Launched right this moment, the Brooks Catamount Agil is — by the model’s personal account — its “quickest path shoe, ever.” After our prerelease testing, we concur. The shoe packs within the tech and performs like a rocket. Brooks intends it for the rising variety of path runners who establish extra carefully with extreme elevation achieve over fewer miles in comparison with lengthy, ambling “extremely slogs.”
Ten years in the past, I began drafting a guide I dubbed “Path Working Is Not Ultrarunning.” I wished it to prop up the type of path working I did: brief, quick, and technical. That is the type of racing the Europeans have been doing for over 50 years, not the uber-American “larger is best” working mentality that birthed 100-milers. My guide would additionally deal with the commonest query I acquired after I instructed individuals I ran on trails: “So, you’re an ultrarunner?”
Whereas I deserted the guide, the present crop of path runners seems to be embracing the type of “sub-ultra” path working I used to be aiming at. Quick, quick, technical: that is the working I’m captivated with, and the kind of working that Brooks’ Catamount Agil is ideal for.
Briefly: The Brooks Catamount Agil is the weapon short-distance path runners must set PRs, steal crowns, and use to race for 1-2 hours (or method much less). The tremendous shoe tech that’s rocking the highway working world — carbon plates, supercritical foams, and mystifyingly low weights — is coming to path footwear. The Catamount Agil places these applied sciences entrance and middle, with some main firsts for Brooks.
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Supplies
Mesh higher, articulated SpeedVault Path Plate (Pebax), TrailTack Inexperienced outsole, nitrogen-infused DNA FLASH v2 midsole -
Midsole top
16 mm to 10 mm -
Midsole drop
6 mm -
Lug top
4.5 mm -
Weight
7.7 oz. (measurement 9) -
Sizes
Males’s 5-13 / girls’s 6-14 -
Worth
$180 -
Out there
March 1, 2024
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Very quick -
Unbelievable pairing of a Pebax plate and nitrogen-infused midsole -
Exact match with out being too constricting -
Deep lugs present confidence when racing downhill -
Recycled supplies, licensed Carbon Neutrality
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Restricted enchantment to runners accustomed to extra cushioning and stability -
Just one measurement (10) obtainable in broad match
Brooks Catamount Agil First Look Overview
Catamount Iterations and Design
The “Catamount” line is now three seasons deep, with the Catamount 3 being the most recent. The place the Catamount Agil departs from commonplace Catamount is in its stack quantity (22-to-16 within the Catamount 3 vs. 16-to-10 within the Catamount Agil), new midsole and plate supplies (the SpeedVault Path plate vs. the Catamount 3’s SkyVault path plate), and a beefed-up lug depth (3.5 in Catamount 3 vs 4.5 in Catamount Agil).
However in trainers now, the midsole is the place the true magic is occurring. And the Catamount Agil has two wonderful elements: the SpeedVault Path Plate and the DNA FLASH v2 foam.
The SpeedVault Plate is just like the one Brooks makes use of in its 2024 Hyperion Elite v4 highway racing shoe. However, it’s modified for path working. The principle distinction is the Hyperion Elite v4 makes use of a skinny, ultralight carbon fiber plate which is custom-sized for every shoe. The carbon plate tries to reduce the load of the plate and optimize the way in which it bends.
On the flip facet within the Catamount Agil, Brooks opted for a Pebax plate. Pebax tends to be lighter and a bit extra supportive than carbon fiber. It’s a polymer derived from castor beans, and it’s method much less environmentally detrimental in comparison with carbon. Whether or not Pebax is extra forgiving than carbon for path working stays to be seen, nevertheless it’s actually turning into the popular plate materials for highway footwear.
Catamount Agil in Testing
As a shoe marketed squarely for “races underneath 50K,” this falls among the many ranks of the Salomon Pulsar, Arc’teryx Norvan SL, and Merrell MTL Skyfire 2 — all superlight, tremendous quick, and infrequently coming with a disclaimer for meant use.
I’ve examined 20+ plated footwear, and whereas many share the identical high-velocity sensation of the Catamount Agil, what actually issues is how the shoe can curve and bend with you relying on the underfoot circumstances. This shoe fortunately absorbs the side-to-side movement that comes with turning corners on switchbacks or going rapidly laterally to keep away from rocks or roots within the path.
Its concord between the Pebax plate and stability is probably going right down to the froth that sits on high of it. Many manufacturers nail the plate tech, however then fail on the froth or stack top. The Catamount’s nitrogen-infused DNA FLASH v2 midsole (one other carryover from their highway lineup) is a pleasant stability of cush and firmness. Brooks says it delivers 10% extra power return than the earlier model (within the Catamount 3).
Issues get slightly attention-grabbing if you have a look at the Catamount Agil outsole.
For the pared-down stack quantity, higher, and stack top, the deep 4.5mm lugs are an attention-grabbing alternative. Standing in place, you’ll be able to type of rock your ft facet to facet and see a slight tippy sensation, as these stout lugs sit atop a close-to-the-ground midsole.
The intention is to create a bomber downhill expertise. The lugs will grip to something you throw at it, but don’t sacrifice grip for pace. I recognize this, as many light-weight path footwear provide a meek outsole (see the Pulsar 2), which may kill confidence on quick descents.
Brooks Catamount Agil: My Verdict So Far
My broad ft have been an issue for Brooks previously. Fortunately, the Catamount Agil’s pared-down higher has a reasonably accommodating match whereas feeling very exact. It makes use of a light-weight mesh and contours to the foot for a “second-skin” really feel, because of the one-piece design that creates a sock-like match.
The laces are perforated, just like The North Face’s newest Vectiv Sky path footwear — a change I recognize, because the laces lock down rather more successfully. General, the match and luxury comply with the identical successes this shoe achieves in efficiency.
With the brand new Catamount Agil, Brooks has met the latent demand for path runners who don’t establish as “ultrarunners” — we need to go as quick as potential with a shoe designed for path marathons, VKs, and 10Ks. The ultimate phrase: This Brooks Catamount Agil is a welcome addition to the rising number of short-distance path footwear.
