It was a wet and rainy morning and the humidity level was soaring. But I still decided to join a group consisting of members of the media and some Salomon sponsored athletes – on a challenging 5km run around the Fort Canning Park area. This running route had involved quite a few tough uphill and fast downhill slopes.
The Salomon X-Scream 3D shoes.
The run had been organised as part of the launch event for the new Salomon X-Scream 3D shoes in Singapore, and had taken place early last Sunday morning – for us to test out the shoes.
A multitasking shoe that adapts easily to a variety of urban landscapes
A versatile multitasking shoe that can easily adapt to a variety of urban terrains, the Salomon X-Scream 3D is part of Salomon’s CITY TRAIL range, an adaptive series of lifestyle footwear that runners can use for running anywhere in the urban landscape.
Explained Samuel Soong, 26, the Assistant Product Manager of Salomon Footwear (APAC Export), “We have designed these shoes for a diverse landscape, where you can run anywhere in the city, and not just for example, on a flat road. Just like how people can literally run anywhere in the mountains, you can now do the same thing in the city. We have improved this shoe in terms of the grip, foothold and the fit – so that it will allow you to run comfortably and without worrying about shoe-related injuries such as corns, blisters and so on.”
All wearing the shoes for a run at the Salomon Launch Event last Sunday.
Comfortable shoes with plenty of cushioning
The moment that I put the Salomon X-Scream 3D shoes on – and started walking in them, I knew immediately that these would be a comfortable pair of shoes for running. For example, this is because the upper section is well padded and the cutting of the shoes felt roomy, with ample space for the toes to breathe. These factors combined to make the fit X-Scream 3D shoes, very comfortable.
There is also a good amount of cushioning to absorb the impact of the running and at the same time, the midsole is very firm. There is also extra support at the heel of these shoes – for endurance runners, 80 per cent of whom are traditionally heel strikers – who need extra heel support.
Strong and supportive for running
During my run around Fort Canning Park, I had also noticed that the Salomon X-Scream 3D is a very strong and supportive shoe – which is certainly good to last the distance for endurance runners. It also has a good amount of bounce, and a great toe off and foot strike.
With a myriad of Salomon shoes at the launch event.
Good traction across various urban surfaces
I also thought that the traction of these shoes across the various urban landscape surfaces is good. Whether you are running on slopes, flat roads, on slippery wet ground, on brick surfaces or on pebbles and stones, the shoe grip is super – thanks to Salomon’s 3D Grip technology.
For example, when I was climbing uphill and then speeding downhills, I felt that my stride seemed to be more solid and gripped the ground more than usual. Also, when I tried running over the slippery manhole covers to test out the grip, the shoes really prevented me from sliding over. This feature is definitely an improvement over Salomon’s previous edition of the X-Scream 3D shoes.
Athletes also liked the shoes
The Salomon sponsored athletes who were present at the event, also had a good experience with the Salomon X-Scream 3D running shoes. Said one of the athletes, Joseph Foo, 45, a sports coach, “It was quite good that it rained today because this provided a perfect opportunity to test out the shoes. Most of us agree that with normal flat road running shoes, it can be quite scary to run on brick surfaces and downhills. But the grip for these Salomon shoes are definitely there, and they made me feel a lot more comfortable.”
Added fellow Salomon athlete Grace Chan, 35, a naval diver, “The shoes are very light to run in, too. They’re also comfortable to wear and gives the foot plenty of room to breathe. Also, there is very high ankle protection in these shoes to prevent ankle injuries. Compared to some other brands of shoes though, these felt bouncy at first, but I soon got used to that and it felt good subsequently.”
A good pair of running shoes
As a whole, these are definitely a comfortable pair of shoes, not only for running, but also for walking. I can see myself using my pair of Salomon X-Scream 3D shoes more often. Salomon, a company more famous for its trail running shoes, has definitely impressed and surprised me with this pair of urban running shoes.
The Salomon X-Scream 3D is a good pair of urban running shoes.
Says Soong, “We believe these shoes would be a surprise to runners who have never tried the Salomon CITY TRAIL running shoes. But then again, these are built for the urban landscape, and not a road shoe. So consumers will find the grip, support and foothold to be a surprise to what they would expect to run in the city.”
He added, “The look and feel of the shoe is also very different compared to what Salomon has previously done. I think that other than the shoe’s performance, runners will also find the shoes appealing in terms of looks. At the same time, they are also very colourful and vibrant too – as colours has always been Salomon’s forte, after all.”
Leave a Comment