Salomon Men's Speedcross 4 Trail Running Shoes

I am doing an OCR (Obstacle Course Race) this weekend and wanted some shoes that would give better grip and protection for some of the obstacles.First impression was that these shoes are very light! They also fit very snug, sort of like a slipper - which I like. The lace system seems good, since I won't have to mess with it once it's set, but that will be TBD after a race. The toe area was comfy. Seems like good arch support and I have high arches. The shoe also has a fairly decent insert. The soles are not too hard either, so hopefully they'll be OK for running on pavement if needed.Sizing: As everyone suggested, they do run a little small and I went with the 10's. I will confess that I also ordered the 9.5's and while they fit, they were very snug and I worried that they might create numbness running or hiking. Plus, I have a somewhat wider foot in the toe box, but a narrow heel (I'm very average build at 6'0 and 195lbs). The person who suggested the half size larger than you'd normally use supporting a wider foot seemed to have good advice too.First Test: I just got back from a 4 mile hike on a somewhat steep and slightly damp trail, and these shoes were phenomenal! I cannot wait to see how they perform after break in and once I dial in which socks work best with them to prevent heel chaffing (the material inside the shoe is somewhat abrasive, so it will rub over time). No issues.I'll report back after my 12 hour spartan race on Sunday with feedback on how they do.Bottom line - Would buy again! Excellent value for $80 shipped.

Very good shoe. On my second pair, and plan to buy this shoe again once my present pair wears out. I like the lacing method, it's quick and gives good support to my feet. The fit is right on the money for me. I trail run with these shoes and the traction is very good even on sandy hard packed surfaces. I typically toss the insoles that come with these shoes (and others) in favor of some better ones that work with my foot shape, but that's not a ding on this shoe, just my odd foot.Update: I just got my 5th pair of these shoes. I can now say I know certain things about them:1. When trail running, they last between 500 to 600 miles on hard packed desert type terrain2. They run true to size, however the 5th pair I bought I decided to buy them 1/2 size bigger to see if it helps me not thrash my toes when running downhill. I did 18 miles in the larger shoe today, but honestly I'm still not sure this is the cure. I have to tighten the laces so much to grip my foot that eventually it gives me foot cramps from lack of circulation. I end up loosening the laces again, which causes my foot to once again bash into the front of my shoe mile-after-mile...3. These are really great shoes. They are very well constructed, and I have not had any issue with the 5 pairs I have bought. I will definitely buy a 6th pair when these run out.4. I immediately throw away the factory insole as it's pretty lame. I buy an insole that I like and stick that in instead.5. As you can see from the picture, these shoes are not as good as paws. My dog has been with me for every mile, and he's still on his first set of paws...2024 Update - On my 14th pair of these shoes and averaging about 450 miles per pair of shoes. I still love them. The half size too big is a winner for me. My dog is still on his first set of paws after 6.5k miles, so no contest there.

Great shoe! Just know your application.I bought this shoe to replace my good ol' GTX Salomon XA Comps that I have had for almost a decade, which were used mainly for trail-running and day-hiking. Heard a lot of rave reviews about the Speedcross series, so I wanted to give it a try. Fit very well, albeit a little narrow in the arch, and the aggressive lugs weren't as annoying as I thought they'd be while wearing around town or on pavement. Great styling.On the trail however, they are a totally different beast then my XA Comps. The Speedcrosses perform great - excellent traction, support and trail feel - but they offer almost no rebound and very minimal cushion. This is fine for trail tempo runs and other "speed cross" applications, but whereas in my XA Comps I would do 7 miler technical trail-runs with no problem, I know I'm going to feel it a little more during and after the run with these Speedcrosses (what a weird plural form that word is.).Anyway, in summary, great shoe for fast, aggressive trail-runs on any type of terrain. Probably won't be your go-to shoe if you're looking to be doing any epic distance work or trail ultras.

I bought these Speedcross 4's for multiple Spartans & a Tough Mudder this year. I can say, without a doubt, these are THE BEST shoes for OCR use. I ran in the Speedcross 3's last year and while I was very happy with them, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try the newest style. The biggest changes that I can tell are:1. The toe box is SLIGHTLY wider than the prior years. This works to my advantage as I feel they fit more comfortably.2. The tread on the bottom has a very minor change, but makes a big difference in stability. The "V" pattern is now the same all the way across the bottom of the shoe. The 3's had a 1/2 V along the outside perimeter which could cause a little unstableness on rocky terrain. I've noticed greater balance with the new design.3. The cutout on the back of the shoe around the base of the ankle is just a little lower. Not a big design difference but makes the shoe overall more comfortable for long runs.These things were ready to go right out of the box as well. No need to break them in. I went for a 4 mile trail run the weekend they arrived and my feet felt great the whole way. No blisters or soreness whatsoever.I will deffanetly be buying another pair of these in the future without hesitation. There is, in my opinion, no close second.