Now, to be fair, this is first time I've ever really invested in trail running shoes other than Nike, Saucony & New Balance so there may be a better trail running shoe but let me tell you how I used them and how they held up.
I ran my first ever obstacle race last weekend (Spartan Sprint) in Malibu, CA. There were trail runs (uphill and downhill), wall climbing, crawling under barbed wire, running through waist deep water (and yes even swimming through an ice cold pond), fire jump, and other crazy obstacles. I bought these shoes a few days before the race and wore them twice before the big day.
The water resistant technology was awesome as one of the water crosses was right at the beginning of the race. By the time I got to the top of the trail my shoes were almost dry until I had to go through the water again. I liked the way the shoe pushed the water out and it didn't make my socks, shoes or feet squishy like regular running shoes would. These shoes are also mud resistant and good thing because there was a lot of mud that day. I didn't get any debris inside the shoes (I was also wearing wool sock), and I went through a lot of loose dirt, too and none of that got inside the shoe. No blisters, just total comfort.
I was so happy I bought these shoes. I didn't slide going downhill, and they gripped going uphill as well as when I had to scale walls (even greased up walls). I am thoroughly impressed.
When I got home from the race, my shoes were covered in mud and since you can't put them in the washer I just scrubbed them with a soft brush and clean water and they came out as good as new. I let them air dry and I took out the soles to let them air dry, too. I think for any trail running I do, especially obstacle course racing, I will stick with these. Pretty awesome shoe. I am female, and I own the size 7 in the black/teal color.
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I love these shoes.
They are well made, have a very comfortable heel, plenty of room in the toe box, broke in quickly and conformed to my foot. I really like the lacing system and the toe cap. I tend to stub my toes near the end of trail runs, and this has saved me from several black toes.
I recently wore these in the Tough Mudder. I was one of the few people that wasn't slipping and sliding all over the place. Traction is terrific in almost any terrain, though they obviously aren't shoes for serious road work. The laces kept them on my feet in the worst of shoe-sucking mud pits. The clasp on the laces did get gunked up and made it difficult to remove the shoe, but worked just fine once the mud was rinsed out.
I do occasionally have some issues with rocks getting into the heel (running downhill on gravel is the worst), but all shoes would have that problem so I won't hold it against them.
They won't keep your foot from getting wet, but they dry very quickly and don't hold water in like some of my previous shoes. (I'm looking at you, Nike Shox.)
They cleaned up very easily. Just rinsed off the worst of the mud and gravel and threw them in the washer. Presto.
These won't be the greatest in the winter because they are too breathable.
They don't have a lot of arch support, but there is plenty of room to add if needed.
If you are looking for a great trail shoe, I'd highly recommend these. Definitely well-made and worth the money.
***UPDATE***
I've worn these shoes for over 50 miles of trail races and countless training miles. While I see a little wear on the lugs, they are still in nearly new condition. The laces and slider have held up well and the shoe itself still looks and feels great. Don't even think I'll need a new pair for racing season this year. Definitely have held up very well!!
Best Deals on Salomon Women's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe
I have narrow feet and a high arch, so need a shoe that has good arch support, good cushioning and low volume but still roomy toe box that is not too stiff. I've been a Salomon fan and own several older model XA Comps/XA Comps GTX and took that on many trips (from hiking in the desert to trails in Hawaii). I now need replacement shoes since I've killed the old ones. For athletic shoes, I'm usually a 9. For all Salomon, I wear a 9, same for these (I also wear 9 in ASICS, but 9.5 in Nike, Brooks and Puma).
I tried on just about every major brand to look for some trail hikers/trail runners and they all fit too wide. I also tried the Salomon XA Mission, which got rave reviews, but the toebox fits extra wide. I also tried the Salomon Crossmax, which had a great arch but fit like a motion control shoe, so my gait felt very stiff and unnatural.
The Speedcross 3 purple looks great and the fit is perfect: strong arch support, well cushioned, hugs my narrow feet very well, low volume toebox but still plenty of room to wiggle toes. I also love the speedlaces, easy to use and works great.
The tread is very aggressive, which is great for mud and trail. But I will warn that walking on hard surface felt a little weird as I can feel the treads "wiggle" (compress, tweak side-to-side and rebound), it's a low "wiggle" so I don't feel unstable in any way. Not sure how the treads will wear on hard surface over time.
The shoe also feels very light for a water resistant shoe, it's not Gortex but Climashield. It's supposed to be breathable but I haven't tested the waterproofness yet, but will testing them soon on the trail. Highly recommend for grass, dirt, any soft surface, trail or muddy/wet conditions.
Honest reviews on Salomon Women's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe
I first starting using salomon trail shoes about 4 yrs ago and although they fitted well and were comfortable I often choose other brands of shoes because I didnt always have that " ahhhhhhh feeling " when running in them
When I saw online the Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe and the high arch and wide soleI wondered what they would be like to run in.
I am asolutely IN LOVE with this shoe and intend on buying more of this style for my Ultra Running races and trail runningnot only is this shoe extremely comfotable the sole is a MUST for trails wide deep and you feel like your on heavy tread car tiresvery solid.
And yet the shoe is extremely light.
Im not talking about the colors because Im not a customer that particularly cares about the color because running through rivers muddy surfaces and sometimes wearing gaiterscolor is irrelevant but funnily enough i get comments by runners all the time when they see me in the fuscha pink color shoe.
So in a nutshell absolute great shoe for trail running welldone Solomon
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To be fair, I have to start this review by saying I am NOT a competitive trail runner. I am a recreational hiker, and this occasionally takes me across some sketchy terrain where my Nike Frees were really not getting the job done, and actually have put me in danger more than once. But for the saving grace of prior gymnastics training, I would have busted my ass at least 3 times that I can think of thanks to the lack of grip.
It was the most recent near-ass-busting that sent me to REI to try on any and all trail runners they had. A friend of mine works at REI in Sacramento, and she had recommended NOT to get a true hiking shoe/boot, but a trail runner, since I prefer a more lightweight shoe. So I did a ton of research online and hit up the stores. REI did not have what I originally went in for, but I tried on several pair including 3 different Brooks and these Salomons. Right away these felt like they cradled my foot perfectly and gave good support and cushion. Most importantly, the tread on these suckers is FIERCE. I balked at the price at first ($125 @ REI, yikes), and tried on a few others there and elsewhere but I ended up going back for these (wish I had waited and gotten them at Amazon, looking @ the price).
I didn't realize til I got these home and started reading about them online that they are a competition shoe. So maybe I look like a tool out on the trails, I dunno...but they are worth it. The tread grip is unbelievable, and the sky is the limit as far as distance is concerned because they are so supportive and comfortable. They also work okay for flatwater kayaking (where you may encounter *some* water but are unlikely to get turned over) because they are waterproof...however, if you do more intense rapids or something where you are more likely to roll, I don't know how they would do. I would suspect they drain okay because they are supposed to, but I haven't tried it. I have taken them about mid-depth in streams, and they stay dry as a bone.
So from a hiking perspective, these are definitely recommended. Don't shy away from trail runners just because you aren't a "runner"!
