Is this Brooks' Speedgoat killer? // BROOKS CALDERA 6 // Ginger Runner Review

[@bev9708]

Ben from Time On Feet has put over 1000km on his Caldera 5s which is really something, and STILL likes the midsole though the upper is falling apart... surely that bodes well for the longevity on the 6 too, especially with an improved upper! That helps make the price point far more acceptable too!!

[@ALeafintheWind414]

Definite Buy. I've had mine for 6 months and it is just a wonderful ride. I had no problems in the wet or mud either, I have a lot of confidence bombing down hills in this whatever the conditions. My only tiny complaint would also be the colorway. That light grey gets dirty real fast haha.

[@ianfraser747]

I loved the 4th version, the problem I have is that there are just sooooo many shoes to try which means a rarely ever purchase the same one twice. Great post and love the channel!

[@brycer1235]

Buy..I love my Caldera 6's. I've put over 100 on them and they are still just as fun and snappy. I don't agree with the narrow comment. I feel the box is ample. More so than my SG's. But my Calderas definitely do hold the heat. Even with that I reach for the Calderas everytime over my SG's. They just have more comfort and hold up way better. Super happy with them.

[@robertrunner8427]

Love that shoe, i did recently a 100k race in it it was awesome...for me the shoe feels more stable and responsive as the speedgoat which gave me a secure feeling esoecially on easier terrain..so f.e. you can fly down gravel roads effortless with high speed....

[@tammyschilling5362]

I have the Caldera 5 and I love it. I am sad to see they have added more overlays and made it less breathable. I would have said the breathability is the only downside to the shoe (not awful, just not very good).

[@79reynevan]

This shoes completely changed my training life, instead 12-15 km i do 30! Because I fukin can! I absolutely love those shoes!

[@stephencsaplar6382]

Best trail shoe at the moment in my opinion is the Saucony Xodus Ultra 🏃🏻‍♂️👍☀️

[@joefaifer]

I think Hoka does also suffer with narrowness in a few of their shoes, but Brooks as a whole just has never fit me right. Which is unfortunate because I do like some of their shoes and colorways (except this one lol). Wish I could give these a proper go, but living in a city makes that a bit hard for the moment. Good vid!

[@WayeOfLife]

Full disclosure.. I am a Brooks ambassador.. but really mean every word. I love this shoe. Gives me a huge grin using it and i think it is actually Brooks best shoe across all their line. Intrigued by the width comment, I used to use the speedgoat and other HOKA and Salomon trail shoes and always found them narrower (but that was years ago before becoming a run happy person). But back to the shoe.. how much do i love it? I am using it in 10days time at the Plogging World Championships! (yep.. there is a PLOGGING WORLD CHAMPS!! wooohoooo) - not just because the route is part trail, but the stability of the shoe is great for plogging (picking up trash while running) and not just technical trails hahaha

[@SubtleForces]

As per my comment, I am a 50+ running shoe newbie. After a running store finally found me fitting Ghosts, I also started with the divide 2 this spring as I added more trails and was hoping to find a better solution for the canadian winter. Would this shoe be better for the winter? The trails? Both?

[@WayeOfLife]

@@SubtleForces hmm. The wider base on the calderas does make itself more stable on difficult conditions, but the upper is not waterproof. I think it would be a better choice than the divide in wintery weather, but not sure the difference would be great enough. I also cannot comment on how the outsole does on ice etc, as so far I've only had for summery conditions.. so it can't say whole heartedly yes yet. (I did just get a strava segment CR using them on wet trails. Not very technical stuff but they did really well.. I think not necessarily because of the outsole material but because it is quite flexible and so wraps around the contours of the ground underfoot. But the midsole kept the foot itself protected. It is surprisingly nimble and fun!... So.. I can't recommend just because I don't have experience with it yet in those conditions, but I am definitely excited to find out. It doesn't really answer your question, but I hope it helps a bit

[@percrunner1433]

I don’t know - I’ve always thought their trail shoes were equally as narrow as those other brands you mentioned

[@thuggoe]

I agree, i have wide feet but brooks trail runners seem to fit me and adjust to my feet over time

[@matejvogrinc4776]

Love it, very good shoes. Super upgrade. I’m for buy, you won’t regret it.

[@irunovermountains]

I immediately liked this shoe when you called it a chonky böi

[@michaelalbrecht3395]

I went to my local running shoe store and tried the caldera 6 and the craft Nordic speed adv 2 and walked out with the craft shoe is an amazing road/trail shoe

[@johngardner1898]

Excellent point about the width - and it doesn't come in a wide. 😐

[@Bend-Oregon]

I compared this Brooks shoe against the New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail V2 last summer on my local trails, and chose the NB hands down. The Caldera 6 was just not as comfortable, and the NB was truly remarkable. I also selected the NB over the Hoka (too narrow, even in wide and not as "cushioned") and the Altra Olympus (good shoe, my 2nd choice). All of these shoes were purchased and used at least once at least 10 miles on rocky trails, and the NB was NOTICEABLY more comfortable on my feet. I have several hundred miles on the NB from the end of last season, and love 'em!! Gave the Hoka and Brooks away.

[@user-sm7pm1df3e]

Do any soggy runs west of the Cascades with the NB? I'm in Oakridge and looking for new distance trail shoes. Trails here are pretty wet and rocky/rooty

[@ryannorton7421]

I tried these because I got a discount, and was really surprised at how fun they are. First pair is over 300 miles and still looks almost new. I think they are more responsive than the goats, and also a touch wider. Probably my favorite trail shoe right now.

[@swiftcolin]

These are great in wet conditions too.

[@CSWells-uq4jx]

I’ve heard from someone at a running store that only rounded off sizes actually increase the base size of the shoe. So, 8,9, 10,11, the midsole actually goes up in size with each size increase. However, 0.5 increases only add more upper material. So, according to this person, a 10.5 has the same exact size midsole/base as a 10. They just add more upper material. I don’t know if that’s true, but I wouldn’t doubt it.

[@TheGingerRunner]

That is generally true, yes. The half sizes tend to be more voluminous (upper sizing) vs longer. This is a tooling issue on the manufacturing side (costs way more to tool size changes by the half size vs just increasing size of fabric).

[@timtamothy51]

Great review and good to know about the lack of width. How does it compare to the NB More Trail v2?

[@magnus.nasmark]

The minimal trend seemed like it produced some wider shoes, but now when the business is maximising it seems like the width is going down. I really hate to only really have Topo and Altra to choose from, and really only the original width Altras.

[@chrishug5283]

SAME. So tired of falling in love with a shoe, only to have them change it. Original Altras were the absolute best.

[@dpbg]

Mid review I was ready to order but the narrowness made me change my mind real quick 😂😢

[@blairthexton4087]

Yep yep…The Caldera 2 and 4 had a wider toe box, and more sole material/rubber under the toe box. If you hold a Caldera 5 or 6 sole-to-sole with a 2 or 4, you can fully see the difference. They went much more narrow with the 5 and 6. Unfortunately, that’s why I had to stop buying them after the 4. Which I hated to do because I love their sticky sole🥲.

[@TheHutchRuns]

Just bought some of these in the UK for £63 as I was looking for a comfortable trail shoe for those longer runs and events, sounds perfect for what I want!

[@Josh_Stringer]

Glad to hear about this. I don't remember what version of Calderas I have, but they're pretty old. As in, many years old (5+?). Long since retired them from running rotation, and use them for yard work. But the upper is still holding up and the cushion is still nice (the bottom is totally worn out). If these fit well and compete with the Speedgoats, these might be worth the money just based on the longevity. Great review!

[@fynthemtns]

The weight doesn't bother you? As a Speedgoat fanboy I would worry about these not being nimble/grippy enough for my technical New England trails.

[@saschaf6689]

It’s sale time. Just picked these up for 60€ yesterday and can’t wait to try em now after watching this. 🎉

[@DoItNutrition]

Caldera, the chonk boy. 😂

[@manwow888]

Is it good for PRONATORS runner ?! Thank you for answering !

[@SPECIALIZED95711]

I just bought a pair, having loved my Nike Pegasus trail 4 in dry, they don't work at all in anything else, just walking on a thin layer of dry leaves was like being on an ice skating rink, so I sadly had to return them. I tried the Hoka Speedgoat 5 in the store and absolutely the worst shoe I ever tried, no cush even, like walking with concrete for foam. I cannot wait to try these as the cush is so nice and hope they work in the wet and on leaves at least...also you said narrow, these are by far the widest shoe I've seen or tried on., so excited.

[@OneTouch1980]

I liked the first caldera, then just feel away from them. I started to move away from these high stack midsole shoes because the foams now are getting so soft they don't need the stack (road shoe like the rebel v2/v3 and trail shoe like the brooks Catamount).

[@ptjzmemory]

Just curious - how many miles do you average a week? Lots of shoes to review! Great job as always ☺️.

[@sunnlands]

I regret buying Caldera 6. I find it too unstable on technical trails and it is too big and heavy on more buffed out trails. I hope it can be a good shoe for snow covered trails in the winter.

[@beesyspeecer8190]

Brooks trail shoes have always had lackluster wet grip - sometimes dangerously so in my experience. Ginger’s review seems to imply the same. I wish Brooks would pony up for a Contigrip or Vibram outside. Brooks for the road. Salomon for the trail. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@TheGingerRunner]

A Brooks shoe with Vibram?? SIGN. ME. UP.

[@JonPhillipssea206]

Chonk boi! I wanted to love this shoe, but man. That fit. I ended up returning them after about 30 miles. I kept hoping they’d open up, but nope. Brooks needs to take a page out of Saucony’s upper playbook and then they’d knock it out of the park. Caldera 7 maybe?

[@Colts1221Fan]

I don't like Brooks that much, but I've loved the Caldera 6. Stable, has good bounce, it's a thick version of everything I hoped the Catamount would be. I've found myself reaching for it more than my Speedgoat 5 (which I also love). My only worry is that I'll catch a rock bad with the stack height and amputate my ankle

[@C0nzilla]

Thats my biggest worry. Im still tempted to pick them up but damn theyre tall and thickkk

[@MalcolmLanham]

What are your thoughts on the Caldera 6s and wet/ muddy conditions? That is one of my biggest concerns as here in West Virginia/ Appalachian mountains, it always seems wet.

[@onwithandoverwith]

I agree with the comfort and I wanted to marry this shoe.... but that midsole is just too massive in width. I found myself noticing the lateral side hitting stuff that would cause painful jams beneath the lateral malleolus (outside ankle bone). I wish it was more nimble but it's definitely not. I would recommend this monster shoe for long hikes and would be a go to once the grid fails, lol. Tank of a shoe but in a VERY good way! I wish Brooks could make a stealthier version of this shoe.

[@MalcolmLanham]

What are your thoughts on the Caldera 6s and wet/ muddy conditions? That is one of my biggest concerns as here in West Virginia/ Appalachian mountains, it always seems wet.

[@jamesl195]

Regarding you comment regarding Brooks previous trail running shoes being a bit on the narrow side, I'll concur with that sentiment with one caveat. I felt the the Caldera 4 offered a wonderfully roomy toebox area.

[@weuek]

That's right. I wonder why they seem to have abandoned this essential running shoe feature?

[@ohaiitsarielle]

I just got a pair of these from Seven Hills at a sweet discount! Took them out on the Pink Loop on Tiger last Sunday and it was a FUN ride 😁 Took a couple of miles for my feet to find their place in the midsole, but after they settled, it was comfy. Nice wide platform, the lugs CHOMP, and despite being a thiccc boi, I felt very nimble on the trail!

[@athansheena2765]

cool review! hmm.. not sure if your able to but if you could review hoka mafate origins which looks interesting for me 🥺

[@cpruns4501]

I love love the Calera 5 so I can't wait to try this. I guess I can't bash it until I try it but I'm so sad they changed the lugs vs. the 5. Those 5 lugs were so sharp and would catch anything. They were certainly not the most durable lugs but if you had a wet or loose trail (or steep) and you need that ultra grip nothing will compete with those Caldara lugs (other than maybe Solomon). Great review - thank you.

[@Thefifaplayeryant]

Salomon ? Wet Grip ? Okay, not here in Germany, average at best in wet...

[@cpruns4501]

@@Thefifaplayeryant Let me re-word that for you: "That is super interesting you said that about Solomon. Over here in Germany on wet days that is not the brand I reach for. I find XXX brand outperforms Solomon in wet conditions." See what I did there. I said what you said but I didn't sound like a dick.

[@dewknow1315]

I be using them for the mountains lakes 100 a long with the ultra glides and speed goat 5 .

[@marksmales2204]

I Just purchased these Brooks Caldera 6, in the sky blue with dark blue hex pattern and white thick sole, orange/ brownish bottom sole £79 New off Amazon Uk, Looking at the bottom of them they do appear quite wide through out, there's no narrowing at all from what i can see, so im hoping they will be good for my feet as i have been looking for running trainers with quite a thick supporting sole.

[@LanceWinslow]

I have a couple of pairs, but I think this latest version is a little clunky.

[@matthiassventoest6800]

gonna try and pick these up on discount today

[@jdnims]

I really luved the shoes feel and fit, but the lace tongue came unglued from the shoe itself. if you look at reviews on amazon for same shoe it doesn't appear to be isolated either. I'm hoping it was a bad batch and that I may give them a shot again? I really wanted to get in these, they were to be my shoe in my last 50k mid-summer but when they arrived and broke on my last couple of runs leading up to it I had to shift gears and go with my Hoka Challenger ATR's again.

[@Naminorite]

I like the look but went with the North Face VECTIV Enduris II

[@hannaha9379]

Are these good for muddy / wet grassy trails?

[@faliqsharif6790]

is it also comfortable running on road?

[@arnoldpaninsuro2542]

I've been using C6, so far very durable and playful. Good job Brooks!

[@seanwise7464]

Scooped up a pair today after wondering what can take the place of my beloved speedgoats as The new version goats just don’t feel right anymore. Straight outta the box and onto a 13 mile run, felt very good and great grip. “ these will be keepers” , I thought to myself, “and they actually look pretty good in white and blue “ BUT - There was only 1 single quagmire of a mud hole in 13 miles and I managed to sink my right leg shin deep into it, now I have 1 turd brown shoe with blue accents, and 1 blue and white shoe. White trail shoes are a stupid idea, so go with the yellow

[@efrainsantiago5225]

i bought a pair the neon green version, they fit well will be doing some trail runs with them soon. Have you run on pavement with them? In nyc the pavement isn't too far away from some of the trails. Will I be able to continue my runs from trail to pavement or will I have to switch shoes?

[@ryangonzaga2874]

i only want the Caldera 2. 😔 i hate max cushioned shoes

[@tuckeroconnor1799]

Great review! Last 3 pairs of shoes were the speed goat 5 200lb guy doing 50 trail miles per week I’m very happy with the Caldera! It’s my new go to shoe for long runs

[@MalcolmLanham]

What are your thoughts on the Caldera 6s and wet/ muddy conditions? That is one of my biggest concerns as here in West Virginia/ Appalachian mountains, it always seems wet.

[@GordonChristie]

I have version 5. Tried version 6 and everything is just better. Ive tried a lot this year and some are good better ok some. I work as a contractor and used my money for both versions.

[@youpigirl5731]

Agréablement surprise. Modèle 5 acheté depuis plusieurs mois, inmettable : trop petites (39). Mon pied s'est élargei (hallux valgus + N Morton). J'ai découpé le mesh pour libérer un peu mon pied. Ce matin je les mets tout de même sans conviction (entorse cheville la veille).... Du pur bonheur, heureusement que je ne les ai jetées. Quel confort et amortin impressionnant et pas au détriment du dynamisme. Je compte les reprendre à la place des Hoka Challenger, car j'évite les drop élevés. Par contre, point de vue taille, bizarre. Maintenant je fais du 40 soit 25 JPN. Si je me fis à Brooks, le 40 correspond au 25,5. Mais je vais tenter quand même la taille 40 femme. La taille 40 1/3 hoka ne me tient pas au pied, d'où ma chute et entorse hier.Conclusion, je vais prendre mes Caldera pour la récupération et les sorties longues "tout terrain". Pour la vitesse, je choisirais plutot un modèle avec plus de sensations au sol

[@ricardosilveira9130]

Hello my name is Ricardo I live in Brazil, first of all congratulations for the videos. Which would you indicate in terms of comfort and grip to the ground: Brooks cascadia, brooks caldera or hoka speedgoat? It cost.

[@timeonfeet]

I've loved the Caldera 5 with its width and durability, I've got 700 miles out of it now. But the narrowness on the 6 sounds a bit of a red flag. Hoping Brooks generally stick to the wider fit route or at least provide wide options

[@bev9708]

Hi Ben, apparently too Brooks has done the same to the Caldera 6 as they did to the Glycerin 20 using the new DNA Loft nitrogen infused midsole to make it bouncier and softer... everyone seems to love it but I can't help but wonder what that will do to the longevity.

[@timeonfeet]

@@bev9708 Thanks for that Bev, didn't realised they had done this. Will be interesting to see how long people get out of them

[@Brett33]

Lost me at " narrow" . That is what kept me from getting the Hoka Speedgoat for years until they finally got wide sizes.

[@BufanMuayThai]

Don’t get the narrow thing…🤔 I normally use a 2E in Brooks, but this has a much better tow-box. A medium D fits perfect. As a reference, I have no chance of get my feet in the new asics novablast 3, sadly…😕

[@MichaelLowery-kf7ke]

@thegingerrunner have u tried the Caldera 7??

[@samfuller2016]

I am trying to decide between this shoe and the Saucony Xodus Ultra. Seems like both of your reviews for them were positive. Any help with deciding between the two? I have run in the Hoka SG4 for the past year but looking for a change.

[@HugoSilva-tb6fx]

I'm with the same "problem". Now I run with the Cascadia 16 and I love my Glycerin 19. I probably try the Caldera

[@MarkGriffith]

Looks like a moonboot! :). Does it come in wide like the Cascadia?

[@SubtleForces]

I used to run in Ghost (after a running store finally found me a shoe) and am now trying the divide 2 on easily trails and streets. As I move onto trails, should I add the Caldera to my arsenal?

[@kevinm919]

I have 3 pairs of caldera 2's , switched to Hoka Torents when the caldera 3's came out i tried these on in the store but bought the hoka chalenger atr6 instead .

[@notmedude]

Which shoes are wider - Saucony (peregrine, xodus) or these Brooks? Cheers

[@phoreal9273]

Hi GR, What do you recommend for wider feet with quality similar to these?

[@GriffRunning]

I’d grab if they were 2E, but alas…no hobbit sized Caldera. I love me the cascadias in 2E though!

[@Toby1903]

thx for the review. was a big speedgoat fan, but version 4 didnt fit anymore on my feet. need a replacement. but i dont like the look of the caldera 6 :-)

[@DNYS8N]

I hated speedboats until a month in than I loved it for everything, road, tread, trail, and okay longevity. I’m hesitant on brooks as the ghost was bad for me. Generally the online reviews and top ten lists seems ad driven and not useful. Anything with Nike in top 3 and I scroll past. I might give these a try

[@tadejdanev5030]

I'm dying to buy trail shoes, can't decide. PEREGRINE 12 SPEEDGOAT 5 or something else? Around 100€.

[@MiVida73]

What’s your top shoe in the trail running comfort category

[@tazpengra]

I mean, without even watching the vid or checking specs, I assume the Brooks is like 12+ ounces, cuz they all unusually heavy....

[@isaaclahue588]

Great review. I wasn’t a fan of the SG5’s, this may be the replacement! Quick questions- how does the width compare to the SG? When you say it will last a long time, roughly from a mile perspective, how many miles do you think you could get out of them? Understanding there are a lot of variables that factor into this, just looking for a rough estimate. Thank you!

[@TheGingerRunner]

The width is prob on par with the SG, but it's a less forgiving upper (less stretchy). As for how many miles, I'd easily assume hundreds of hearty trail miles. Seems like a lot of people have good amounts of miles in them too!

[@nickching1330]

Would it work for road to trail running?

[@zacharysmiles1308]

I wonder how this shoe compares to the new Nike Zegama

[@whatfreedom7]

Any experience with the divide 3?

[@TheArfabrizio]

Miss the PURE brooks line up

[@matejvogrinc4776]

Me too.😢

[@TheGingerRunner]

My first 50k was in the PureGrit 1! That shoe was great...expect for the terrible outsole haha!

[@ciscokid1999]

I’d say look into the Topo’s that have a wide toe box with vibram soles.

[@marcuspriester7990]

I really miss the early calderas.. Caldera 3 was a great shoe! They had the perfect amount of cushion and they were durable and light.. They were comparable to the hoka challenger atr.. I just don’t know where to go from here. Anyone have any recommendations? The hoka line just doesn’t fit my feet like the Brooks line so atr is out of the question.. Altra Timps only lasted me like 90 miles so ill never buy those again.. I can’t wear them, and I’m just not into these big heavy oversized over cushioned over weight bulky big trail shoes..

[@PLANETWATERMELON]

Intteresting review. I need to make clear that the fit is not the platform. The platform is the footprint of the shoe. This shoe has a very wide footprint/platform. The fit of the toebox may be narrow. I think this model is more like the Hoka Stinson than the Speedgoat. Lastly, I think the price is a steal at $150 when you consider this is way more shoe than the Brooks Glycerin which is $160 which is clearly less shoe. Also this shoe really is compared more to models like the Hoka Stinson and NB MORE trail which are in the $170 price point. I also miss that colorway of the first gen.

[@uloutdoors]

Dont think that they are that narrow, just size up a bit.

[@str8up50]

Brooks really missed the mark on this one. Being a PNW company you would think one concern they would address is using materials being water resistant, water proof or drain holes. Why not use breathable materials. And the width, just give us a lil more width. It's sad as I love their Glycerins in a standard width, but these were completely built on a diff last.

[@MichaelLoweAttorney]

I love these monster trucks.

[@BufanMuayThai]

Been running in these for a couple of month now. They are just great great great🥰 Why this isn’t getting more attention is beyond me🤷‍♂️ I do mostly forest trails with small hills, and they just eat the K’s😎 It’s on the high side for a trail, but I feel super stable and secure. Also, having a wide foot, toe-box is no problem at all. Snug as a 🐜…. Only small down side. Because I’m hitting forest trails, the large area of foam on the sides, can get torn by roots and branches.

[@tgarcia615]

New Subscriber here Buddy From The Philippines

[@gray334]

i personally cant stand these. they may be a good shoe for some people but not for me, ive had them for like 3 months and they destroy my feet. i had to throw them out. a big thing is for me i couldn't get enough grip grip when running in the snow. (in alaska.)

[@RHR147]

Im waiting for the nike zegama

[@ОлегСурженко-с7ж]

I take a look at caldera 6... do run at caldera 2🤣

[@nateloman1553]

really like these - better than SG !

[@douglaswalbourne-gough7203]

It looks much less chonk-boi on your feet than in online product photos.

[@andyand100]

Please please Brooks wider please zero in off roaders love your running shape addiction

[@dizi17]

Looks like a Timp 3

[@BurnyTone]

Will running shoe companies ever pull their fingers out and start making toe boxes for actual human feet?

[@georgibg]

Altra Olympus all the way!

[@mummypaige]

Just awful colour…looks like the prison uniform of trail shoes…I love my saucony pro 3 yes for its brilliant performance…but the bright pink with gold pixie dust on it makes me smile every time I use them…my magic shoes. These look like my orthotics t prescribed them…the orthopaedist prescribed for you after bunion surgery…

[@trevorastley1727]

All that caffeine has turned his hair ginger, toooooooooo hyper and childrens tv presenter for me.

[@alehax27]

Speedgoat fandboy here and I would never consider this. Ugly design and no vibram.

[@steveptasznik6147]

Please don't say "spicey" again.

[@NimblePerspective]

If it's not a barefoot shoe it's a foot killer folks. 'Regular' shoes are ruining your feet and joints.

[@jimjamthebananaman1]

I wear barefoot shoes or at least minimal shoes with at least a zero heel drop, and ‘regular’ shoes don’t ruin your feet and joints. That’s just a myth, but like myself I don’t work well with regular shoes as such the less of the shoe, the easier I run without any pain