Who should buy the Brooks Catamount Agil ?
This shoe is best for runners who want to go fast, pure and simple. It’s a speedy shoe, ideal for half marathon to marathon distances on fast trails.
Who should not buy the Brooks Catamount Agil ?
Just scroll right on by if you are looking for a shoe to withstand ultra race distances, long technical terrains or if you are a fan of superior cushioning. The Agil has its own niche, which does not include those factors
Brooks Catamount Agil Introduction
The Brooks Catamount Agil is lightweight (7.7 ounces for a size 9) with a drop of 6mm and features a mesh upper, SpeedVault Trail Plate (Pebax), TrailTack Green outsole, nitrogen-infused DNA FLASH v2 midsole.
But the bottom line is that this shoe is built for speed, pure and simple with no apologies.
Brooks Catamount Agil Impressions
The Agil joins its sibling, the Catamount 3. Among the noticeable differenes is the stack height: check this Agil is 22-to-16 vs. the Catamount 3, which has 16-to-10; the new midsole and plate materials (the SpeedVault Trail plate vs. the Catamount 3’s SkyVault trail plate), and a boosted lug depth in the Agil, 4.5 compared to 3.5 for the Catamount 3.
The Catamount Agil has two excellent aspects in its midsole the SpeedVault Trail Plate and the DNA FLASH v2 foam.
The SpeedVault Plate is similar to the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4, a road racing shoe I like for speed workouts. The main difference is the Hyperion Elite v4 uses a thin, ultralight carbon fiber plate. Whereas, Brooks used a Pebax plate in the Agil.
Pebax, which is lighter yet more supportive than carbon fiber, is also much more friendly to the environment than carbon.
Brooks Catamount Agil Protection
Don’t let someone tell you to kick rocks when wearing these shoes. It won’t go well.
That’s a tradeoff Brooks made — sacrificing protection for the ability to move quickly along the trail. If you use the shoe for its intended use – short, fast runs on mild technical terrain — you will be fine.
For those looking for adventures complete with gnarly roots, sharp rocks and other trail hazards, leave the Agils in the closer for another day.
Brooks Catamount Agil Durability
If you are preparing for a trail race (up to a marathon) where you are intending to push the pace, I would recommend you seriously consider the Agils. But one would need to take a strategic approach to have a successful race day in these shoes.
We all know the old adage of “nothing new on race day,” so clearly you would want to practice in these shoes for the scenario I outlined above. I would recommend doing some weekly training runs in these shoes.
Brooks Catamount Agil Responsiveness & speed
Agil fulfills the need for speed. During my trail runs on an admittedly very flat surface, I felt like I was running on roads. I could easily push my pace for an hour training run and felt no after affects.
However, I would shy away any race or training run beyond a marathon distance. While the shoes are good, they made a conscious effort to focus on quickness and let the other guys handle cushioning and support.
Brooks Catamount Agil Comfort and fit
These shoes offer slipper-like comfort.
Specifically, the upper has a booty-like heel and tongue melded to the mesh that feels dreamy. The knit collar offers plenty of stretch over the midfoot and around the ankle. Brooks has also utilized a durable engineered mesh.
The laces are secure and I found it almost impossible to tie them too tightly. Not sure exactly sure how Brooks accomplished that but as someone who tends to tie the laces too tight, this was a welcome sign, another indication of the overall top level of the Agil’s comfort.
Brooks Catamount Agil Conclusions
The Agil is a trail shoe built for high-octane endeavors with no apologies given. I can easily see how after becoming used to the shoe, an athlete could feel extremely confident on the start line of a trail marathon with these strapped on.
