Salomon Men's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I loved the look and design of these shoes so I read the buyer reviews. I wanted these for casual street wear but the reviews were mostly from hard core trail runners, mudders and other people who can probably kick a grizzly bear's ass. Since I had no intention of running the Paris-Dakar Rally on foot I wasn't sure if these weren't "too much" shoe for me. I mean, look at that action figure lacing system, and my tires have less aggressive tread than this shoe, the little colored words on the sides made me think of sponsor labels on a top fuel dragster. I began to wonder if I was worthy of this shoe. Would real athletes call me out as an imposter? A Poser? Would normal people look at my feet and assume I was a dork? (really, my shoes are the least likely cause of this).

So, still feeling inadequate for these shoes I placed my order. They arrived 3 days later (probably ran half of the trip on their own) and I got them out and tried them on.

Ugh. Too tight! But only at first. After ten minutes they loosened to a snug fit. After two days they fit perfect. No kidding - perfect. I love the feel of them. They are comfortable as all get out. I almost climbed a hill in them just for the joy of it.

They feel like they will last forever. It's almost like they are bulletproof. In fact, if a thug ever shoots me I hope he aims for my feet. I'm confident these shoes will protect me.

The lace system seems odd at first but after a few times I figured it out so I can do it without taking my eyes off the TV. It's tricky at first but if that thug tries to take them off of you he will be stymied by the lace system long enough for you to run away up a nearby mountain... another plus.

The style is fantastic. So many people like my feet now. I catch people looking at my feet, nodding at my feet while nudging their friends, smiling at my feet. These shoes made my feet more popular than my head.

They do get hot. Not hot, but warm. I always went for mesh sided shoes before...light and airy. These are like armor compared to those and the trade off is a bit of trapped heat. Nothing too terrible but dark blue on a 90 degree day in the sun is a bit warm. I suppose if I wore them for what they were made for I could cool them by running across a glacier or alpine stream. Instead I prop them in front of my ac vents. But really, it's a minor thing since I live in Ohio and we only have weather that nice on accident. I'm sure I will appreciate that heat trapping during the other 320 or so odd days of usual cool and wet Ohio weather. (Ohio sucks by the way...unless you're a mudder)

The description says water resistant. I think they are. I was on a soccer field after a rain (hosting a Jr. Olympics competition, not actually playing soccer) and the wet grass did not soak my feet. I got some very minor dampness towards the end but my last pair of shoes would have sloshing water bags after ten steps so these were great. Plus the snug collar kept the grass clippings from getting into my shoes and turning my socks into rattan mats by the end of the day.

While the treads are excellent for quick cuts in turf or dirt they can be a bit slick on smooth wet surfaces. It's not banana peel type slick but just that little bit of slide that makes me think "whew! glad I was not running from that thug on this stuff).

In the reviews people talk about the longevity of this shoe in terms of miles or, in some cases, races. Now I don't know how many miles I wear my shoes (or if races to the restroom count) but I fully expect these shoes to last much longer than my previous pairs of shoes. They seem like someone actually designed them to work and last rather than just adding pretty swooshes or springs of shocks on a mediocre pair of nylon/leather sacks and called them shoes. I think these were designed by someone who got fed up with the garbage the big names put out.

I wore these to the zoo last week and climbed a pretty high hill in them. Granted, I was in a tram on the way up and on a wooden switchback walkway on the way down but I felt like I could outrun the other people if I had to. The important part was that my feet were comfortable. I did not think about them at all...except when other people stared or pointed at them.

So, do these shoes work for a fit, non-racing ordinary 46 year old male like myself? Of course they do. They are comfortable, durable and, I am assuming, thug proof. Plus they have the added benefit of making me look like I am a crazy trail runner...a very careful and clean one, but maybe they will think I am on the way to my first race.

Buy these shoes if you even remotely like them. Just don't look at them too many times on Amazon. I swear the prices go up after about 20 visits to the page..