Home » Review: SALOMON SPEEDCROSS 3 GTX TRAIL RUNNING SHOES

Review: SALOMON SPEEDCROSS 3 GTX TRAIL RUNNING SHOES

Salomon Speed Cross 3 (1)

The Salomon Speedcross 3 GTX Trail Running Shoes offer something for every one. Designed for all terrains, they provide a great grip, and a Gore-Tex upper means it offers complete waterproof protection. Being extremely light, at 340 grams each, they provide good cushioning and comfort while running.

Highlights

  • GORE-TEX® Upper – Offers complete waterproof protection to help your feet stay dry at all times.
  • Sensifit – Actively cradles the foot to deliver a secure and precise fit for maximum stability.
  • Quicklace System – Minimal and robust, this one-pull lace tightening system secures the shoe quickly and provides excellent stability and support.
  • Contagrip® Outsole – Utilises a blend of softer, harder and grippier Contagrip® compounds to yield the perfect mix of performance and durability.
  • OrthoLite Sockliner – OrthoLite foam and EVA heel cup work together to create a cooler, drier, healthier internal environment.
  • Feather Construction – Makes the shoe extremely lightweight and breathable.

The weight

Probably the first thing anybody will notice with these shoes is just how light they are. At only 340 grams each, they feel really light to handle, and that means they bring very little drag when you are running.

The looks

Featuring a bright green, these are extremely visible, meaning that running in bad light conditions should not be an issue. However, the green may get mixed up in grass.

The grip

Salomon Speed Cross 3 (2)

The bottom of the shoe features a Contragrip Outsole that is designed to provide extra grip during on all kinds of terrains. While one gets a good grip on pavements as well as roads, this really comes into its elements if you run on grass or even on muddy fields. A bit of grit or loose pebbles are no problem. While I have tried gentle slopes, I cannot report on steep ones, but based on what I have noticed so far, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Also, while I haven’t tried it in frost or snowy conditions, the grip has enough promise to make me have confidence that it should work.

I did read a few reviews that suggested these may be slippery on wet concrete, but I didn’t find that as a problem. However, it must be noted that since these are very light, the way you run can very easily affect your grip.

However, after a run that covered mostly pavements mixed with some mud and grass, following a rain shower, it was evident that they will still pick up a grassy/muddy residue which you will bring home with you, so watch out.

Salomon Speed Cross 3 (3)

The fit

A lot has to be said about how well a shoe fits. There are songs dedicated to that, and for good reason.

The shoe provides three aspects to give you a good fit:

  • Sensifit, that cradles the complete foot
  • Ortholite Sockliner, which cushions your foot from heel to toe to give you a distributed comfort
  • Quicklace, to allow you to lace these tightly in a quick push-pull mechanism

Now before I go on, it was interesting to read that a lot of people who had bought this particular shoe complained about how it was too tight and they had to send it back, or swap for a bigger size. Not sure about other people, but I almost always end up being a size up when I buy any kind of trainers or running shoes. For example, my daily ‘smart shoe’ is an 8.5, while I normally wear trainers that are 9.5 to 10. This is often due to the extra cushioning most trainers come with, and the shoe in question is no different. Just so you know, I went with a size 10 and I have no problem with the fit of the show.

Looking at the actual fit, it is a fairly comfortable fit. Gore-Tex means that not only is the shoe waterproof, but also breathable, meaning that the internal environment should be as easy as possible. The shoe feels a bit hard to begin with, and that is because of the unique fit that holds all of your foot together. However, I wasn’t able to feel any extra bounce due to the Ortholite Sockliner, but having said that, it felt very natural and comfortable, and I talk more about that in the next section.

The QuickLace is a good touch, and I like a shoe that I can put on and off quickly. A little pouch allows you to tuck away the laces after you have pulled them tight, and the mechanism seems to work well. The clever fit and design means that when you tighten it, you feel the whole foot being tightened, rather than just the ankle area as is often the case.

The run

And here we come to the final and real test for these shoes. I have taken them on a few runs, and I am very pleased with them. They provide a great grip, are extremely light, and while I cannot feel any buoyancy while running, I have definitely noticed an ease in running compared to my usual shoes (just a regular pair of cheap running shoes), and more importantly, I was able to run harder and longer, for most part anyway.

This means that not only are these shoes providing me with extra comfort during my run, they are also helping me get fitter, run longer, run harder, and most importantly, enjoy my run!

Running In

Do these shoes need running in? Yes, like most shoes they do. I will give these at least 10-15 miles of running time before starting to get worried. Straight out of the box, the shoes feel a bit stiff and hard, and in my initial runs I felt that my little toe (furthest one) felt like it was rubbing against the shoe. However, after a few runs, the shoes have relaxed a bit and provide the comfort and fit they promise.

More information

More information on the Salomon Speedcross 3 GTX Trail Running Shoes can be found at the following link:

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/sal1351/salomon-speedcross-3-gtx-trail-running-shoes-~-aw15/

They generally retail at £124.99, but are available from £87.49 at SportsShoes.com.

Verdict

As Autumn approaches, it is easy to give up the summer fitness and take to the sofa. A great pair of shoes is the best incentive to keep going, and the Salomon Speedcross 3 GTX Trail Running Shoes are just the right tools for the job!

 

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