Brooks Caldera 6 review

I don’t live that far away from the trails, not very technical, pretty flat trails, that is, given that this is a flat country after all. So, once in a while, I’ll go trail running. I’ve always had at least one pair of trail running shoes in my rotation: Skechers GoRun Ultra (versions 1, 2, 3 and 4), 361 Taroko 2, and Nike Pegasus Trail (versions 2 and 3). Since the trails near me are not very technical and I’m not a very serious trail runner, I mostly have door-to-trail types of shoes, since I can literally get out the door, run a few blocks and get onto the trails.

Brooks now has a new line of shoes with nitrogen infused midsoles. Although the shoes are new editions, having shoes with nitrogen isn’t super new anymore. Brooks has already had the Hyperion Tempo, Aurora-BL and the Catamount with nitrogen infused midsoles and has now added the Glycerin 20 and the Caldera 6 to the mix. Puma also has several running shoes with nitro, such as the Velocity Nitro (1 and 2), Deviate Nitro and the Run XX Nitro. Thus this isn’t entirely new, but Brooks has now added it to some of their existing product lines rather than creating a new shoe with it.

I’ve tried several Brooks running shoes before, but I haven’t tested a trail shoe from Brooks before. I did want to test the Catamount, but never got around to it. I could not find a whole lot of reviews on the Caldera 6 (maybe because the more serious trail runners don’t see it as a serious trail shoe?), but I was able to pick up a pair for a good price, so I decided to go for it.

It does look like a beast, which was actually one of the reasons I wanted to try it. I prefer a bit more maximalist shoes, although high stack heights are becoming more the norm now anyway. It weighs around 277 grams, not super light, but not bad for a shoe that looks this big. It has a 35 mm heel stack and a 29 mm forefoot stack, which means it has a 6 mm drop.

I like a bit of cushion but that’s not always the case with trail shoes, but that’s why the Nike Pegasus Trail used to be my favorite trail shoe with its react midsole. Yes, that’s right, used to be, my new favorite trail shoe is definitely the Brooks Caldera 6.

Outsole

I’ve used these while running up and down a hill about 15 times in a row and I had no issues with the grip. I don’t run super technical trails, but for the trails that I do run on, the stability and the grip have been great. The shoe has quite a wide platform, which I think is good for trail running, also given the fact that I have a bit of a wider forefoot.

The lugs are not super aggressive, but I don’t want them to be because I don’t run super technical trails and I also use them for door-to-trail running. I have run with them on wet surfaces and they do okay, but I can imagine they might not be suitable for super wet technical trails up in the mountains somewhere.

Midsole

There is a lot of midsole, so you don’t get a whole lot of ground feel in these. It’s a lot of the new nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT V3 foam, which can also be found in the Glycerin 20 and in the Aurora-BL. The midsole provides a lot of cushion, but is also quite responsive. I find them to be a great balance between squishy and springy. It is a lot of shoe, but they don’t feel as heavy as they might look.

Upper

The upper is made out of 48% recycled materials. There is not much extra padding in the tongue, personally, I would appreciate a bit of padding, but it is gusseted and it does provide a good lockdown, which is obviously important in trail running. The heel collar is well padded and structured enough to keep your heel in place. The upper is comfortable and has enough space in the toe box.

Conclusion

The Brooks Caldera 6 is a great long distance trail shoe. I’ve had no hotspots in these and can wear these for hours on end. I’ve actually already logged over 150 kilometers in these. I’ve worn them on many trail runs, running up and down hills many times and also used them during a few trail races. They are great road-to-trail shoes with enough space in the toe box and enough cushion to keep you going for longer. They are protective and stable enough for easy trails. They are definitely my new favorite trail shoes.

If you are looking for a trail shoe for long distances and you are looking for a stable shoe with a wider platform and a good amount of cushion, this might be the trail shoe for you.