Despite the trend in recent years for more minimal shoes, the Salomon XT series of trail shoes have stood the test of time and for good reason. They are not minimalist shoes, but they are not designed to be. They offer good levels of protection, stability, and cushioning which on many occasions is what you need...
We've got some exclusive stock of the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground - for further details of the S-Lab XT 6 Softground and for information on how to get one take a look at our S-Lab Hydro 12 Set product page.
First impressions of the shoes is one of security. Slip them on, pull the quicklace system tight and your feet feel like they are there to stay...in a good way! The welded sensifit upper hugs the midfoot holding it close to the sole unit and the new seamless endoFIT is soft and comfortable with no hot spots or irritating seams. On the move there is no sideways movement in the shoe, but they don’t feel restrictive either.
On the move the protection and support is astounding. At 330g the shoes aren’t light but they are certainly not heavy and the protection they provide certainly outweighs any weight concerns. Cushioning wise, you can happily knock out many miles on the roads without problems if you need to and as such are a perfect choice for mixed terrain training and racing.
In contrast to many trail shoes, the S-Lab XT 6 includes a pronation control post which will be appreciated by over-pronators in need of support from the outset and by those undertaking longer events when even the most efficient runners fatigue and will be grateful for the extra support! I’m a neutral runner and I found the supporting effect of the stability post remained subtle until really needed and then it did exactly as expected...it helped me maintain a more efficient running style.
The S-Lab XT 6 Softground, as its name suggests is designed for wet, muddy conditions and the outsole grip certainly attacked and conquered these conditions with ease. The lugs are big and well spread, not as deep as say the Salomon Fellcross, but plenty adequate for all but the deepest mud. A bonus of the multi-directional lug outsole (Salomon Contragrip) is its ability to self-cleaning – no it doesn’t wash itself after a run! But it does ensure that mud doesn’t clog the sole and eliminate your grip.
As stated at the start, the XT 6 isn’t a minimalist shoe, it has a very stable ride, reinforced by the Agile Chassis System. The sole is relatively stiff, although this dampened over time and there was adequate flexibility through the foot strike thanks to the flex grooves in the outsole and the inclusion of the AC Muscle 2 in the midsole which you can feel pushing you through to toe-off.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the Salomon XT 6 Softground. . I am a runner who likes to be able to feel the ground as I run, but I wasn’t disappointed with the feedback I got from the XT 6 Softground, as a training or long event shoe, the XT 6 Softground would be a joy to run in. I loved the cushioning on hard packed terrain and road and the grip is superb, if you want a solid, stable and protective trail shoe capable of taking the rough with the smooth then the Salomon XT 6 Softground is for you.
We've got some exclusive stock of the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground - for further details of the Advanced Skin S-Lab Hydro 12 Set and for information on how to get one take a look at our S-Lab Hydro 12 Set product page.
We’ve been working closely with Salomon and we’ve been really lucky to get a host of new Salomon products to play with – the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground is due soon and you can pre-order the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground NOW. Plus keep an eye on our news section (https://m2dev.castlebergoutdoors.co.uk/blog) or facebook page for up to date details.
Despite the trend in recent years for more minimal shoes, the Salomon XT series of trail shoes have stood the test of time and for good reason. They are not minimalist shoes, but they are not designed to be. They offer good levels of protection, stability, and cushioning which on many occasions is what you need...
We've got some exclusive stock of the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground - for further details of the S-Lab XT 6 Softground and for information on how to get one take a look at our S-Lab Hydro 12 Set product page.
First impressions of the shoes is one of security. Slip them on, pull the quicklace system tight and your feet feel like they are there to stay...in a good way! The welded sensifit upper hugs the midfoot holding it close to the sole unit and the new seamless endoFIT is soft and comfortable with no hot spots or irritating seams. On the move there is no sideways movement in the shoe, but they don’t feel restrictive either.
On the move the protection and support is astounding. At 330g the shoes aren’t light but they are certainly not heavy and the protection they provide certainly outweighs any weight concerns. Cushioning wise, you can happily knock out many miles on the roads without problems if you need to and as such are a perfect choice for mixed terrain training and racing.
In contrast to many trail shoes, the S-Lab XT 6 includes a pronation control post which will be appreciated by over-pronators in need of support from the outset and by those undertaking longer events when even the most efficient runners fatigue and will be grateful for the extra support! I’m a neutral runner and I found the supporting effect of the stability post remained subtle until really needed and then it did exactly as expected...it helped me maintain a more efficient running style.
The S-Lab XT 6 Softground, as its name suggests is designed for wet, muddy conditions and the outsole grip certainly attacked and conquered these conditions with ease. The lugs are big and well spread, not as deep as say the Salomon Fellcross, but plenty adequate for all but the deepest mud. A bonus of the multi-directional lug outsole (Salomon Contragrip) is its ability to self-cleaning – no it doesn’t wash itself after a run! But it does ensure that mud doesn’t clog the sole and eliminate your grip.
As stated at the start, the XT 6 isn’t a minimalist shoe, it has a very stable ride, reinforced by the Agile Chassis System. The sole is relatively stiff, although this dampened over time and there was adequate flexibility through the foot strike thanks to the flex grooves in the outsole and the inclusion of the AC Muscle 2 in the midsole which you can feel pushing you through to toe-off.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the Salomon XT 6 Softground. . I am a runner who likes to be able to feel the ground as I run, but I wasn’t disappointed with the feedback I got from the XT 6 Softground, as a training or long event shoe, the XT 6 Softground would be a joy to run in. I loved the cushioning on hard packed terrain and road and the grip is superb, if you want a solid, stable and protective trail shoe capable of taking the rough with the smooth then the Salomon XT 6 Softground is for you.
We've got some exclusive stock of the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground - for further details of the Advanced Skin S-Lab Hydro 12 Set and for information on how to get one take a look at our S-Lab Hydro 12 Set product page.
We’ve been working closely with Salomon and we’ve been really lucky to get a host of new Salomon products to play with – the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground is due soon and you can pre-order the Salomon S-Lab XT 6 Softground NOW. Plus keep an eye on our news section (https://m2dev.castlebergoutdoors.co.uk/blog) or facebook page for up to date details.
