Salomon Men's Speedcross 4 Trail Running Shoes

I typically run longer triathlons including Iron Man distance so I run in a typical running shoe. This year after my last triathlon I decided at the last minute to run a 14 mile Spartan obstacle race. Having never ran one or even seeing one, I didn't really think about what I was going to wear for the race until the week of the race. I was reading more details about the race and it kept referring to all of the mud and water and about what gear was best to race in. So I began researching shoes, socks and shorts and found these Salomon Speedcross 4 shoes highly recommended. I ordered them and received them 3 days before the race. I have been running for years and know very well about NEVER changing gear in the days before a race, much less the day of a race but I was pretty sure that running 14 miles of trails that included much mud and water would not be fun my usual running shoes so I made the decision to give them a shot and see what happened. So on race morning I lubed up my feet with tri-glide, slipped on my Hoplite compression socks (which I also found highly recommended) and get ready for the race. Walking around in the shoes, they were very comfortable and stable but once I started the race was when I really got to see why these shoes are so highly rated. When the trail was flat, the fit and feel was very similar to my usual shoes. When I got to the mud, they were awesome! Both entering and exiting each mud pit, mud hill, water feature, pond, creek or you name it, the traction was tremendous. I never slipped or slid at any point (most everyone around me without OCR shoes was slipping badly) and the more confident I became in the shoes the fast I went and still never had any issues. On dry ground, both going up hills and down, I again never slipped. I was passing people left and right on the steep descents because I could grip and they could not. Through the whole race, with at least 7 water crossing, my feet felt comfortable and my traction very secure. It the end of 14 miles and 35 obstacles, my feet were probably the only thing that did not hurt and I credit my Salomon shoes for that.

Very good shoe. On my second pair, and plan to buy this shoe again once my present pair wears out. I like the lacing method, it's quick and gives good support to my feet. The fit is right on the money for me. I trail run with these shoes and the traction is very good even on sandy hard packed surfaces. I typically toss the insoles that come with these shoes (and others) in favor of some better ones that work with my foot shape, but that's not a ding on this shoe, just my odd foot. Update: I just got my 5th pair of these shoes. I can now say I know certain things about them: 1. When trail running, they last between 500 to 600 miles on hard packed desert type terrain 2. They run true to size, however the 5th pair I bought I decided to buy them 1/2 size bigger to see if it helps me not thrash my toes when running downhill. I did 18 miles in the larger shoe today, but honestly I'm still not sure this is the cure. I have to tighten the laces so much to grip my foot that eventually it gives me foot cramps from lack of circulation. I end up loosening the laces again, which causes my foot to once again bash into the front of my shoe mile-after-mile... 3. These are really great shoes. They are very well constructed, and I have not had any issue with the 5 pairs I have bought. I will definitely buy a 6th pair when these run out. 4. I immediately throw away the factory insole as it's pretty lame. I buy an insole that I like and stick that in instead. 5. As you can see from the picture, these shoes are not as good as paws. My dog has been with me for every mile, and he's still on his first set of paws... 2024 Update - On my 14th pair of these shoes and averaging about 450 miles per pair of shoes. I still love them. The half size too big is a winner for me. My dog is still on his first set of paws after 6.5k miles, so no contest there.

I bought these Speedcross 4's for multiple Spartans & a Tough Mudder this year. I can say, without a doubt, these are THE BEST shoes for OCR use. I ran in the Speedcross 3's last year and while I was very happy with them, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try the newest style. The biggest changes that I can tell are: 1. The toe box is SLIGHTLY wider than the prior years. This works to my advantage as I feel they fit more comfortably. 2. The tread on the bottom has a very minor change, but makes a big difference in stability. The "V" pattern is now the same all the way across the bottom of the shoe. The 3's had a 1/2 V along the outside perimeter which could cause a little unstableness on rocky terrain. I've noticed greater balance with the new design. 3. The cutout on the back of the shoe around the base of the ankle is just a little lower. Not a big design difference but makes the shoe overall more comfortable for long runs. These things were ready to go right out of the box as well. No need to break them in. I went for a 4 mile trail run the weekend they arrived and my feet felt great the whole way. No blisters or soreness whatsoever. I will deffanetly be buying another pair of these in the future without hesitation. There is, in my opinion, no close second.

I finally wore out all of my Speedcross 3's and had to purchase a Speedcross 4. Pretty similar design, thank goodness. If you're a fan of the Speddcross 3, you'll recognize these 4's as an old friend. About the Speedcross series: Pros: Lightweight. I love the speed lace design. Excellent support. unbeatable traction. Good looks. Cons: they wear down fast when run on asphalt or concrete. They're TRAIL runners. Kind of like how aggressively treaded off-road tires wear faster than highway tires or non-DOT dirt bike tires wear down quickly when ridden on pavement. That's just the way things are. I personally run on both dirt trails and the road, but I feel the comfort of these Saloman's more than make up for not getting more than about five hundred miles out of them. After that, I wear them for just walking around.. They really maintain their good looks. I also have a pair of the Saloman Sense Ride runners. They actually last a little longer on pavement and still do exceptionally well trails. A point that's been brought up by others, these Saloman's are for an "average" to narrow foot. If you know you have a wide foot, you might want to try one on before buying. Yeah, I know, that means going to a real store, but it might be worth your while.

Pros - Use for mud runs and they give a quality grip - Solid quality overall as well Cons - The lace tightening mechanism is easy to use but if you're in the middle of a 10 mile mud run they can be gunked up with mud and debris, making them near impossible to slide for tightening/loosing. - As most reviews say, they run a bit tight and if you're in the mud for long runs you need a bit more space. I thought this was a fluke so I bought a size 12 and normally wear 12. While I have no issues completing a run in these, my toes do take a beating due to the pressure of the shoe once you get wet and your feet swell. I'm not sure how much bigger a 13 would be for me (could be too sloppy), but a 12.5 would be perfect I'd assume. Note - I also see several roofers using these shoes for shingling... they claim they're the cat's arse for their daily job duties. Just in case you need some roofing shoes... :)

5' 8" 130 lbs Narrow foot all around Size 8 in Asics, went with size 8 in salomon First of all the fit of these on me are amazing. Received these just in time for an intense 14 mile out and back day trip with a 9200 elevation gain (loose dirt at the bottom, sharp rock in the middle and shale at the top) and these functioned fantastically. After I got home I inspected the bottoms for wear. They looked perfect with an exception to the inner side of the right shoe. It looks like there is a manufactoring defect in the foam of the shoe and the rubber sole doesnt cover the bottom completely. My knees hurt pretty bad by the time I got home and decided I needed to break them in more so I went on a 10 mile walk. Now the knobs on the soles are starting to round over. What they are good for: Loose ground Steep surfaces Variable terrain What they are bad for: Pavement! You will be lucky to get a month out of them Sandstone (have not tried but considering the pavement...) Likes: Laces. (The drawstring lace works fantastic) there is also a pouch in the tongue of the shoe to tuck the excess Stickieness of the tred Breathable Rubber extends about an inch up the side which prevents them from ripping Fit Dislikes Tread life on hard surfaces Defect in right shoe (will most likely be the cause of failure) I will update this post once I wear them out

Salomons with the quicklace system are the only shoes I will buy any more. I started off wearing them for Spartan racing and fell in love. They fit right out of the box, and are so quick to put on. Too often, I head out of the house wearing flip-lops or sandals because I don't want to tie a pair of shoes. Then something comes up and I regret that I am wearing flimsy sandals instead of real shoes. The quicklace system is very fast to put on. I have no idea how many of these I have owned now; they are the perfect shoe!! I have some in every style. Beware that the really aggressive cleated soles are great in mud but not so great on normal surfaces, or on slippery obstacles. You will be better off buying the Speedcross variety with the less-aggressive cleats or the Salomon XA Pro 3D GTX for most purposes. Also remember to buy a size larger if you are running DOWNhill, or else (like any shoe) your toes will jam into the end and your toenails will turn black and fall off. It took me a long time to realize that I have been buying shoes too small for years. I have wide feet, high arches, and hammer toes, and these shoes fit like a dream, and are quick to put on, so I am not tempted to be lazy and wear sandals.

Haven't yet broken these in, but I love them right out of the box. Super aggressive tread, the fit is AWESOME, and I love the no laces. Update (Jan 2018) - Broken in. Superior traction to anything else I own....first choice if conditions will be slippery. Works extremely well for trail running; a bit hard and loud on asphalt or concrete (and can be a bit slick transitioning from mud to hardball). Also the no-laces slip tie bounces around and was slightly annoying the first couple times out -- not sure if I've just grown used to them flopping around or that's subsided. BTW, the tread on these picks up debris far better than my other footwear: these absolutely will need to come OFF and get cleaned up before going into the house if you have been running trails. Wearing well and I find them comfortable -- I usually wear Brooks and Asics, but these are becoming a new favorite for off-road adventures.