Fit and traction are two of the most important aspects to bear in mind when it comes to buying any type of trail running shoe. The wrong fit can lead to instability on the trail. Low traction can make for perilous runs that don’t serve their purpose. The Salomon Speedcross 5 seeks to be the shoe that addresses both. This is an extremely
popular trail shoe that is best known for its rugged “never quit” traction and impressive foot feeling. Comfortable right out of the box, this isn’t a shoe that requires
months of breaking in or loosening. Just pop them on and prepare to hit your favorite trail.
The Best Traction You Can Buy
We’re not mincing word when we say that these are the best trail shoe you can buy today if you’re seeking excellent traction. If you want to run any place where conditions are often snowy, muddy, rainy, slippery, or very rocky, this is the traction you’ll need to truly perform. With 6mm deep arrow-shaped lugs, you’re getting a design that is built to bite into any surface. The sticky lugs are spaced far apart which helps to adequately prevent a buildup of mud on the bottom of the shoe. The rubber itself is very soft and malleable, which allows it to be as sticky as possible. Very hard rubber on a trail shoe won’t grip as well on diverse surfaces. The only downside of soft rubber is that it will wear down more easily over time.
Ample Protection for Chronic Heel-Strikers
Something the Salomon Speedcross 5 trail shoes get right is their ample protection for chronic heel-strikers. With a stack heel height of 20mm in the toe and a generous 30mm in the heel, those who strike hard on the heel will find ample padding. Despite this, the toes and forefoot of the show still offer quite a bit of sensitivity to the trail itself. It is this balance that helps make the Speedcross 5 such a desirable shoe. With that said, those who enjoy a large heel-toe-drop and those who can be described as “chronic heel-strikers” will enjoy this trail shoe the most.
Generous Foot Splay for Added Stability
In garnering stability, a great trail shoe has to offer a wider forefoot landing platform that allows the foot to properly splay. The Salomon Speedcross 5 does just that. Unlike previous versions of this shoe, the forefoot and toebox are much wider than before. This allows you to land properly without risking a twisted ankle. An innovative Sensifit upper and a quick lace system allows any runner (regardless of foot width), allows runners to cinch the shoes down to size to make for a tight fit, this prevents slop and keeps the foot where it should be in the shoe while running. A shoe that fits snug to the foot is far more stable than a looser shoe which gives too much room for the foot to move around inside.
Overall, the Salomon Speedcross 5 trail shoes are well-designed to offer up killer traction, ample stability, and just enough comfort to make any trail feel attainable.
SEE ALSO: Salomon Speedcross 5 GTX