When Eyes Say Yes,… Feet Say No

Right shoe,…. onthe wrong foot. great heel,.. but too much upper material, had folds all over and when laces,… eyelets abutted so, I side stepped to the 22,… and walked on

Heavier Newbie To The Ultra World

I’m just over a year into running—brand new to the ultra world—and like a lot of heavier beginners, I started in the Brooks Beast. At 260 lbs back then, they were a no-brainer for comfort and stability, and they just simply never gave me any issues (other than feeling like bricks and being painfully boring year after year). I tried two other big brands, but ran into problems—blisters, numb toes that required frustrating lacing gymnastics, and even a surprising amount of what I feel was premature wear. Sure, some could be fixed with socks or insoles, but my Beasts just worked...out of the box. What baffles me is that brands don’t adjust midsole foams for different runner weights. At my size (a far from light and still not nible 230lbs now), the same squishy high-stack foam that feels great to a <180 lb runner can feel unstable after a few miles—like running on a marshmallow that really wants to roll your ankle. Enter the Brooks Caldera 8. I’d read multiple comments saying they work especially well for heavier runners (and literally all runners), so I gave them a shot. Nearly 200 miles later, they’re my go-to for anything 10+ miles. I live in the mountains of East Tennessee, where “long run” means flat out angry rugged singletrack and commas in the elevation gain column. These shoes have handled it all...I'm confident well beyond what their ideal environment would be. Compared to my “normal” trail shoes, the Caldera feels heavier and less connected to the ground, but the comfort—the butter factor—is unbeatable. Even during my first 50k, the only hotspot I noticed was deep into the day when, let's face it, everything starts to become a problem. Fit-wise, they feel wider than my Beasts in the same size, and when I cinch the laces tight there’s some fabric bunching at the eyelets. It hasn’t caused a single problem, but it's enough that I might try a half-size down next time. Durability has been solid. I’ve even washed them twice and they’ve held up fine. For me, the Caldera 8 is an overperforming shoe—plenty stable, cushioned, and confidence-inspiring. Long days in the mountains are hard enough; it’s a relief to have my shoe choice be a box I can just check. I’m not usually a “find one thing and stick with it” guy, but unless something drastically changes, I’ll keep ordering Caldera 8s for the rest of my life. They’ve earned it by doing exactly what they say they will do...and a lot more.

Comfy

Comfortable. Bought these for my men’s slowpitch softball league and tournaments, felt a difference from other brands geared towards the sport immediately. Plenty of cushion and traction.

Caldera is a GREAT shoe. I just wish they would come out with some better color combinations. I miss their old Blue/Grey and there Burnt Orange.

Almost As Comfy As Ghosts, Built For Off-road

Really happy with these trail shoes, they have a feel quite similar to my Ghosts, with the additional stability you expect in a trail shoe. Feeling very confident to tackle some upcoming trail events now that I have these Calderas.