7 Best Salomon Trail Running Shoes in 2023

Jens Jakob Andersen
Jens Jakob Andersen on
7 Best Salomon Trail Running Shoes in 2023
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If you want to venture into the great outdoors, it’s unquestioned - Salomon is THE brand for trail runners.

Salomon trail shoes are not only extremely durable — they’re ready to eat up the gnarly terrain. Whether it’s a grippy, waterproof, supportive, or protective shoe you’re after, these trail runners won’t disappoint you. 

Choosing out of the many Salomon trail shoes can take forever. And our job is to make everything easy-breezy for you. From 5 different categories, we’ve handpicked shoes we’re confident can swallow miles on the trails.

How we test 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: 

  • Run in each shoe for 30-50 miles 
  • Slice them into pieces in our own shoe testing lab
  • Measure them via 30 different parameters like flexibility, strength, breathability, etc. 

To see how they rank against the 2000+ other running shoes in our database, we gather multiple expert and user reviews to come up with a Corescore.

Best Salomon trail running shoes overall

What makes it the best?

Plush comfort in a Salomon! It’s what the trail running community has been waiting for. The Ultra Glide is Salomon’s answer to Hoka’s reign over the cushioned trail shoe category and they nailed it. This shoe has a peppy, energetic ride, a soft, breathable upper, and a grippy, durable outsole. It’s worth a look at $140 and has a ton of great features. The only gripe I could conjure up is it’s a touch narrow if you have a wide foot.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Breathable
  • Grippy
  • Great lockdown
  • Plush and comfortable
  • Great lacing system
  • Protective overlays
  • Energetic ride
  • Cushioned

Cons

  • Tight midfoot for wider feet
  • No reflective details
Full review of Salomon Ultra Glide

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black/Alloy/Goji Berry (L414305)
Crystal Teal/Barrier Reef/Goji Berry (L415791)
Orange (L470712)
Arctic Ice/Pacific Black (L417273)
Multi (L414308)

Best value Salomon trail running shoes

What makes it the best?

The Salomon XA Pro 3D V8 is a trail running shoe that easily doubles as a hiking companion. It is a great option for outdoorsies looking for a hybrid of a running/hiking shoe that would keep them comfortable and supported no matter what the adventure brings. This Salomon shoe offers reliable protection and grip that help you stay in control on any type of trail.

Pros

  • Highly stable and supportive
  • Great for hiking and backpacking
  • Grippy on various surfaces
  • Durable construction
  • Versatile: trail-to-road
  • Lots of foot protection
  • Generously padded inside
  • Breathable mesh
  • Quick and easy lacing

Cons

  • Stiff and bulky for running
  • High heel-to-toe drop
Full review of Salomon XA Pro 3D V8

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Men
Women
Any color
Blue (L414399)
Black (L416891)
Black (L409875)
Barrier Reef Fall Leaf Bronze Brown (L414400)
Black (L409874)

Best Salomon trail running shoes with wide toebox

What makes it the best?

The Pulsar Trail from Salomon is the brand's take on a mid-range, do-it-all trail running shoe. With this, you can tackle any terrain and any distance at any pace. It comes to life, rolls smoothly, and offers lots and lots of protection. And if you want a shoe that's clingy, the Salomon Pulsar Trail's grip is amazing.

Pros

  • Bites on demanding trails
  • Great energy return
  • Stable and protective ride
  • Ready for the long miles
  • Runs as velvety smooth
  • Terrific heel lockdown
  • Spacious toe box
  • Lighter than most trail shoes
  • Very protective upper
  • Hugs the foot in all the right places
  • Built to last

Cons

  • Lacks breathability
  • Not for wet rocks
Full review of Salomon Pulsar Trail

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black/Clematis Blue/Blazing Orange (L416032)
Red (L416029)
Grey (L416027)
Black (L472100)
Purple (L416150)
Grey (L416046)
Blue (L472102)
Verde (L472103)

Salomon trail running shoes with best cushioning

What makes it the best?

The Salomon Alphacross 3 is a trail running shoe that's perfect for long-time runners and newbies alike. Its affordable price doesn't dim its shine as an all-rounder that delivers ground-digging traction from on soft and semi-technical trails. Even more, it's a fun and lively ride that's perfect for easy days. Although packed with ample ground feel, the Alphacross 3 won't hurt the feet.

Pros

  • Grippy on soft, steep, and hard-packed trails
  • Responsive and forgiving ride
  • Lightweight
  • No slips when cornering
  • Sufficient ground feel
  • Roomy toe box
  • One of the cheapest Salomon trail shoes
  • Great for beginners

Cons

  • Not for narrow feet
  • Wears down after less than 100 miles
Full review of Salomon Alphacross 3

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black/White/Leek Green (L415993)
Grey (L414426)

Best Salomon trail running shoes for long distance

What makes it the best?

The Speedcross is one of Salomon’s best-selling trail running shoes, and can almost be defined as “historical,” because it has been around since 2006. It’s a solid, sturdy model for fast training and racing on the most rugged trails. It shines when it comes to comfort and protection, and fortunately, it hasn’t lost its best feature... the lugs are still poking out aggressively and screaming for mud.

Pros

  • Amazing traction on wet
  • Plenty of protection
  • Fits like a glove
  • Sheds mud rapidly
  • Lighter than before
  • Quick-drying
  • Great lockdown
  • Ground feel at the forefoot

Cons

  • Not for wide feet
  • Firm underfoot
  • Still not the most stable
Full review of Salomon Speedcross 6

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
White/Black/Empire Yellow (L417378)
Black/White/Acid Lime (L417383)
Leek Green/Black/Bleached Sand (L417381)
Quiet Shade/Black/Pearl Blue (L417380)
Black/Black/Phantom (L417379)
Kelp Black Deep Lichen Green (L471158)
Lily Pad Rainy Day Bleached Aqua (L472194)
Blue (L471159)
More colors

Salomon trail running shoes with best comfort

What makes it the best?

The Pulsar Trail Pro is a trail running shoe from Salomon that has speed on top of its mind. It's snappy and smooth-rolling, getting to your next step is a breeze. And with its generous cushioning, it mutes out the harshness underneath your foot. And if you want to go the distance fast, the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro is an awesome mid to long-distance trail speedster.

Pros

  • Snappy and ready to go fast
  • Buttery smooth transitions
  • Stable ride
  • Comfy for long miles
  • Dampens harshness underfoot
  • Light build
  • Grippy even on wet trails
  • Snug and form-fitting wrap

Cons

  • Lacks ground feel
  • Not for technical trails
Full review of Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro

Today's best price

Unisex
Any color
Purple (L416082)
Estate Blue Night Sky Dazzling Blue (L415934)
Marmalade/Blazing Orange/Black (L417269)
Tea Rose/Biking Red/Blazing Orange (L417270)
Carbon Fiery Red Arctic Ice (L471287)
Carbon (L471291)
Rainy Day Hot Sauce Freesia (L472098)

Comparison of the 7 best Salomon trail running shoes

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Author
Jens Jakob Andersen
Jens Jakob Andersen

Jens Jakob is a fan of short distances with a 5K PR at 15:58 minutes. Based on 35 million race results, he's among the fastest 0.2% runners. Jens Jakob previously owned a running store, when he was also a competitive runner. His work is regularly featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, BBC and the likes as well as peer-reviewed journals. Finally, he has been a guest on +30 podcasts on running.