5 Best Brooks Trail Running Shoes in 2026
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Brooks has made a name for itself in the running world. It’s produced some of the best road running shoes, and its trail shoes didn’t let us down.
To get the best of the best, we took the shoes to the trails and tested them in our lab. Tackling various terrains was great, but we also wanted to compare our experience with the data. Whether it's lug depth, dynamic coefficient of friction, shock absorption, softness, durability, or breathability, we tested it all. We also highlighted the best performers in various categories.
How we test Brooks trail running shoes
All the steps we take before publishing our in-depth reviews are:
- We buy Brooks trail running shoes with our own money. We love being independent and writing bias-free reviews.
- Our test runs with each shoe tackle different terrain, from dry, loose ground and well-maintained trails to mud, slush, and rocks.
- We cut the shoes in half and into pieces. We also use our tools (durometer, Dremel, calipers, specialized machines for measuring traction, torsional rigidity, shock absorption, and energy return) to describe the shoe's fit and performance with 30+ data points.
Best Brooks trail running shoes overall
What makes it the best?
Among all Brooks trail running shoes we’ve tested, Cascadia 20 established its dominance on off-the-beaten paths. Together with its well-designed lugs and TrailAdapt system, this workhorse has unmatched versatility across mixed terrains and distances. On top of this, it offers impressive impact protection!
We navigated through steep and uneven paths safely thanks to the 3.4 mm Traction Lugs and Vibram Megagrip rubber. They are designed with intention, with tiny dots on each lug to enhance grip. In our wet-condition test, it scored 0.79, proving to be 17% grippier than average.
The TrailAdapt system stabilizes our strides and protects us from underfoot debris. Another feature that enhances stability is the vast landing platform, with caliper measurements of 117.7/98.5 mm.
The sensation underfoot feels soft, translating to a consistently well-protected ride. We measured an above-average stack height of 37.9/29.1 mm. Yet what truly creates lasting comfort is its strong shock absorption, reaching 136 SA in the heel and 121 SA in the forefoot.
However, Cascadia 20’s focus on stability and cushioning tipped the scales to 10.5 oz (298g). Those who aim to get lightweight shoes won’t be satisfied with this pair.
Pros
- Vibram Megagrip outsole
- Excellent stability
- Versatile for hiking and running
- More cushioning than previous Cascadias
- Plush step-in comfort
- Secure fit with zero slide
- Ideal for heel strikers
- Performs well on gravel roads
- Excellent value for money
- Lighter than v19
Cons
- Still a heavy trail shoe
- Snug fit limits wider feet
- Upper durability concerns
- Maybe a bit too firm for some
Best Brooks gravel running shoes
What makes it the best?
Staying true to its name, the Brooks Ghost Trail combines elements that pave the way for seamless transitions from the streets to beaten paths. It has a flexible build that makes it easy to maneuver, a well-balanced cushion, and a reliable grip for maintained paths. Among all the Brooks trail running shoes we tested, Ghost Trail is the king of gravel roads.
Running in this pair made us feel versatile as the midsole flows with every stride. It enhances our agility, making the shift to new terrain feel effortless. In our bend test, it took 17% less effort vs. the average to flex the midsole to 30 degrees.
Another element that keeps our transitions smooth is the subtle yet sticky set of lugs in the outsole. Measuring 2.7 mm deep (vs. 3.5 mm average), it gave us good traction on trails and adapted well to the road without feeling chunky underfoot. Its traction score of 0.62 is right in the middle of the average road and trail running shoe.
We found the balanced 38.3/26.8 mm cushion to be stacked enough for impact protection. It includes tall sidewalls and an oversized heel width of 96.1 mm for steady landings. This feeling remained when we shifted our weight laterally and ran through uneven paths.
However, its streamlined toebox may cause discomfort to those with broad feet. It's wise to consider a more suitable alternative for these people.
Pros
- Ideal for gravel or mixed-surface runs
- Dependable, winter-ready grip
- Stable platform for heel strikers
- Comfortable step-in feel
- Amazing aesthetics
- Flexible build for hiking and walking
- Can be used on roads too
- Good durability from top to bottom
- Reasonable price
- Ideal one-shoe-for-everything
Cons
- A bit heavy
- Tapered toebox limits natural toe splay
- No gusseted tongue
- Higher drop than stated
Best Brooks trail running super shoe
What makes it the best?
The Cascadia Elite delivers the most premium features in one shoe: proven by lab results and undeniably felt by our feet, making it the ultimate Brooks trail running super shoe. It’s a performance-driven pair that offers unmatched speed, grip, cloud-like comfort, and impressive stability for long distances and races. It deviates from the traditional trail shoe with its world-class energy return and shock absorption.
Cascadia Elite’s energy return took our trail runs to the next level, reaching 68.4% in the heel and 68.9% in the forefoot. It features a Pebax plate around the perimeter of the midsole, driving the shoe’s power with every stride without the harshness of a full-length plate. It also adds a touch of support, along with its broad 116.9/100.9 mm platform.
Unlike other trail shoes' down-to-earth profile we’re accustomed to, Cascadia Elite’s DNA Gold foam measures a solid 38.8/27.3 mm in height. It holds a superior combination of an above-average stack and softness, ultimately leading to comfort. We recorded elite shock absorption ratings of 147 SA in the heel and 116 SA in the forefoot, making long miles roll by with minimal joint stress.
This shoe offers incredible control along fast and smooth trails. The outsole features the Vibram Megagrip Elite compound, which delivers grip that’s off the charts! Scoring an astounding 1.08 in our traction test, it boldly exceeds the average by 61%! Moreover, it has 3.2 mm lugs with various shapes to provide added control on descents and cornering.
However, its steep 11.5 mm drop may feel unnatural for some trail runners. Those who want a better sense of the ground for trickier terrain should go for another shoe.
Pros
- Fantastic PEBA foam
- Incredible Vibram Megagrip Elite outsole
- Surprisingly stable
- Elite-level materials from heel to toe
- Ideal for fast, flat courses
- Sock-like MATRYX upper
- Impressively beautiful design
- Fast without being too stiff or uncomfortable
- Ideal for heel strikers
- Plush, comfortable ride for long runs
Cons
- High price limits appeal
- Narrow-fitting toebox
- High drop can feel awkward to some
- Low toebox durability
Best lightweight Brooks trail running shoes
What makes it the best?
The Catamount 4 stands out from traditional trail shoes, delivering an awesome mix of stability and agility in our lab tests and runs. It's our top lightweight Brooks trail shoe, combining support and control in a remarkably airy package, which makes it a great performer across various speeds.
Catamount 4 melts away on our feet, and our scales confirm its weightlessness at 9.3 oz (264g), 7% lighter than the average trail shoe. This is attributed to its below-average stack, which our caliper measures at 31.5/23.1 mm, giving us a heightened surface connection.
Besides its moderate height, Catamount 4 has supportive sidewalls that keep us surefooted. Cutting the shoe open reveals the SkyVault plate, which serves as a rock plate and enhances stability and snappiness.
Underfoot, the TrailTack Green outsole delivers reliable grip on gravel roads and hard-packed ground. Its 3.1 mm lugs are the perfect depth for a smooth and fast ride.
However, runners tackling long distances may require more cushioning and underfoot protection. If this is the case, other pairs will feel less harsh on the legs.
Pros
- Stable ride inspires confidence
- Ideal option for heel strikers
- Reliable grip across varied easy terrain
- Secure upper with excellent lockdown
- Reliable upper durability
- New foam and redesigned plate
- Comfortable fit suits most runners
- Good build quality
- Still feels lightweight underfoot
- Excellent laces
Cons
- Ride lacks energy return
- Expensive price for its features
- Less agile than before
- Minor weight gain
Brooks trail running shoes with the best stability
What makes it the best?
With repetitive landings, we could feel the Caldera 8 taking care of our footing and our leg muscles, offering the best stability among all the Brooks trail running shoes we tested in and out of the lab. This shoe serves well-cushioned landings, reliable traction, and a surefooted ride—creating a smooth and relaxed experience in easy-to-moderate terrain.
Despite its plush sensation, the ride feels remarkably stable. We credit the midsole sidewalls that guide our foot alignment, the high torsional rigidity (21% stiffer than average) for steady support, and the extensive landing base. This shoe is one of the widest we’ve seen at 116.6/104.0 mm, notably its heel, which is 13.6 mm wider than average!
We found Caldera 8 suitable for laid-back days. At 36.7/27.9 mm, it reduces landing impact, making endurance runs less taxing on our legs. Additionally, our shock absorption test reveals a high score of 129/111 SA in the heel and forefoot, respectively, proving the relief we experienced.
Moving to the outsole, we're relieved of Caldera’s traction in various conditions. After our traction test, we found that it offers a dependable grip of 0.59, further assisted by 3.6 mm lugs that feel versatile on more technical sections.
Because of its wide dimensions, Caldera 8 feels like a bulky SUV. Those who prefer more agility for twisty trails should go for a more fluid and compact shoe.
Pros
- Outstanding stability
- Comfortable, smooth ride
- Versatile on easy and moderate terrain
- Secure, reliable lockdown
- Fair and reasonable price
- Dependable traction
- Cleaner, more refined look
Cons
- Still heavy
- Needs more cushioning
- Bulky, overly wide heel
- Only for slow paces
Brooks trail running shoe collections
Cascadia is an all-arounder. It’s very versatile - runners use it for light trails, gravel and fire roads, mixed and moderate terrain, and even for hiking. It’s highly cushioned, orthotic-friendly, and available in Wide, too.
Cascadia Elite is a trail super shoe, made for ultras. It’s screaming with premium tech: 100% PEBA, carbon-infused Pebax plate, Megagrip Elite outsole, sock-like Matryx upper with Kevlar. Shock absorption: high. Energy return: high. Traction: high.
Catamount is a slightly overpriced gravel trail running shoe that’s equipped with a rock plate, medium-width fit, and moderate shock absorption and energy return.
Caldera is a great value-for-money option for mixed terrain. Its 3.6 mm lugs, combined with torsionally rigid platform and high traction, ensure its high level of performance on moderate terrain.
Divide comes in a regular and in a GTX variant. Works best as a hybrid (roads and trails) and is great for beginners.
Ghost Trail is a stable, hiking- and gravel-ready trail version of the Brooks Ghost.
Gravel, moderate, or technical terrain?
To decide whether a shoe works well on gravel (and road-to-trail adventures), moderate terrain, or technical terrain, we have to look at many things. It’s not as easy as saying “oh, deep lugs, great, it’s perfect for single tracks”.
Fortunately, we assess all models that go through our lab and assign them terrain scores:
To decide which type of trails the shoes are best for, we look at their a) lug thickness, shape, orientation, b) tread patterns, c) traction, d) platform rigidity (how easy it is to twist), e) stability, and f) durability. We cover all of these features in the chapters below!
Tread pattern and traction in Brooks trail running shoes
The variation that exists in tread patterns is out of this world. And no wonder, given the variety: what the surface is like, how steep it is, and who is using the shoes. A heavier runner, a skinnier runner, someone who lands on the forefoot or on the heel, someone who prioritizes speed and explosiveness, or someone who runs ultras.
In most cases (we’re thinking mixed terrain), runners enjoy dense lugs of average depth (2-3 mm). However, muddy runs ask for very deep lugs placed further apart from each other, and gravel or a mix of road and trail asks for shallower and more durable lugs.
That’s not all! We have to take lug thickness into account.
In the lab, we also measure a dynamic coefficient of friction. This is something that is more useful to road runners, as we perform the test on wet concrete. However, it still has some value for trail runners, especially those who tend to mix roads with trails, or those who often find themselves on flat wet rocks.
The higher the coefficient of friction, the better (especially above 0.45).
Technical terrain extra
If you’re looking for a trail running shoe that will make you happy on technical trails, we recommend looking at the torsional rigidity too.
If you’re interested in the machine we use to perform this test or how we end up with a single torsional rigidity metric, read more about it on our methodology page.
This torsional stiffness is very important on technical terrain because running over sharp, pointy obstacles like tree roots or rocks means we touch the surface with a very small part of the outsole. This may make the shoe bend or twist, and the more it happens, the more our feet muscles work to compensate for that and keep us stable. Torsional rigidity prevents this extra foot work and makes our runs more stable on technical terrain.
How durable are Brooks trail running shoes?
In trail running, we care about the toebox durability because sharp obstacles can easily rip the upper, and outsole durability because when lugs are met with premature wear and tear, grip gets worse, and trail running shoes lose their function.
When testing the durability of the toebox, we assess the damage on a 1-5 scale, and that’s how we get the 1-5 durability score, where 5/5 is the best.
On the other hand, when testing the durability of the outsole, we don’t have to assess the damage. Outsole rubber is hard, so we get to use a tire tread gauge to measure the depth of the hole. The deeper it is, the less durable the outsole.
Stability of Brooks trail running shoes
Naturally, we all want something stable when trail running, as twisting the ankle (to start with) is not a dream come true. Trail running shoes should get more stable as the terrain gets more difficult (and technical).
Runners who prefer shoes that are low to the ground have no worries, but as soon as the heel passes the 30mm mark, we should look at the design of the platform. If it’s very tall, is it narrow as well?
On the trail runs, we also assess lateral stability.
Firmer midsoles also contribute to stability.
Softness, shock absorption, and energy return
If we were discussing road running shoes, this section would have been higher up.
In trail running, we had to focus on the traction and terrain because no amount of softness or energy return will help you if the grip is horrible.
Trail running shoes are, on average, only 4% firmer than road running shoes. That doesn’t mean that you can’t find a soft trail shoe on the market. If that’s your cup of tea, look for those that scored less than 33.0 AC on this test.
When running shorter distances, we can get away with quite a few off-putting features. However, on longer runs, including long slow distances, recovery runs, and ultras, our legs appreciate any help that they can get. In this case, that help comes in the form of shock absorption and energy return.
These 2 features together are called leg-saving features. Midsoles with high shock absorption will absorb more impact forces, which will put less stress on your legs. Lively shoes (high shock absorption) return more energy, which makes your legs work less (to put it very simply). When the foam bottoms out, it doesn’t bounce back quickly, which puts more strain on your muscles.
When it comes to numbers, we recommend looking for higher shock absorption whenever possible. Energy return, on the other hand, may be lower in daily trainers and trail shoes for technical terrain. We expect it to be higher in race shoes.
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