Brooks Caldera 6: a maximalist makeover for 2022

The Brooks Caldera 6 has the company's exciting new technology – nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 – for superior cushioning and foot protection.

TRAIL

29 Jun, 2022

Go far with the new Brooks Caldera 6

It’s a complete overhaul. The Brooks Caldera 6 trail shoe has just landed in South Africa and has the company’s exciting new technology – nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 – which has shoe testers in the USA saying things like “I haven’t been this excited to step into a Brooks shoe for a long long time”.

Brooks designed DNA LOFT v3 to provide super-soft cushioning, and that – along with the shoe’s uber-beefy stack height – is the main thing all the reviews mention.

Although the shoe has just arrived in SA, wear testers in the USA have had the shoe for several months and the reviews look good.

Read this Believe in the Run review for a solid assessment of the shoe, or scroll down this page to watch the videos for two other views.

Brooks Caldera 6 trail running shoe lateral view WOMEN — Women’s version of the just-arrived Brooks Caldera 6 (lateral view). Buy on the Brooks SA site now.

If you’re training for an ultra, the Caldera 6 is built to go as far as you want. Its chunky maximalist midsole provides comfort and foot protection no matter the distance, while its reconfigured 1mm outsole with 4mm lugs handles a range of trail substrates (loose sand, compacted soil, rock, pavement).

Based on early user comments, it should perform best on smoother trails, but likely not be your best choice on narrow, tight, technical courses. This isn’t surprising, since maximalist shoes tend to share that attribute.

However, on the majority of runnable trails, you will likely really enjoy the maximum comfort and stable ride. You can forget about the shoes and focus on the miles and scenery instead.

And isn’t that what running is all about after all?

Brooks Caldera 6 trail running shoe lateral view MEN — Men’s version of the just-arrived Brooks Caldera 6 (lateral view). Buy on the Brooks SA site now.

VIDEO REVIEWS

1. Light-hearted

An assessment by two male WASP runners on the Believe in the Run channel.

“Despite the stack on this, it’s a pretty stable shoe… and you can see that because of how wide it is.” Robbe at Believe in the Run

2. More serious

Tech-oriented First Look review with Running Warehouse, subtitled Ultimate Max Cushion Trail Shoe?!

“I’ve already started to get a few miles in, and let me just say this is going to be the best Caldera to date by far. The new DNA Loft midsole has a lot more responsiveness… it still feels very soft, and I think the one thing worth noting is that with all the protection, it still feels pretty nimble.”

Other comments

YouTube viewer Paco Lazarov comments: “Love the cushioning on those shoes. I took them for five hours forest trail run and they did amazing when the trail was even and all gravel roads. Breathability was good and the upper allowed water to drain out rather quick. On the downside this stack height makes the shoe very uncomfortable for technical trails and narrow forest paths. It is very unstable no matter what I do with the laces. Later movement inside.” (Comment marginally edited for clarity.)

An unidentified Brooks wear tester is quoted on their international site: “The cushion landed in a Goldilocks range — not too soft to feel like I’m sinking, but not too firm either. The balance of cushion and energy return is the greatest differentiator from competitors.”

Brooks Caldera 6 trail running shoe lifestyle male jumping — Some runners love the airy cushioning of the Brooks Caldera 6 so much they do big jumps to celebrate.

QUICK FACTS

Supreme softness

Now featuring nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3, Brooks’ softest cushioning optimised to be light weight, responsive, and durable with plush comfort.

Stable ride

The foot sits securely within raised midsole foam walls, while the widened base and split heel outsole work to stabilise your landings and carry you smoothly over uneven terrain.