Shoe Of The Week: Salomon Speedcross Pro
An agile mountain climber perfect for fall running.
Fit-feel-ride: This toothy trail shoe (with its 6mm, hard-rubber lugs made from Salomon’s revamped Contragrip outsole rubber materials) was built to grab mud, wet surfaces and other muck found on fall trails. We found the traction did the job, and liked the secure, snug wrapping of the upper—no doubt aided by Salomon’s one-pull Quicklaces and slightly stretchy fabric on the upper. Lateral stability comes from TPU-welded overlays, allowing this shoe to feel stable and secure on rocky, technical trails. Testers craved a touch more room in the toe box on long runs, but noted the snug fit helped this shoe feel agile. The cushioning rides a bit hard, and feels almost orthotic-like (firm, secure and corrective) around the arch. Plus, the durable upper is water-resistant and the mesh across the tongue helps keep out debris, making it an ideal fall-winter trail running shoe. Perhaps the only drawback is the notion that it felt excessive—and a little too stiff—on flat, smooth terrain. If you liked previous versions of the Speedcross line and are looking for something slightly more aggressive, you’ll love this shoe.
This shoe is for you if … you have a narrow foot and seek an agile mountain climber.
Price: $150
Weights: 11.5 oz. (men’s); 9.7 oz. (women’s)
Heel-Toe Offset: 10mm; 20mm (heel), 10mm (forefoot)
Info: Salomon.com