REASONS TO BUY
Super aggressive traction
Wide forefoot fit
Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
Not very stable
Heavy
Salomon Supercross Review
A more affordable version of the Speedcross that is less suited for high end mountain running
Credit: Salomon
Our Verdict
The Salomon Supercross is an everyman's version of the more popular Speedcross, and are both more affordable and offer a far wider fit in the forefoot. These beastly shoes feature super aggressive 6mm deep chevron-shaped lugs that grip on the slipperiest of terrain and also come with a rather large 10mm heel-toe drop that provides heaps of cushioning under the heel. While they look very similar to the Speedcross, one of the most popular trail running shoes on the planet, far more people will be able to comfortably fit in this wide shoe as compared to the famously narrow Speedcross. On the other hand, the Supercross doesn't hug the foot quite as tightly, so it isn't as good of a choice for the most technical terrain.
Our Analysis and Test Results
When describing the Salomon Supercross, it is impossible to not compare it to the very similar Salomon Speedcross 5. They look very similar; both feature the largest and most aggressively lugged outsoles on the market today. The Supercross plays the role of the more affordable option, while the slightly more expensive Speedcross is unquestionably higher-performing due to its far snugger and more responsive fit. One complaint that people often have about the Speedcross is that it fits excessively narrow, especially in the forefoot, thereby greatly limiting the number of people that can comfortable wear it. The Supercross fixes that issue with a wider design, while also employing a carriage system in the upper that is a bit looser and less tight. Runners with wide or high volume feet that have never been able to wear the usually narrow Salomons, but want to, should seriously consider the Supercross as a viable option.
The upper designs of the Speedcross 5 on the left (blue) and the Supercross on the right (black). The Supercross is slightly less padded, has a wider and roomier fit, features more mesh and less rubberized overlays, and also lacks the lace garage on the top of the tongue.
Performance Comparison
The Salomon Supercross are an affordable and wide fitting shoe with the same insane traction that the Speedcross has become known for, and also feature a similar 10mm heel-toe drop. They are a comfortable trail runner designed for the everyman.
Foot Protection
With 29mm of stack height in the heel, it is no surprise that heel strikers are amply rewarded by wearing this shoe. In the forefoot, by comparison, there is only 19mm of underfoot protection, and the difference is very noticeable. In that way, this shoe offers a nice balance of sensitivity in the forefoot while protecting the heel. That said, we have noticed from wearing these shoes for years that the deep lugs have a propensity to wear down or rip off over time, and as they do so, the forefoot protection becomes noticeably lower.
You can see the massive difference between the height of the foam underfoot in the forefoot and the heel. The heel is very protective, while the forefoot is rather sensitive. You can also see that while there are a lot of overlays on the upper, the crease point on the forefoot is left exposed to abrasion and early tearing.
The upper of this shoe is made of durable rip-stop mesh that is relatively hot and not the most breathable. Thin TPU overlays add structure but do little to protect the foot inside the shoe. The toe bumper is just a slightly thicker overlay, with little structure that can absorb a head-on blow, and so these uppers are not among the most protective you can find, or as protective as the heavily rubberized Speedcross.
Traction
The outsole of this shoe features large arrow-shaped lugs that are 6mm deep, well spaced apart, and made of Salomon's sticky Contagrip rubber compound. This pattern of large lugs spaced far apart offers the absolute best traction on slippery surfaces, such as steep grass or tundra, steep loose dirt, mud, or snow. The Contagrip is also quite sticky on rock, although it is also fairly soft, and running over jagged rocks too frequently will wear the lugs down quickly. Due to this softness, these also aren't the best choice for normal runs on hardpacked trails.
Showing the Speedcross 5 on the left (blue), and the Supercross on the right (black). While the lug patterns are slightly different, the effect is the same, these shoes grip fantastic on soft or loose surfaces. Very noticeable as well is the extra width to the forefoot of the Supercross (right), which is easily 4mm wider than its much narrower cousin.
Stability
With its 10mm of heel-toe drop and high 29mm of stack height in the heel, one feels slightly like they are wearing a high-heeled shoe with the Supercross on. Truly, we have found these shoes to be some of the least stable we have tested, even less stable than similarly tall Hokas, which feature a relatively modest heel-toe drop. The wider forefoot platform makes landing and taking off easier than the narrower Speedcross, but on sidehills and when going steeply downhill, the high heel doesn't really do one any favors. The lacing system also doesn't grip the foot nearly as snugly as the Speedcross, lowering the stability one feels inside the shoe.
With their high heel counter and a large 10mm drop, we don't feel these shoes are the most stable, especially when bombing downhill, as we are here in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. That didn't stop us from putting them to the test, but we think they could do with a little bit less under the heel.
Comfort
This is a comfortable shoe; it uses a quick lace system to hold the foot in place that is very easy to use, you must simply pull the little plastic buckle up the laces until the shoe is tight, and it never needs to be retied due to loosening. Simply tuck the ends of the "laces" under an elastic strap on the tongue to keep them out of the way. While it has minimal amounts of padding around the ankle and heel opening, the fit is very comfortable with no chafing or rubbing. In general, the fit of this shoe is spot on size-wise, and is roughly average width, despite being "wide" compared to most other Salomon shoes. In our water test, these shoes were among the most absorptive when compared to others after being dunked in water, and we haven't found that they breathe all that well either; they definitely run a bit warm.
We love the speedlaces present on this shoe, as they never come loose or need to be retied. Simply cinch the buckle as tight as desired, and then tuck the end under this elastic strap on the tongue.
Weight
Our pair of men's size 11 shoes weighed in at 24.3 ounces on our independent scale, which makes them among the heaviest shoes in this review. If you value lightness as a prized commodity in your running shoes, you will likely want to look elsewhere. That said, these shoes don't feel excessively clunky or heavy when running in them, but the scale doesn't lie.
At 24.3 ounces per pair of men's size 11, these are among the heaviest shoes in this review. While they don't feel overly and clunky on the trail, their competitors are successfully lowering the weights of their daily trainers, so look elsewhere if you want the lightest choice.
Sensitivity
These shoes present a bit of a paradox when considering sensitivity. Their high heels are among the least sensitive, but at the same time, the softer and thinner foam in the forefoot allows a lot of trail feel through the shoe. This feeling becomes more pronounced as the lugs begin to wear down. They feel pretty much exactly the same underfoot as the Speedcross when it comes to sensitivity vs. underfoot protection.
This shoe presents a bit of a paradox when discussing sensitivity, as its super thick heel pads well and allows little sensation to come through, while the forefoot is made of much thinner soft foam and conversely is rather sensitive.
Value
These shoes retail for twenty dollars less than the Speedcross per pair, and are also only slightly more expensive than the most affordable options featured in this review. If optimal traction for the lowest price is your goal, this is the shoe for you. That said, by spending just a few more dollars, you can get a far higher-performing shoe in either a narrow or wide platform; for the absolute best value, that is what we would recommend doing.
Hitting the trails in the northern Front Range of Colorado when the aspen leaves are at their peak is a real treat, here running in the Supercross.
Conclusion
The Salomon Supercross is a lower-cost alternative to the Salomon Speedcross with all of the same advantages, namely the incredible traction. However, they don't fit quite as precisely, and therefore don't crush difficult mountain running with quite the same gusto. They fit much wider than most Salomons, and so could appeal to a wider audience, and are a good choice on the budget end of the trail running shoe spectrum.
Exploring the alpine tundra of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado wearing the Salomon Supercross, a shoe designed for soft ground and steep ascents, exactly what we found on this run.
—
Andy Wellman
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