Cascadia 20 vs Agility Peak 6

Twenty versions in, Brooks has put Vibram Megagrip on the Cascadia, and it's the one change every review we read liked. iRunFar's tester trusted it on wet rock, talus and snow. The foam is new too: DNA Flash v2 replaces the old midsole, the heel stack goes up to 37.9mm from 35mm on the Cascadia 19, and the weight drops a little to 306g. It's still a stable, protective daily trail running shoe for mixed terrain and long days out, with more cushioning and far better traction than before. Fit and feel are less settled. Two reviews found the upper narrower and several found the midsole firmer, while one tester thought it slightly roomy and softer. Meta Endurance, the most critical of the bunch, missed the 19's ground feel on technical descents. UK RRP is £140, the same as the 19, and we'd call it a modest step up.

The Agility Peak 6 is Merrell's do-it-all trail running shoe, the one you reach for when the route mixes mud, rock and long slow miles. It sits in the cushioned-but-planted camp: a generous FloatPro midsole under an aggressive 5mm Vibram Megagrip outsole, with an 8mm drop and a 38mm heel stack that soaks up rough ground without floating you off it. This is not a racer and it does not pretend to be. It is a dependable daily trail trainer built for grip, protection and staying comfortable when the run drags on. We rate it as one of the best value all-rounders in its class, and RunRepeat's 84/100 backs that up. If your trails are technical, wet or steep and you want one shoe that copes with all of it, the Agility Peak 6 is an easy shoe to recommend. Compared with the pricier Hoka Speedgoat 7, it trades a little plushness for a firmer, more connected feel underfoot.