Salomon Speedcross Trail Running Shoes
With the Salomon Sunset Series on the horizon, the Brandwave team have been testing out their new Salomon Speedcross trail runners on lunch time runs and evening training sessions.
I am taking part in a Salomon Sunset Series, a 10k trail running event this summer and being completely new to trail running I thought I best get training early. Although I wont be using the Speedcross for the event as they are for soft trail – I’m hoping for a lot firmer ground in the summer! It was great to try them out, and they were perfect for this time of year.
The first time I wore them, I found them a little hard but this was due to me not using them on the correct terrain. The second time I took them out though, on a very wet and muddy trail they came into their own! The Speedcross allow you to really focus on your running technique and enjoy the runs. You also no longer need to be concerned with slipping, not having grip and your feet feel well protected from potential hazards in the terrain.
Another thing I loved about the Speedcross, I didn’t need to wear them in, they were straight on and when worn for fairly long runs, no blisters or pain! There was also no stopping to do up my shoelace as the quick lace technology meant once they are secure, there is no chance of them coming loose. They are the most supportive running shoe I’ve used, when I put back on my road running trainers I found them loose around the top of my feet quite strange.
As more hockey players are coming away from traditional hockey shoes and moving towards trail runners, I thought I’d give the Speedcross shoes a run for their money on the hockey pitch. They are much lighter than my previous Asics Gel shoes and the additional grip provides a marked difference when changing direction and in agility movements.
As a goalkeeper, it usually takes about a few weeks for my shoes to mould to a comfortable shape underneath my kickers (foam feet protection). After my second hockey session in the Speedcross shoes, it felt as though I’d been in them for the entire season. Although some hockey players may be discouraged by the lack of protection in the toe but the padded heel area gives a snug fit, making them the sturdiest shoes I’ve ever played in.
Impressed by their performance on the hockey pitch, I wanted to test the versatility of the Speedcross shoes. I took them out for a 5k run along West Wittering beach at Sunset. At low tide the sand can have unpredictable dips and grooves, as well as change from hard to soft very quickly. I found the shoes had great stability, which gave me confidence to take my eyes off the ground and enjoy the amazing sunset.
