Yesterday I was invited to the Singapore media launch for the Salomon SpeedCross 3 – where we tested out the shoes on a short but very challenging trail run through the Kent Ridge Park mountain bike trails.

Here are my comments:

The Salomon SpeedCross 3 shoes.

 A high-performance trail running shoe suited for any terrain

A high-performance trail running shoe that is supposed to help you run fast on any terrain’, the Salomon SpeedCross 3 is a durable shoe that offers plenty of cushioning regardless off whether you are running on muddy single tracks, dusty roads or even snow fields.

Members of the media gather for a photo taking session before the run.

When I put on the shoes, the first thing I noticed was that they seemed extremely springy and there was also plenty of cushioning. The toe box of the shoes had felt quite spacious too – but the main reason for this was probably because we had all been advised to get a size bigger than our usual sports shoe size.

Shoes were pretty comfortable and my feet didn’t slip inside

I later found out that Salomon had increased the width of the toe box from the previous version – the SpeedCross 2. So this had probably been why the shoe had felt more spacious, too.  But if the shoes feel a little too spacious, tightening the laces would help make the fit better.

So despite the bigger size, the shoes were still pretty comfortable and my feet didn’t really slip much whilst inside the shoes  thanks to the Sensifit™ design, which envelops and cradles the feet for a precise fit.

The SpeedCross 3 is suited to technical trails and other challenging terrain such as Kent Ridge Park.

Felt light and flexible

At 260g for the women’s version and 310g for the men’s shoe, these may not be the lightest shoes out there in the market. But when the shoes were on my feet, I found that I couldn’t really feel the weight when I was running.

Instead they had felt quite light and flexible. And thanks to the nylon mesh with its synthetic leather overlays, I felt that my feet were also able to breathe pretty easily, whilst inside the SpeedCross 3 shoes.

Salomon’s Quicklace™ system proved useful

Salomon’s traditional Quicklace™ system also provided to be useful out there in the uneven trails. With the simple pulling and locking lace feature which has a seamless pocket to tuck the laces into too, I did not have to worry about shoelaces getting undone or tripping me up.

Salomon’s Quicklime system is very useful.

Shoes were extremely grippy

When climbing uphill and heading downhill, I had also noticed that the SpeedCross 3 shoes were extremely grippy and found that it really does help to prevent you from tripping on branches or falling flat on your face when going down the slopes. At times, I had felt quite unstable on the slopes, but the shoe’s very stable grip had helped to prevent an accident from happening.

This had been thanks to the Contagrip® technology on the rubber outsoles – comprising of multidirectional lugs and sticky rubber supply superior traction for snow, slush and ice terrains. This can be seen quite clearly on the shoe’s soles in the form of aggressive rubber studs. And this feature is definitely very useful for trail runners.

Contagrip feature, in the form of these spikes on the underside, can really save your life in the trails.

I can certainly see that this feature in the SpeedCross 3 shoes would also be a great help for obstacle races which are fast gaining prominence in Singapore – such as the upcoming Spartan Race. For instance, with the strong and stable grip, it will be much easier to climb those ropes. The precise fit would also prevent the shoes from inadvertently being left behind when navigating through mud pits in such races, too.

Overall Comments

As a whole, if you are into trail running and navigating uneven terrains, then I would say that the Salomon SpeedCross 3 shoes would definitely be a good fit for you.

SpeedCross 3 – A good shoe for navigating uneven terrains.

The key difference between the SpeedCross 2 and the newer model, is that the heel drop has been reduced from 12mm to 9mm in the newer version – with the aim of adding stability and sure-footedness on technical trails and descents.

The Salomon SpeedCross 3 has a recommended retail price of SGD209. It can be purchased at World of Sports outlets and Salomon stores across Singapore.

web counter