Category: Gear Reviews

Review: Salomon S-LAB Sense 3 Ultra SG

2/3/2015

I’m a big fan of the Salomon Speedcross, but then, who isn’t? Over the course of three years of trail and ultra running, I’ve gone through a couple of pairs of Speedcross. In my search for a nimble trail running shoe with an aggressive tread, I happen up Salomon S-LAB Sense 3 Ultra SG (Soft Ground) and decided to give them a try. Here are my thoughts.

Promo Copy from Salomon:

Take the aggressive tread of the SPEEDCROSS, apply it to the low, light, and fast S-LAB SENSE concept, and you’ve got an athlete requested, ultra-distance trail running weapon for soft ground.

Details:
- Shoe is designed for grip, light weight and ultra distance.
- Weight: 240 gms for size 8.5 shoe
- Drop: 4mm

Construction:

- Quick-drying, breathable polyester mesh
- Midsole dual density and molded EVA
- Sensifit system works to cradle the foot providing a precise and secure fit
- EndoFit internal fit sleeve designed to hug the foot in exactly the right places and improve feedback and foot-wrapping
- Protective TPU toe cap provides strong foothold support and side protection
- Non-marking Contragrip delivering optimal traction on varied surfaces; Salomon's Contagrip outsoles use the ideal combination of specialized rubbers for each specific use
- Quicklace minimalist and strong lace for one-pull tightening; easy on, easy off

My Take

Appearance and Price
My first impression of the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra SG… hello sexy!

The shoe retails at $160 (ouch!), though you can buy the Sense 3 online for as low as $119 since the Sense 4 is soon to drop in 2015.

Fit & Feel
This is a unisex shoe, so I bought a size 9, which is the size of all my trail running shoes. I’ve felt comfortable running in it, but in hindsight, a size 8.5 would have been better.

I love this shoe! It’s my “go-to” shoe for trail running. Foot in the shoe, it feels nimble and conforms to your foot for a smooth yet quick ride over multiple surfaces ranging from flat gravel to gnarly roots, rocks, creek crossings and muddy trail conditions and transitions. Works well at variety of speeds.

Ride

After about 200 miles of pure trail running in these shoes on terrain ranging from technical to snow and muddy trails, I can’t find a single thing to complain about. The shortest distance covered in them was 10 miles, longest distance was 30 miles. I must say, however, that the shoe does require a break in period.

This shoe really is a work of art. It’s light weight, fast and even with the 4mm drop the shoe offers superior protection and stability. The rock plate goes to right around the mid-foot area and stretches into the forefoot and the toes, so even with the minimal feel to the shoe you don’t feel the harsh rock under your foot. Contragrip outsole on these shoes cannot be beat; extremely durable and even after 200-plus miles on the shoes, there is no visible wear to the lug. It offers superior grip and traction laterally as well as to the front and back of the shoe. Endofit gives your foot a precise and comfortable glove-like feel without compromising the breathability in the shoe upper. The toe box maybe a little narrow for some runners, but I’ve had no issues so far, and the shoe seem to have enough room in the front for the toe splay.

As far as lacing is concerned, I prefer the traditional lacing system, but Salomon is the only shoe brand that I actually don’t mind the quicklace system. I love that I can instantly loosening the laces if my feet are swelling or if I’m wearing a thicker pair of socks. I have yet to experience any loosening or slippage in the lacing system, and the handy lace pocket works great.

Conclusion

Did I mention I love these shoes? Well, I really do!

If you’re looking for a shoe with reduced cushion not compromising stability, a nimble and fast ride over mixed terrain that also offers superior foot hold, then look no further. The Salomon S-LAB Sense 3 Ultra SG is the shoe for you!

Quick note: The Salomon S-LAB Sense 4 Ultra SG is due to launch sometime in Mach 2015. A few of the upgrades to the shoes include:

Deeper lugs, and the sole compound has been adjusted
The already brilliant Endofit has been tweaked to avoid less debris entering the shoe. Additional room in the toe box
Additional mid-foot support
A new upper will provide a better fit using Sensifit and additional width has been added to the toe box
Fit will apparently be even better than the Sense 3

Author: Shalini Kovach is a trail junkie and ultra distance runner, forever in search of the perfect running gear that will make life easy out in the wilderness.

Review: inov-8 Race Ultra 290

11/21/2014

Another shoe brand that I’ve never run in, so why not test it out? I had heard a lot of us buzz about the inov-8 Race Ultra 290, scored a pair through a friend and was stoked to take the shoe on the run.

Promo Copy from Inov-8:

Our first-ever ultra shoe eats the hard miles for breakfast. The two-arrow race ultra offers optimal cushioning and comfort for the long-distance athlete, without the loss of proprioception. A flatter outsole ensures a stable ride when athlete fatigue sets in. Clip a gaiter onto invo-8’s unique on-the-shoe attachment system to ensure all debris is kept at bay. Female specific fit.

Details:

Fit – Standard – Wide toes box allows the toes to splay. Perfect for forefoot strikers, athletes with a wider foot and when lifting heavy weights.
Drop – 8mm
Weight – 10 oz.

Construction:

Synthetic, TPU upper
Injected EVA midsole
Mesh lining
Shanks – Meta-Shank III – Multi-finger polymer Meta-Shank aligns with each individual metatarsal for increased benefit from the “Windlass Effect,” whilst retaining underfoot impact protection and flexibility.

My Take

Appearance & Price
Inov-8 Race Ultra 290 is not much for looks, and yes, shoes do have looks. It lacks color. My first impression — blah!

Retailing at $130, the Race Ultra 290 has pretty competitive pricing compared to other shoes in the market that are meant for distance running.

Fit & Feel
I wear a women’s size 9 foot in the shoe. Here’s what I noticed.

Wide toe box. Love it!
The shoe upper is soft and pliable, making it easy to slip your foot in and out.
The tongue of the shoe is padded for extra protection for the top of the foot and to keep the laces from rubbing the foot.
The shoe feels flat, dense and heavier than expected. I could feel the density of the shoe once I laced up.

Ride
I’ve had the shoe for about three months now. The shortest distance covered in them is 10 miles, the longest distance 32 miles. After 120 miles of pure trail running in these shoes, I can say that I love the toe splay and the wide forefoot. The shoe offers great grip, stability and protection on a variety of surfaces — dirt, roots, rock, technical uphills and downhills, and a bit of water and mud. I don’t see significant wear to any of the lugs and the shoe outer, which is fairly impressive.

This is a heavy-duty shoe that is built to last, with a lot of attention to detail and offering subtle features like built-in gator attachment. The flatter outsole ensures a stable ride without the loss of proprioception, and as you continue to run and fatigue sets in, the 8mm drop and added cushioning are welcome.

Now for what I dislike about this shoe: The dense midsole EVA is thick, and I found that to be non-responsive. I feel like the shoe lacks bounce, and although it offers impeccable grip when running different terrains, you lose the sensation of flexibility when running a technical trail. The full outsole makes for an inflexible shoe and, therefore, a non-compliant ride. The shoe just feels flat, and somehow my foot didn’t conform to the shoe at all — even after logging all those miles.

Conclusion
I so want to love these shoes. I know distance runners who have raced 100 miles in them and absolutely love them. But for me, personally, I just never felt “at one” with the shoe when running in them. Despite the excellent quality and features the shoe has to offer, it’s not my go-to shoe for racing. I feel like somewhere in the process of adding the stability and protection to the midsole and the shoe outer, the flexibility was lost. Bottom line: It’s not a nimble shoe, if you’re looking for a smooth ride on the trails.

Author: Shalini Kovach is a trail junkie and ultra distance runner, forever in search of the perfect running gear that will make life easy out in the wilderness.

Review: Skechers GOrun Ultra

8/18/2014

A top maker of casual and lifestyle shoes, Skechers has jumped into the forever-growing athletic/running market with its GOrun series — recently endorsed by Meb Keflezighi. I’d been hearing a lot of buzz about these shoes, and my reaction was, “If it’s good enough for Meb, it’s good enough for me!”

But, alas, you don’t really know a shoe until you take it for a ride. After a number of test runs, including a 50-miler on fairly technical terrain, here are my thoughts on the Skechers GOrun Ultra.

Promo Copy from Sketchers:

Discover the ultimate in cushioned running with the Skechers GOrun Ultra. Great for long distance runs, recovery runs, or for those looking for maximum cushion, with more Resalyte than ever before.

Details:

Enhanced Resalyte cushioning than Skechers GOrun Ride shoes
A unique combination of a soft Resalyte midsole and more rigid Resagrip outsole provides cushioning and support
Aggressive traction control GOimpulse sensors on outsole allow for superior control on any terrain
4mm heel drop without insole; 8mm heel drop with added optional insole
Four-way stretch mesh on side panels for added comfort
Promotes a midfoot strike
Weight: 7.5 oz. in a women's size 7

Construction:

Synthetic and mesh fabric upper
Synthetic overlays for stability
Four-way stretch mesh for added comfort
Side S logo
Lace-up front
Soft fabric shoe lining for barefoot wear

My Take

Appearance & Price
The Skechers GOrun Ultra is flashy. The shoe definitely makes a statement right out of the box, and if looks could kill, this would be the shoe for me. Retailing at $85, I actually found my pair on Amazon for $64.16. BAM! I was sold.

Fit & Feel
The shoe seems to have an average fit. I typically wear a size 8.5, but running distance has killed my toenails, so I now wear a size 9. Foot in the shoe, here’s what I noticed:

The toe box is narrow, but with going up a half-size, I had plenty of room.
The shoe upper is soft and pliable, making it easy to slip your foot in and out.
Standing in it, the shoe feels soft and cushy, extremely light, with a barely-there feel.
The 4mm heel drop isn’t as drastic compared to other minimal shoes. I actually like how the shoe felt!

Ride
My first two runs in the shoe were 10 miles each — two miles on the road and eight miles on the trail. These runs were smooth, almost like I was gliding along with nothing on my feet. The shoe allowed me to run naturally, without forcing my foot to do anything it didn’t want to do. The GOrun transitioned smoothly at a variety of speeds and performed well regardless of the surface I was running on, until I hit the technical part of the trail with rocks and roots, where regardless of the cushioning I could feel the terrain under my foot, especially running down hills.

Not fully satisfied, I decided to take the shoe for a 50-mile run on an intermediate technical trail. The first 15 miles were smooth and easy. Then, I noticed with each step that the shoe felt mushy, and on the technical parts of the trail, it was too soft and unstable. About 20 miles in, I started to feel hot spots on the ball of both of my feet. About 25 miles into my run, I decided to change the shoe — I was that uncomfortable. Sections of the trail I ran were narrow singletrack with grass above my ankle and moisture, which the shoe definitely picked up. When I kicked off the GOrun, my socks, along with the shoe and the insole, were soaking wet. With minimal to no water drain, the shoe definitely retains water.

Conclusion
Not the bang for my bucks that I was hoping for with the purchase of this shoe. I would refrain from taking it on a technical trail. There was plenty of cushioning and protection when running on the roads, but I found the shoe too soft and unstable to use for speed work or long racing.

To call it a wrap, I’d say Sketchers is onto something, but they still have a long way to go before they’re taken seriously as a running shoe brand. I would use the GOrun as a supplementary shoe to strengthen the feet and encourage midfoot striking — but no further than 10 to 15 miles on the trail under fair-weather conditions.

Author: Shalini Kovach is a trail junkie and ultra distance runner, forever in search of the perfect running gear that will make life easy out in the wilderness.

Forward>>

Review: Salomon S-LAB Sense 3 Ultra SG

Review: inov-8 Race Ultra 290

Review: Skechers GOrun Ultra

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