Review: Salomon S-LAB Sense 3 Ultra SG

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.

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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

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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.