7 Best Salomon Trail Running Shoes in 2026

How we test Salomon trail running shoes

Because we dislike marketing fluff so much, we buy the Salomon trail shoes we test with our own money. This allows us to be as transparent as possible. 

And because we like to nitpick so much, we also take the time to do the following: 

• We run countless hours with each shoe and take them to rail trails, hiking trails, backpacking trails, bridle paths, and others just to thoroughly assess the shoes in different settings.
• Slice them into pieces in our own shoe testing lab. We gotta see all the components of the shoes, may they be large or tiny. Plus, once shoes are cut in half, we're able to accurately measure their stack heights and shock absorption.
• Measure more than 20 parameters, like traction, flexibility, durability, breathability, etc. We then interpret the results in a simple and understandable manner, for the reader's easy consumption.

Salomon trail shoe collections and what they are for 

3 things Salomon trail shoes are known for

Salomon trail running shoes got famous for their 

1. Grip, especially in wet weather and thanks to their Speedcross collection 
2. Gore-Tex membrane that keeps the feet dry and
3. Superb durability and ruggedness (when needed). 

Lug depth and grip in Salomon trail running shoes

Known for their insane grip, Salomon trail running shoes really have outstanding lugs and lug patterns. To analyze the grip, we look at the lug thickness and rubber hardness. 

In our shoe lab, we use a digital caliper to measure the thickness of the lugs. Looking at our lab data, the average lug depth for Salomon shoes is 3.6 mm which matches the overall average for all trail shoes we've tested. 

The deeper the lugs, the better the grip, especially for loose wet surfaces. We recommend lugs that are 4mm or deeper for mud, snow, slush. Lugs that are shallower than 2mm are best for versatile light use, like road-to-trail. And lugs that have in-between depth (2-4mm) work great on various surfaces as long as they are not too demanding. 

Another thing to consider when discussing the grip is the hardness of the outsole. Softer rubber is more flexible, pliable, and stickier. Harder rubber protects our feet more but is less sticky. We use a shore C durometer to measure the hardness of the rubber. The lower the number, softer the rubber. 

The grip also depends on the tread pattern. 

Numerous and multi-diagonal lugs are great for varying terrain, covering both uphill and downhill. Lugs that are spaced further apart are needed for easier mud-shedding. 

Lab-testing the durability of Salomon trail shoes

We covered the hardness of the rubber above because softer one is stickier but harder one is more durable. To test durability of the outsole, we put a dremel against it - always at the same RPMs, pressure, and duration. 

Testing outsole durability in RunRepeat lab 

The deeper the dent, the less durable the outsole. 

We use a tire tread gauge to precisely measure how deep the dremel went to make the damage. 

We also test the durability of the toebox as it’s THE thing protecting us from the debris and obstacle on demanding terrain. We also press the dremel against the surface here but then assign it a 1-5 rating where 5 is the most durable. 

Testing the durability of the toebox in RunRepeat lab

If this is the part of the shoe that you damage sooner rather than later, look for shoes with a rating of 5/5 or close to that. 

How breathable are Salomon trail running shoes

Known for they ruggedness: both durability and protection, Salomon trail shoes can pay the price by being not so breathable. Fortunately, the most non-breathable ones are those with a GTX membrane. 

Testing the breathability of a Salomon trail shoe

To test breathability, we pump the smoke into the shoes and then watch where the smoke comes out and at which pace. Doing this allows us to assign a breathability rating to each shoe, and it can be anything on a 1-5 scale, where 1 is the least breathable. 

To examine things even further, we also look at the uppers under the microscope. It’s geeky, and we love it: noticing how tightly woven the threads are, if there are any ventilation holes, if it’s a soft knit or high-performance mesh, if there are any glossy wires, or if it’s mostly cheap materials, how many layers are present, etc. 

Shoes that don’t breathe well work great in winter when you want the shoes to trap heat inside. 

Waterproofness of Salomon trail shoes

As mentioned above, the most non-breathable shoes are usually those with waterproof membranes. 

Even though the producers claim such membranes breathe, they rarely do. For context, the average breathability of waterproof trail running shoes in our database is 1.6, while the overall breathability average for all trail shoes is 3.4. 

Breathability of GTX Salomon trail shoe vs a non-waterproof one

It’s always interesting to look at the Gore-Tex uppers under the microscope. 

And, if you’re curios about how the Gore-Tex membrane looks, have a look at the shoes that we’ve cut in half. 

On the inside, you can see a (usually grey) waterproof layer that is Gore-Tex. 

Toebox width varies in Salomon trail running shoes 

A common issue in trail shoes is a narrow toebox, especially in aggressive shoes that work wonders on technical terrain. If you have a wider forefoot and want to run in Salomon trail shoes, look at our toebox width measurements. 

Creating a gel mold of the shoe's interiors 

Given that measuring the width of the toebox on the inside is impossible without destroying the upper or the shoe's form and shape, we create a gel mold that perfectly reflects the volume of the shoe. We do 2 measurements (at the big toe and where the shoe is the widest) because knowing how wide the toebox is not enough. 

There are toebox shapes that need more room closer to the tip of the shoe, at the big toe. This means that some feet are shaped less pointy than others, so we need shoes that are not as pointy. 

Here's a selection of trail shoes from Salomon that offer the most room in this area: 

If this is where you need the most room because your feet are the widest there, or you maybe have bunions, here are Salomon trail running shoes to consider: 

Some trail shoes have very low toeboxes. This may mean too much pressure on the toes and toenails, especially when going downhill. If you've already experienced this or simply want to be sure about your shoe choice, we recommend checking the height of the toebox.