Salomon Speedcross 5 Trail Running Shoes for Men, Black/Black/Phantom, 13 Review

The Salomon Speed Cross 5s have been my go-to trail running shoes for the past few years. This is my 5th pair of them but the first that I’ve ordered through Amazon. The sizing is consistent, I’m a 10.5-11 (US) and the 10.5 fits me perfectly.The shoes are very comfortable and provide good support and cushion for both on and off road running. The stand out feature is the aggressive tread which provides great traction on mud, snow, loose gravel, scree and grass. While still being comfortable on pavement.I’ve worn them on strenuous hikes (as mountaineering approach shoes) and on many long trail runs. They usually last me 4-6 months of regular use before the tread wears flat under the balls of my feet and I retire them.I’ve also owned the GTX (goretex) version and that was nice but not really worth the extra cost IMO.The worn out shoes in the photos are about 5 months old and ready to be retired. I’m not sure exactly but I probably got about 300 miles out of them.be aware that running on pavement wears them out noticeably faster, regardless I can’t recommend them highly enough!I really hope that Salomon will keep them in the lineup, part of me wants to stockpile extra pairs in case they get cancelled. They’re THAT GOOD!

Beautiful shoes that are very comfortable and stable. Running or for everyday use they feel great and true to size. The soles are showing some wear but are holding up pretty good. Not to mention they look awesome. I got 3 pairs in different colors.

I've been running while wearing Speed Cross shoes for years and this version didn't disappoint. I've ran long distance in all sorts of terrain and conditions without foot problems.The large lugs keep good traction in bad conditions (rain, mud, snow, I've ran all trails of all types) while still not sacrificing in good ones. Keep to the trails and the lugs last longer than one would expect, I'm talking years.I prefer good trail feel under foot (which I feel rock plates take away) and the cushioning is more than sufficient, even if you're running a 50K+ race. It doesn't break down quickly (I have gotten years out of every pair I've owned) but right out of the box I can run 20 miles, very little (of any) breaking in requiredOne other thing I absolutely love is the fast lacing system. They never come untied and if you ever need to tighten or loosen the laces a bit it takes just a few seconds. Plus, the mesh keeps even small debris (including sand) outFinally, when you eventually need to get a new pair, they can always be retired for wearing for Tough Mudders, they work great for those too!Happy Running!

Perfect fit, great trail runners. Lugs give great traction and stability on typical trails in the US with mud, rocks and roots. While the sole is stiff it is still a little pliant that you do occasionally feel jagged/pointy rocks underfoot.The slightly pliant part however helps with the flex needed for running vs a pure hiking shoe. The front is well protected with toe guards. I went with the non gore tex version this time as it didn't seem to matter much with my previous goretex version as far as staying dry was concerned. These are low ankle shoes so if you splash in a puddle or run in the rain the goretex will not prevent water from seeping in anyway. These seem to breathe slightly better vs the Gtx version. Fairly lightweight although there are lighter trail shoes out there. Heel toe drop is higher at 10 mm, works for me but may be an issue for some folks. Love the quick lace system that tucks into the pocket in the tongue of the shoe.For some reason shipment took time over 20 days since this was shipped all the way from Japan. Not sure the wide format is widely available (pun intended) but would definitely recommend upsizing at least by 1 size on the regular as with any running shoe, as these tend to be very narrow. I saw a few reviews saying the lugs wore out too fast ... quite perplexed ....maybe they were wearing on road/concrete duh!. All I can say is I have over 350 miles of trail running on my previous Salomon Speed Cross Gtx 5 and the lugs still look like they are new with little/no signs of wear . If you are a regular trail runner, these are great shoes to work out in. Enjoy !!

Okay--the good: These have a great arch in them that really relieves my plantar fasciitis. For most of you that's not an issue and thanks to this shoe, it will likely not be with me.Second--very comfortable overall, besides the wonderful arch support.Third--very grippy. Great for hiking, great for biking.Finally--very stylish. I didn't buy them for that reason, but I got a lot of complements on them.Now, the issues:First, I needed a half size larger than usual. Not a big deal and in fact I've learned with shoes to expect that. I often have to go back and get a half size up or down.Second--and this was almost a deal-breaker--there was some poor construction next to the top eyelet on the right side near the toe. It seems that the heavy duty fabric which is used to support the draw cord (which acts as a shoestring) was not properly trimmed on the inside of the shoe. After a few hours it was downright painful, and I'm glad I figured it out before I went on a long hike. Getting it trimmed was extremely difficult due to the way the shoe is constructed. I finally got it clipped with a pair of small wire cutters and about 3 snips. The amount irritating was no more than 1/4" but it was protruding out from under the tongue (not so on the left foot) and well anyway, all is well now!~