 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as muted at 1/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.36 per mile at $160.
For the foams and plates Brooks uses across its line, read the Brooks brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
328 g / 11.6 oz
53 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
34 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$160
Level with the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
1 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
1 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Brooks line it is heavier than the brand's median (283 g / 10.0 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Adidas Terrex Agravic 4(2026)
290 g / 10.2 oz · 32 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $140
Everyday trail trainer on the new, softer Lightstrike 3.
Nike ACG Pegasus Trail GORE-TEX(2026)
300 g / 10.6 oz · 35 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $175
Waterproof road-to-trail Peg for winter and mud.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Garoe
300 g / 10.6 oz · 36 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $130
Comfortable mid-price trail trainer with a roomy fit.
Salomon Genesis 2
290 g / 10.2 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150
Comfortable, stable trail trainer for long technical days.