Salomon Speedcross Vario 2 Men's Trail Running Shoes, Hard and soft surface Grip, Foothold, and Protection

Product Information

When it has been cold and wet, these shoes protected my feet well. I did feel them getting a bit damp, but that was later on in a wet cross country race, so it’s hardly surprising. Also, the tongue position could be a little uncomfortable if it rolled around the right side. In reality, these are minimal intrusions, and once I was running, they settled fine and didn’t bother me. This is where the Vario 2 derives its character. A lighter, smoother’ more friction-based sole’ is what connects you to the ground in these. In terms of sizing, these shoes are pretty true to size. I take a size 10 and have slightly wider feet. I find them a little snug width and lengthwise in the toe box compared to some of my road shoes, but not to an uncomfortable level. Comfortable fit A trail shoe is a different proposition to a regular road shoe. You want to be reassured in its sturdiness and durability, but you don’t want to feel like you’re running around in clogs—tough gig!

The big thing with trails shoes is the extent of the compromise to comfort and speed resulting from the adaptation to perform on slippery terrain. The Vario 2’s have minimal cushioning, so these feel quite hard, particularly on firm ground. The sole unit of this shoe uses Salomon’s Molded Eva, Lightweight Muscle and Injected Eva cushioning to make sure your feet are padded throughout the run. The sole itself uses Salomon’s Constagrip technology.Lightweight and comfortable trail shoes for year-round, all weather running. GORE-TEX® Technologies Salomon's Men's Speedcross Vario 2 GTX®provide great grip and comfort on various surfaces, with a full GORE-TEX® membrane for added protection. As a mostly city runner, who lives far away from mountains or forests that require constant high-level grip, these shoes fit my daily needs more than do the Pros. After speaking with other users, I learned that the bungee pull could be frustrating with cold hands and slippy conditions—fairly typical after a trail run. I have to say, it makes sense, and I do like the lacing option of the Vario 2.

It also includes my favorite part of the upper from the Pro, the tongue cover. Although a simple thing, and a small detail, it is something like this that gives you confidence in a company. The cushioning in the sole has a very conditional 11mm (20mm-9mm) heel-toe drop. This makes for a familiar and comfortable ride for most runners. One reviewer noted, if you are a biker who doesn't like to be clipped in, these shoes are a good option.The most important thing to know about this sole unit is that the cushioning is quite firm. Most most runs, I personally enjoy that, and when I took the shoe on an 8-mile mountainous route, and felt great the whole time. The traditional lacing system has worked well for some people allowing them to keep the shoes snug and secure. They were up for the challenge of an 8-mile mountain trek, and also a 12-mile crushed gravel/dirt run, while keeping my feet mostly pain free. However, the firmness of the cushioning made the longer runs a bit painful on the foot. Salomon SpeedCross Vario General Info However, if you are in a forested or mountainous area and hit the trails often, the Pros will offer that extra grip, easier lacing, water shedding and a slightly softer ride that holds up to higher mileage. This shoe has traction to spare on most trails, although on the most technical ones I tried to take it slipped from time to time after going through wet areas. However, this was just a little concern.