Salomon’s running history began in 2001, when it released its Raid Race trail shoe. With its combination of robust construction, comfort, and fit, it was a forward-thinking design for the time that brought some of the best features of hiking boots to a running shoe. Since then, the brand has continued to expand and earn the trust of pro and amateur trail runners alike, and the company now boasts a deep roster of shoes for all kinds of off- and on-road adventures.
Best Salomon Running Shoes
- Best for Mixed Terrain: Sense Ride 4
- Most Supportive Trail Shoe: XA Pro 3D V8
- Best Daily Road Trainer: Predict 2
- Best for Trail Racing: S/Lab Ultra 3
- Lightest Road Racer: S/Lab Phantasm
- Best for Speedwork: Spectur
- Best Cushioned Trail Trainer: Pulsar Trail
- Best Long-Distance Trail Shoe: Ultra Glide
- Best for Muddy Trails: Speedcross 6
The Expert: I became a runner in middle school and have covered running and outdoor gear for years, both on-staff at Runner’s World and as a freelance journalist. Running shoes is the category of gear I’ve written about the most, and I have firsthand experience with models from a range of brands. To write articles like this, I talk with brand reps about the company’s latest shoes and tech, consult RW tester feedback, and draw on my own experience with the running shoe industry. With direction from RW editors, I combine all that info to choose what shoes make it onto this page.
Firm and Fast
If you like a super plush and pillowy soft shoe, we’ll save you some time—look elsewhere. (Here’s a good place to start.) For the most part, Salomon shoes are firm, even when the company advertises them as cushioned, and they’re designed to give you a responsive ride with a good feel for the ground. The company has devised a few key technologies to achieve that without sacrificing comfort. The first is a dual-layer midsole called Optivibe. Optivibe is composed of JPAD (a dense, memory foam-esque EVA material) placed at the heel, and Infuse (a lightweight, bouncy EVA-and-Olefin-based foam that Salomon developed with Dow Chemical) placed along the bottom of the sole.
Salomon also uses an EVA-based foam called EnergyCell+ and Energy Save, a TPU insert, in its midsoles. The first is tuned to absorb shocks and bounce back quickly, whereas the latter adds more durability on touchdown, making it well suited for long-distance running.
One of Salomon’s newest cushioning materials, Energy Surge, is made from a combination of EVA and Olefin—essentially a specialized version of Infuse. Energy Surge offers low weight, high energy return, and a softer feel than traditional EVA, and Salomon’s in-house testing shows it has superior vibration dampening compared to Optivibe. It debuted on the S/Lab Pulsar in 2021 and also appears in the Ultra Glide.
In addition to these new foams, Salomon developed the EnergyBlade plate; it first appeared in the S/Lab Phantasm CF in 2022. It’s a similar concept to the carbon fiber plates found in other brand’s shoes, but Salomon uses various materials and plate shapes across different shoes. For road shoes, the Energy Blade is made with polyamide and glass fiber (called “composite fiber”), which makes it stiff for maximum energy return. On trail shoes, the Energy Blade is made with TPU, a flexible material that can more easily conform to uneven terrain.
Another major technology is Salomon’s 3D Chassis, a support feature that the company has used for over a decade. Originally, the chassis was made of hard plastic, though Salomon has transitioned to a dense foam in more recent models. The company installs this support system between the midsole and the rubber outsole to add rigidity and help the midsole cushioning keep its shape. For runners, the chassis creates support and stability, which is especially important when negotiating uncertain terrain.
Tight Laces, Tight Grip
Salomon has also developed innovations for the uppers and outsoles of its shoes. Many of its models come with a Quicklace system, in which the laces tighten and loosen via an adjustable cinch. You can then store the slack end of the laces in a small pouch on the tongue of the shoe. Quicklace prevents laces from getting caught on rocks or plants as you run, and it also allows you to fine-tune the fit more closely than with a traditional system. Paired with Sensifit, an upper design that uses “wings” connecting the sole to the lacing system, it creates a notably snug, comfortable fit.
Salomon shoes are renowned for their traction, and that’s largely thanks to the Contagrip outsole the company uses. A special rubber formulation that Salomon produces itself, Contagrip comes in a high-abrasion version for excellent durability, a softer compound for flexibility, and a third compound specifically for slick conditions. These compounds are mixed and matched to create outsoles for different conditions (harder trails versus soft and muddy ones, for example), and together they create excellent grip across all kinds of terrain.
How We Evaluated Salomon Running Shoes
The shoes below represent the best Salomon running shoes for both road and trail. To recommend them, I gather feedback from Runner’s World staff and its team of 225 wear testers, which includes runners of all ages and speeds living across the U.S. Data from mechanical tests at the RW Shoe Lab also comes into play. There, editors have checked and re-checked the energy return of EnergyCell+ foam, measured the softness of Optivibe midsoles, and assessed the stability of Salomon’s supportive 3D Chassis system. Where possible, I’ve linked to full reviews for a more in-depth look at an individual shoe’s performance.
Pros
- Lighter than the Sense Ride 3
- Trail-specific features (debris-resistant mesh, rock plate) at a lower price point
Cons
- Very long laces can slip out of tongue’s storage pouch
Weight: 10.2 oz (M), 8.3 oz (W)
Drop: 8 mm
The previous version of the Sense Ride was incredibly comfortable, reliable, and durable for everyday trail running and racing, so Salomon didn’t mess with it much. The upper on the 4 continues to make use of minimal overlays and stitching to reduce the risk of hot spots, though there’s more coverage over the toes for protection. There’s less fabric around the upper part of the heel, but cushioned pods lock your foot in place and limit unwanted sliding, while the tongue wraps around the midfoot like a sleeve. Testers’ favorite feature remains the shoe’s traction: 4-millimeter diamond-shaped lugs bite into soft dirt and mud but are made of sticky rubber that grips both wet and dry ground. One tester said the new model boosted her confidence. “I love the traction. I feel comfortable letting it rip downhill,” one tester raved. “That says a lot for running on wet, rocky, and muddy PA trails!”
Pros
- Lighter and softer than previous version
Cons
- Still on the heavier side
- Limited availability for women’s sizes
Weight: 12 oz (M), 10.6 oz (W)
Drop: 11 mm
The XA Pro 3D has been a part of the Salomon lineup for a while—it’s a direct descendant of the XA Pro first released in 2002. It has remained a popular choice, likely because it can handle nearly any surface you’ll encounter outside. Salomon tweaked the V8 to make it softer and lighter, and an updated 3D chassis combined with a Sensifit upper makes for a supportive feel and snug fit. All that rides on a Contagrip outsole, so you can take on gnarly trails with confidence.
Pros
- Soft (for Salomon) Infiniride midsole
- Excellent grip on wet roads
Cons
- Severe overpronators might need more support
- Some testers experienced rubbing from the high ankle collar
Weight: 9.7 oz (M), 9 oz (W)
Drop: 8 mm
The Predict is part of Salomon’s road line, and it brings some impressive technology to the asphalt. The latest version comes upgraded with the company’s Infiniride cushioning, which delivers a slightly softer landing than Salomon’s other road shoes, according to testers. It’s paired with the same grooved midsole construction that made its predecessor, the Predict RA, flexible yet supportive without any traditional stability features. Rather than having medial posts or foams of different densities, the midsole uses firm outsole pillars with grooves aligned with the joints of your foot, so you get an exceptionally smooth, stable ride—ideal for training on the road. “While the heel cushioning seemed to absorb impact uniformly and didn’t ever feel like I bottomed out, there wasn’t enough forefoot cushioning for me,” one tester said. “I’m not sure I would take this on a double-digit mileage run—an easy-effort 10K was the ideal distance for this shoe.”
Pros
- More cushioning that the S/Lab Ultra 2
- New upper offers more toe box space
Cons
- Expensive
- Unisex design might not work for some women
Weight: 10.2 oz
Drop: 8 mm
Designed with input from some of the world’s top ultrarunners, like François D’Haene, the S/Lab Ultra is Salomon’s top-tier trail running shoe. And it’s built for superb performance over long distances. The latest version comes with a bouncy EnergyCell+ midsole paired with a layer of durable Energy Save material for reliable cushioning through high mileage. An EVA sockliner and the tough, water-repellent upper create a snug, comfortable fit, and the Contagrip outsole generates excellent traction on rough terrain.
*Note: This shoe is unisex, so make sure to follow Salomon’s instructions for finding the correct women’s sizing: Add 1 to the listed men’s size to get the women’s size. (Ex: A men’s 7 is a women’s 8.)
Pros
- Very breathable, sheer single-layer mesh upper
- Rockered sole transitions very quickly through toe off
Cons
- Very little support
- Slippery laces can come untied more easily
- Unisex design might not work for some women
Weight: 7 oz
Drop: 6 mm
The S/Lab Phantasm received a lot of hype late in 2020 as Kilian Jornet attempted to break Yiannis Kouros’s ultra-stout 24-hour world record. It isn’t Salomon’s first road-racing shoe, but it is the brand’s most minimal. (Ultimately, Kilian missed the record, but you can’t fault the shoe.) The featherweight design gives you just enough material to keep the Phantasm stuck to your foot and go fast. One tester agreed that, even though there are lighter options out there, somehow this shoe feels like it weighs less. That design, however, makes the shoe better suited for shorter road races than marathons or ultras. The midsole is a thin slab of Energy Surge foam, which combines EVA with a copolymer compound that makes it bouncier and softer than EVA alone. Even so, the Phantasm has a pretty harsh, if smooth-rolling, ride.
*Note: This shoe is unisex, so make sure to follow Salomon’s instructions for finding the correct women’s sizing: Add 1 to the listed men’s size to get the women’s size. (Ex: A men’s 7 is a women’s 8.)
Pros
- Cushioned and responsive
- Energy Blade provides extra snap
Cons
- Not especially light
Weight: 9.9 oz (M), 9.1 oz (W)
Drop: 6 mm
The Spectur is a speed-focused shoe that incorporates a lot of Salomon’s latest running shoe tech. The sole features a rocker shape (called R.Camber); an embedded Energy Blade composite fiber plate; and lightweight, bouncy Energy Surge cushioning foam. Together, these features create a snappy, responsive ride and promote smooth transitions. An engineered mesh upper tops the shoe, lending durability and a snug fit; an EVA sockliner ups the comfort factor. On the bottom, the Contagrip outsole should provide ample traction on the road.
Pros
- Lightweight for a cushioned trail shoe
- Quicklace system makes it easy to get a good fit
Cons
- Overpronators might need more support
Weight: 10.2 oz (M), 8.3 oz (W)
Drop: 8 mm
Salomon is known for its firm, responsive shoes, but the new Pulsar Trail bucks that trend and offers a thick wedge of cushioning. Like the Spectur, it features lightweight Energy Surge foam to absorb shocks and deliver good energy return, and it includes a TPU-injected Energy Blade for extra snap in your stride. The Quicklace system combined with an Endofit internal sleeve on the upper allows you to dial in a snug fit; the lugged Contagrip MA outsole offers lockdown grip on the trail. You can also opt for the Pulsar Trail Pro, which offers the same features in a lighter package.
Pros
- Lightweight and cushioned
- Rocker sole for smooth transitions
Cons
- No Energy Blade
Weight: 9.2 oz (M), 7.8 oz (W)
Drop: 6 mm
The Ultra Glide offers a cushioned, lightweight platform for tackling long-distance runs on the trail. Like the plush Spectur, it’s made with Energy Surge foam in the midsole to soak up impact forces, and the sole features a rocker shape to help you roll through your stride. It’s also a little lighter than the Spectur, and with its Quicklace system, internal fit sleeve, and Sensifit upper design, it’s engineered to closely wrap your feet. The result? A lightweight trail shoe that can keep your feet happy through double-digit mileage.
Pros
- Aggressive lugs for good grip and shedding mud
- Snug fit
Cons
- Not ideal for hard surfaces
Weight: 10.5 oz (M), 9.2 oz (W)
Drop: 10 mm
An iconic model from Salomon, the Speedcross is built for superb grip in the mud. The sixth iteration features a redesigned Mud Contagrip outsole with deep, widely spaced lugs that bite into soft ground and shed mud more easily. On top, a Sensifit upper with a Quicklace closure helps you get a close fit, and it comes with ripstop fabric reinforcements to ward off snags and tears on trail debris. An EnergyCell+ midsole offers moderate shock absorption, but you won’t need much cushion when running on mucky ground anyway. It’s also available in a water-resistant Gore-Tex version.
Michael is a freelance writer with years of experience covering gear and the outdoors for Runner's World and other publications; when he's not writing, he's usually biking, hiking, and running in the mountains around Los Angeles, where he lives.
