Brooks Caldera

Entering the market in December 2016, the Brooks Caldera is the latest release of the year from this brand in trail running shoes. These shoes have been designed to offer a high level of responsiveness and excellent cushioning for long distance runs over more challenging terrain.

These shoes are thicker in the forefoot section compared to any other Brooks shoe. This allows the shoe to provide better cushioning for longer distances and better protection for this section of the foot from rocks and loose material that may be encountered on the trail.

Despite this increased height that can be seen at a glance in the forefoot, the shoe has a 4mm drop so it offers good stability.

Upper design

Regarding the upper design, the Brooks Caldera features a wider tongue to prevent loose material from entering the shoe. This protection can also be seen in the incorporation of a double mesh throughout the upper of the shoe which also hugs the foot very well to keep it protected, without sacrificing the proper level of ventilation that the shoe needs.

In the upper you can also find a special section to store the laces, so that they do not get tangled or give any problems during the runs. The entire construction of the upper of the shoes is made by heat sealing to avoid seams that can cause irritations during use and also have the purpose of decreasing the overall weight of the shoe a bit.

Brooks Caldera Outsole

The outsole is crafted from a "sticky" textured rubber that possesses the quality of gripping better on all types of surfaces, mainly rocky or caked dirt floors. Although the lugs appear to be somewhat shallow, their multidirectional design promises good performance on all types of terrain, improving the Caldera's traction.

Midsole

As mentioned, these shoes have a higher forefoot height and this can be noticed in the thickness of the midsole. So far the Brooks Caldera are the first Brooks shoes to have such a thick midsole. The specifications of this section of the shoe have yet to be fully disclosed, however, it is known that it makes use of a combination of technologies including Brooks' already well-known BioMoGo, which is a smart foam that adapts in a personalized way to the natural curvature of the foot and the pressure exerted at different moments of the run.

Although we still have to wait a bit to test the performance of the Brooks Caldera during races, they are already shaping up to be a good competitor for the Nike Terra Kiger, the New Balance Vazee Summit or the Saucony Peregrine; and as an option with excellent features in trail running shoes.