Salomon says the design aims to minimize vibrations in each stride and retain a smooth ride, thus creating less fatigue compared to traditional midsole designs.Īll shoe jargon aside––I’m sold! The ride was really smooth, protective, and my legs felt great coming out of long runs and hard efforts. It’s a newer midsole foam combo typically used in Salomon’s road shoes. Out with the Opal/Vibe combo and in with the Optivibe. The biggest change comes in the form of a midsole swap. Salomon has kept the same basic package: a slightly-wider-than average footbed (as compared to most other Salomons), a moderate level of protection, and a smooth ride. Call it naive on my part, but the whole experience sealed the deal. I literally took the OG’s out of the box and used them for my first 100k (Never Summer 100k– a burly Rocky Mountain old-school style trail race). TAYLOR: Oowee! There’s a lot to love about this shoe. Salomon engineers also added a mesh pouch on the top of the tongue to stuff the excess lace. Wider feet may feel a little cramped in the Ride 3, but thin socks could be all it takes. The speed laces make adjusting for tightness a breeze and the toe box room is sufficient (though I have narrow feet).
The Contagrip outsole delivered consistently sure footing, meaning I didn’t lower my pace much as I plowed through little dirt bogs. My next testing ground featured plenty of soft, loose mud. My feet felt a bit sore the next day, but I can thank the Ride 3’s ample cushioning and rock plate for keeping me going. If you visit north Georgia and have a hankering for trails that call more for dancing than running, Sawnee Mountain is the place to be. Sawnee Mountain, the first location for my run in the Ride 3, is basically a rock garden. The Sense Ride 3 features an Optivibe midsole, which delivers a soft landing on the harshest trails.
With a few tweaks and a major swap, the Sense Ride 3 has me hooked once again.ĪUSTIN: If we were to do some free association, you’d say Sense Ride 3 and I’d say outstanding. The same goes for my first true love of trail shoes, the Salomon Sense Ride series.ĭon’t get me wrong––there are a lot of incredible shoes that hold their own against the Sense Ride, but I just can’t stay away. I’ll take a Korean BBQ Bowl at Phone Thai 94% of the time and you can be sure that I’ll be plenty satisfied. Is that you at your favorite restaurants? Yeah, me too. (Then you only branch out occasionally just to come back to what you loved in the first place.) I think that’s how it goes? If not, I want to see my changes accommodated. Variety is the spice of life… until you find something you love. The Salomon Sense Ride 3 came along for some somber excursions in the woods. Until then, I’m grateful for lonely trails, because for me, running is the quintessential isolationist sport. With mounting efforts to combat COVID-19, I fear that parks will be the next space to shutter. I’m grateful to see this as a runner-with the hope of social distancing being faithfully practiced-and that also means that the dirt trails are sparse. As cabin fever grows and plentiful sunshine beckons, paved trails are unsurprisingly seeing more foot traffic.
(297 g) for a US M9.0 (gained an ounce over version 2)