Since its beginning in the High Alps in 1947, Salomon has become one of the largest running shoe brands, particularly in the trail market.
Salomon’s shoes tend to run on the narrower end of the spectrum and offer more minimal cushioning, though they’ve diversified their line in recent years.
Salomon’s “high cushion” shoes are still much more minimal compared to the “high cushion” shoes from brands like Hoka and Altra. Salomon’s shoes generally provide a firmer ride and plenty of ground feel. While many individuals with wider feet struggle to find Salomon shoes that feel roomy enough in the midfoot, Salomon does have a few models that come in a “wide” version. Their shoes tend to have a higher heel-to-toe drop (typically in the 6-10 mm range) compared to many of their competitors’ shoes, so if you prefer a lower-drop shoe and / or tend to strike with your forefoot, this is important to keep in mind.
Salomon’s “S/Lab” shoes are designed for racing. They are the lightest shoes Salomon makes and tend to wear far faster than their other models. The S/Lab models also tend to have a lower drop than many of the other shoes Salomon makes. The S/Lab models often mirror another shoe in Salomon’s lineup, which we’ll mention in the brief summary of each shoe.
Most of Salomon’s trail shoes have a “quick lacing” system, designed with a “buckle” that slides down the laces to your desired tightness, rather than having to tie traditional laces. The buckle and excess lace then tuck into a pocket on the top of the tongue in each quick-lace shoe. All of Salomon’s current road shoes use a regular lacing system, while the vast majority of their trail shoes use quick laces.
Salomon also makes waterproof versions of many of their popular models, whether that’s with a Gore-Tex insert or Salomon’s proprietary ClimaSalomon waterproof insert. The waterproof versions will feel extremely similar to the non-waterproof versions in terms of support, cushioning, and midsole feel, but obviously provide better weather protection and they also tend to be significantly less breathable. Lastly, they also make several of their shoes in “Nocturne” versions, which feature a reflective print covering the entire upper of each shoe.
Thanks for the rundown. I used to be a loyal Salomon customer, but veered away as I found myself wanting more specialized shoes. I had two pairs of the Sense Max (I believe just the 1s). They were awesome shoes for a mix of light trail and asphalt. Super super comfy/soft shoes that don’t feel too energy taxing. If you find yourself hopping around on rocks or uneven terrain the soles of your feet are going to hate you though. I decided to try out the Altra Lone Peaks this summer as they offer a lightweight rock plate. Somewhat comparable, but again I found myself pushing the limits of the Lone Peaks. I used them for some alpine ascents and my feet got their ass kicked. My toes were bruised up from lack of a solid bumper and I tore up the soles pretty quickly in high Sierra terrain. I don’t really have a point except for yes… you kind of do need a few pairs of runners/trail runners to not screw up your feet. Wearing shoes for purposes beyond their intended use is not a recipe for success :).
I am most intrigued by the X Alpine Pro. After screwing up my feet on the Tahoe Rim Trail last summer (Sense Max) and screwing them up even more in the High Sierras (Lone Peaks), I think it is time to beef things up a bit. 310g is not bad at all and the Salomon fit + pull string laces are extremely appealing! I’m also loving that 6mm drop. As an everyday low drop person I have found that 6mm is about the highest I can tolerate before my shins start yelling at me. Looking forward to more guides likes these for companies like Altra, Hoka One One, and maybe La Sportiva!
Thanks for the feedback! And we have actually already posted our guides for both Hoka and Altra, and have a La Sportiva guide coming up in the near future. You can see all of the running shoe Brand Guides here: https://blisterreview.com/category/gear-reviews/running-shoes/blister-brand-guides-running-shoe-lineups
This is SO useful! I’ve been a Salomon user for the best part of 15 years and I find their current line-up to be a little confusing. This clarifies things.
BTW, have you had much feedback about the durability of the Sense Ride 2? I wore through the fabric/mesh upper pretty quickly where my forefoot bends and in fact Salomon here in South Africa have just refunded me in full. That’s why I needed a clear view of the range, though I’m not 100 percent certain I’ll be staying with the brand.
Thanks for the feedback, Adrian! I have ran in the Sense Ride 2’s a decent amount and am a pretty big fan of the shoe. I have had issues with wearing through the upper in the same spot that you are describing. I find that all of Salomon’s uppers tend to wear relatively quickly, which is unfortunate. I think you can expect a pretty similar wear as the original Sense Rides on the new model.
Hi Maddie, just went and bought a pair of Sense Pro 3…they feel so amazingly light after running in a pair of tired old XA Lites for a while. Next up is a pair of S/LAB Sense 7 which I’ll save exclusively for racing.
This is the most useful shoe review I’ve ever read. Thanks.
Thanks Maddie for the excellent write-up this has been helpful in the process of acquiring a shoe that is capable of road/trail running and is not screaming performance the whole day. You know the ideal holiday 1 shoe quiver.
I eventually settled for the Trailster 2. I already own a couple of Salomon trail running shoes (Ultra Pro, S/Lab Ultra and the S/Lab Speed) so I’d figure sizing would be easy. The Trailster fit is on the small side though, next time I’d pick it one size bigger. Another thing I noticed, especially with a 40lbs child carrier, is that they are not that supportive. The fabric upper of the shoe is not holding my feet back properly and I have a feeling that I have to claw my toes in the sole to hold a decent grip. This is illustrative, it may sound a bit more extreme than it really was. In contrast I haven’t had any problems with carrying big loads with the Ultra Pro 2. I guess that the wings on the sides offer more support.
Of course I’m fully aware that I’m venturing way past the intended use of the shoe, running and trailrunning. But I thought it might be useful to other readers to look out for. I’m coming from a background where “you have to wear at least a category B hiking boot on the trail” and ventured into under-shoeing. I think I’ve reached a certain point where performance is dropping vastly.