They're very red and very, very technical, but how do Salomon's top-end shoes fare as all-round trail walking and running footwear?
Salomon XA Pro 3D Tested
|
Price:
£84.99
|
|
Weight: 808 grammes (pair size
43)
|
|
Features: Trail
running shoe with mesh upper and Gore-Tex XCR waterproof /
breathable lining, Sensifit lacing, advanced 3D chassis, EVA
triple-density moulded mid-sole, Salomon Contragrip running
sole unit, Ortholite comfort foam insole, toe bumper and
thermoplastic heel counter.
|
What's It For? Quite simply it's Salomon's top of the range
trail running, adventure racing and, at a pinch, walking shoe. This
being the XCR version - there's a mesh only straight XA Pro 3D as
well - it's waterproof making it more versatile in the colder, wetter
portion of the year from October to May that we call winter...
The Techy Bits The XA Pro has lots and lots of techy sounding
features, pretty much everything about it in fact. The lacing is both
Sensifit and Quickfit, which means it wraps round the foot thanks to
extended lace anchor bits and has a one-pull lacing system for rapid
donning and removal.
Then there's the 3D 'chassis' which uses triple-density moulded
EVA mid- sole for cushioning - the different densities of foam being
distributed to the area where they're most appropriate.
The contruction also reckons to put the foot close to the ground
for improved off road stability and a rigid insert together with a
whopping great heel counter on the outside of the shoe, should resist
twisting on rocky, uneven terrain and protect the sole of the foot
from sharp rocks and the like on the trail.
How It Performs We started off being a tad skeptical about all
those cunning Salomon features but became rapid converts with use.
The Quickfit Lacing, for example, uses a free running, thin line that
extends from just above the big toe to the top of the tongue and is
super quick and easy to adjust. The cordgrip gubbins simply tucks
away under a special stretchy flap.
Next, no matter what you call it, the shoe has great basic
torsional stiffness and that big, external heel counter holds the
heel firmly in place. Combine that with what feels like a low sole
unit and you get a great combination of stability and balance.
Occasionally you wish there was a little more cushioning, but for
most off road running, Salomon has managed to find the sweet spot
between pure fell shoes, which are low and grippy but lack support,
and road shoes which have lots of cushioning, but are too high for
offroad use and feel majorly unstable on rough ground. In other
words, they're a near perfect compromise.
The Contragrip sole sticks well in anything other than really wet,
muddy conditions when it can get overwhelmed and the Gore-Tex XCR
lining comes into its own on the sort of damp ground that seeps
through mesh-uppered shoes in minutes, though the pay-off is sweaty
feet on warm days.
We used them for off-road running and walking in the Peak and
mountain walking in the Lakes where, impressively, the sole unit was
stiff enough to cope happily with rocky ground. For running we
thought they were a great compromise, but they also work very well as
walking shoes with good stability and reasonable cushioning and
comfort. The lacing system means you can get the uppers good and snug
for minimal slippage too.
The original footbeds are of limited use though, but that's true
of pretty much all OE insoles, we swapped ours out for Superfeet and
more support.
Really effective allround off-road running and walking shoes
with acceptable cushioning, good stability and decent grip on most
surfaces short of proper slippy, muddy stuff and slidey wet
grass.
The XCR liner makes them more of a year-round proposition than
most mesh-uppered equivalents, though of course water can still get
in over the top. If they fit your foot and you're a fast mover after
light, nimble yet supportive footwear, they're a great choice.
And they're very red, or yellow, or blue too...
|
Stable, low-slung and with a neat, effective lacing
system.
XCR can be sweaty when it's really hot.
|
|
Performance
|
|
|
Value
|
|
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this
product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
gear
forum.
