The Brooks Catamount 4 had seen some noticeable improvements with a re-positioned carbon plate and reworked lug design. I took this shoe on a wide range of trails and varying paced runs to see what all the hype was about.
I ran everything from the Saturday long run to trail speed work to the social, easy run on soft dirt, rocks, sand, and snow and was really happy with how these shoes performed everywhere.
The Catamount is a responsive, neutral shoe under all trail conditions that is going to be enjoyed by those looking for speed.
Who is it good for?
Who is going to enjoy trail runs in the Brooks Catamount 4?
- Wide feet: It’s not a wide shoe, a narrower foot would be happier in it than a wider foot.
- Technical trails: Good grip for any trail.
- Long runs: Would be great for trail marathons and 50k distances.
- Front of the Pack: Perfect for races and hill repeats.
Brooks Catamount 4 Overview
I felt like I could turn the speed on and off with no lagging from my shoes.
That’s the first sign this shoe is ready to race and not the max cushion that’s floating around many other styles. That being said it wasn’t too firm, it’s a nice amount of cushion that you could easily take over longer miles.
The nitrogen-infused DNA Flash v2 cushioning and the SkyVault carbon plate are built for the up and down. The springy responsiveness was noticeable on my intervals, especially on the uphills all while maintaining a connection to the trail.
This version of the shoe actually has a little bit more foam (2mm), but a stiffer plate, so the two seem to offset and keep it at that very moderate cushioned feel.
The carbon plate acts as a rock shield and is stiff enough to not feel like you are collapsing around rocks directly underfoot. The stiffer plate was a conscious design choice. It’s now full length and should provide more of the forward energy we expect in a plate, but also means the shoe is less flexible.
Any technical trail can be tackled in the Brooks Catamount 4.
The lug depth and spacing on the TrailTack Green outsole is enough for a good connection in almost any condition. While not the deepest lugs, they also did not collect mud in soft, wet trail conditions.
The outsole does have the bonus of being made from 25% recycled material. And the upper mesh is said to be 42% recycled materials. This is something we especially like to highlight because it’s important for runners to know more about the impact of our gear!
Brooks Catamount 4 Specifications
No gaiter hooks on this version of the shoe, so maybe only for those races where you aren’t needing any extra protection.
- Weight: 8.5 oz women’s, 9.5 oz men’s
- Heel toe drop: 6 mm
- Stack Height: 34 mm
- Usage: trail running, racing
- Available in 2 colors
- Available on Brooksrunning.com for $170
I will always comment about white trail shoes but do I like this color scheme.
The TPEE upper mesh has held up well against rocks and snow, these are probably the whitest pair of trail shoes I’ve ever had. The chocolate/almond/peach color scheme looks great also.
Looks aside, this is a slim, efficient, no nonsense shoe. The upper mesh could be a little more breathable but the upper holds up well to trail conditions.
Brooks Catamount 4 Fit
The Catamount 4 is a true to size shoe. The width is a standard fit but a narrower foot will be happy in this shoe as well. The toe box is not wide, but also not the narrowest out there, solidly falling somewhere in the middle.
The tongue has a nice split in the middle that hugs your ankle just right in the front. There is also light padding in all the right places and is connected to the shoe in the middle to keep it from shifting while on the run.
Even though I always double knot my shoes, I probably don’t need to with the crimped laces that tie well. After a heel lock lacing the laces are too short to use the lace tab on the tongue but this also means they are not too long getting in the way.
The heel around the ankle is lightly padded and sits low, below the ankle not impeding gait. The heel cup held my foot well, keeping it in place especially on the switchbacks.
Similar Shoes to the Brooks Catamount 4
Looking for an option that’s similar, but perhaps not Brooks? Here are some non-plated options that will keep you feeling stable and not overly cushioned.
- Saucony Peregrine 15 – Deeper lugs, similar padding, and some piping to help with wet conditions
- Hoka Speedgoat 6 – Deeper lugs, similar padding, maybe a little wider fit
- North Face Vective Enduris 4 – Grabbing great traction, not as fast
Brooks Catamount 4 vs Brooks Caldera 8
Two shoes at the opposite ends of the spectrum although pink and white are definitely a theme this year. While both of these shoes will be in my rotation, they will be there for very different reasons.
Since we also recently reviewed the Brooks Caldera 8 we wanted to help give you a little side by side showdown.
Key Differences and Similarities:
- Caldera has 4.5 mm more of cushioning and it’s noticeably more cushiony than the Catamount.
- Same heel to toe drop.
- Catamount has a rock plate.
- Caldera is designed with middle of the pack ultra runner in mind.
- Catamount is designed for speed especially on the uphill.
- Caldera has deeper lugs.
- Caldera has a more breathable upper mesh.
When choosing between these two shoes it definitely comes down to the type of run you are doing. The Catamount is a speed shoe while the Caldera leans toward the LSD run.
More questions for our Brooks Catamount 4 review?? Let us know what else you’d like to hear about in testing or what would help you know if this is the winning shoe for you!
Go get it now on Brooksrunning.com for $170 >>
Who tried it?
Hi, I’m Aimee, a chemist who has solved most of my work and life problems out on a trail somewhere. I signed up for my first marathon in college not knowing how long a marathon was and have been an avid runner for the last twenty years.
I typically run 30-35 miles a week chasing my two German Shorthaired Pointers, Sam and Bert, hence my well known instagram @runningwithsam. (Largely I’m running whatever my RTTF Coach Laura tells me to do.)
Looking for more trail talk?
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- Top 10 Running Tights for Men
- Gifts for the Trail Runner
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