Salomon Speedcross and more: Salomon trail shoes at a glance

The Salomon Speedcross is the trail shoe for soft, muddy ground; the XA Pro 3D the stable shoe for rocky, mixed terrain. The Sense Ride, Genesis and Ultra Glide are built for long, cushioned runs on changing surfaces, and the Grvl models for gravel. If you hike rather than run, take a look at the X Ultra 360.

How do you find the right Salomon trail shoe?

Choose by the ground you're on most often. Tread, cushioning and guidance differ clearly between models, and a shoe for deep mud isn't ideal on tarmac. Three questions help:

• How soft is the ground? Mud and wet meadows need deep lugs.
• How rocky is the path? Scree and roots need protection and stability.
• How long are your runs? Over long distances, cushioning matters more than the last millimetre of lug depth.

In the Eifel, the low mountain range around Bitburg and Prüm, you get almost everything at once: clay forest tracks after rain, gravel on farm tracks and tarmac between the villages. How to choose for that is covered in our article on trail running shoes for the Eifel.

Who is the Speedcross for?

The Speedcross is for runners on soft, muddy ground. Salomon describes the Salomon Speedcross 6 as lighter than its predecessor, with stronger grip and faster mud shedding. The outsole is meant to shake off mud even faster and grip better on wet ground. Add to that the SensiFit construction for precise foothold, the Quicklace system and a standard drop of at least 8 mm.

For rain there's the Speedcross with a membrane, such as the Speedcross 6 GTX for women with GORE-TEX and a reworked outsole for soft and muddy ground. Even more aggressive is the Salomon Thundercross: according to Salomon, it has aggressive 5 mm lugs for technical terrain and was developed in the French Alps.

Which Salomon for rocks and mixed terrain?

The XA Pro 3D is designed for rocky and mixed terrain. Salomon calls the Salomon XA Pro 3D V9 its most iconic model: stable, robust, with a reinforced toe cap and the 3D Advanced Chassis, a flat, very stable chassis for protection and stability underfoot. The lugs are 3.5 mm deep and the sole is All Terrain Contagrip. With a membrane, it's available as the XA Pro 3D V9 GTX for women.

If you want more cushioning and less armour, look at the Salomon Sense Ride 5 GTX: Salomon describes it as versatile for short trail runs as well as ultra distances, with an Energy Foam midsole and 3.5 mm lugs. The Salomon Genesis GTX combines Energy Foam cushioning with Active Chassis support and a very grippy outsole for changing terrain in any weather.

Which Salomon for long runs, speed and gravel?

The Salomon Ultra Glide 3 is built for plenty of cushioning over long distances. Salomon describes the cushioning as extra soft; the outsole spreads the pressure as you land, the lugs are 4 mm deep and the drop is low.

The Salomon Pulsar is designed for faster runs off-road, with Energy Blade technology and a bouncy Energy Surge midsole. For farm tracks with gravel there's the Salomon DRX Defy Grvl: a light training shoe with mild guidance, Active Chassis and an outsole that lets you switch between tarmac and gravel.

Which Salomon for hiking?

For hiking there's the X Ultra 360: not a running shoe but a light hiking shoe. The Salomon X Ultra 360 GTX has a GORE-TEX membrane, a Contagrip outsole, a reinforced toe cap and the ADV-C Chassis for stability on uneven ground. For women there's the X Ultra 360 GTX in Sedona Sage, and as an ankle-high version the X Ultra 360 Mid GTX.

Whether mid or low-cut depends on the path and what you carry. For the stages of the Eifelsteig, a 313 km long-distance trail from Aachen to Trier, you'll find pointers in our article on boots and a jacket for the Eifelsteig, and on membranes in our article on waterproof hiking boots.

GTX or no membrane: which is better for the Eifel?

That depends on the season and the route. Many Salomon models come in two versions, with a GORE-TEX membrane (GTX) and without. The membrane keeps out wet from outside: on hikes and runs in autumn and winter, through wet grass and over clay paths, your feet stay dry for longer.

Without a membrane, the shoe is airier and dries faster if it does get wet, for example after a stream or a deep puddle. In summer and on fast runs, when your feet sweat a lot, the version without a membrane is therefore often more comfortable. If you want to buy just one shoe for the whole year and are often out in the rain, in the Eifel you'll usually go for the GTX version.

In short: which Salomon for which path?

• Mud, wet meadows: Speedcross 6; very technical: Thundercross.
• Rocks, roots, mixed terrain: XA Pro 3D V9.
• Long runs, lots of variety: Sense Ride 5 or Genesis.
• Maximum comfort: Ultra Glide 3.
• Alternating gravel and tarmac: DRX Defy Grvl.
• Hiking: X Ultra 360, ankle-high as the Mid.