the speedcross 3 shoe is part of salomons mountain trail running series shoes. i wore these for the first time at the spartan spring Amesbury after hearing nothing but good words about them.
First off for the sizing when i went to a local retailer to buy them i was told that the speedcross normally dont come in half sizes so i was a little worried about having to upsize by a half size but i normally wear a 12.5 wide so i tried on the 13 and they fit perfectly. next thing i was not 100% sure on was the lacing system because i prefer a nice tight snug lace, the quicklace system isnt all that bad most of the time they do a great job at keeping the laces tight and not loosen up at all but this was also where i feel one of the shoes biggest downfalls was. the quicklace locking system did not handle well for a mud run and once we hit the mud and grit of the course when i tried to remove the shoe to get out a few rocks the lock was seized up and a real pain to loosen up. one little trick with the laces is there is a little pouch in the top of the toung to store the laces once they are tightened . also i did notice quiet a bit of rocks getting into the shoe from the heal area. the tread on this shoe is a agressive treat and does amazing in the dirt, mud and hills i never once felt like i dident have a great grip on the mudy hills but this tread does not feel good on the feet if you have to do more than a few feet of paved surface.
overall this is a solid shoe and if i can figure out a way to correct the quicklace system it becomes that much better of a shoe
Not sure if a gal has reviewed these on here yet but if not I will….
I love my Salomon Speedcross 3’s!! I have the regular kind. Salomon makes a CS model and GTX model. The GTX ones are gortex and are supposed to be waterproof. The CS stands for climashield which are slightly waterproof but not as waterproof as the gortex. I think my regular speedcross 3’s are a great durable and sturdy shoe. Great grip on steep muddy terrain. People say that they don’t drain as well as other trail sneaks out there however I feel that the water logged shoe feeling fades as you run after the water obstacle. I see the drainage issue as not a big deal since they are super durable and have lasted me at least 2 race seasons! I don’t have the exact mileage number on them but I have completed 3 beasts, a handful of supers, a handful of sprints, 2 tough mudders, and many smaller racers with them. I have also hosed them off and put them through the washer multiple times (always line dried). With that being said I am in the market for another pair of speed crosses. Not sure if I’ll go with the 3 or 4’s but I’m definitely sticking with the Salomon speed crosses!
I’ve used these for BoneFrog 2016 and the Spartan Sprint in Barre. They are incredibly durable, but the drainage is almost non-existent. For brief water obstacles (like the dunk), you’ll feel like you are carrying live squids on your feet for about 1/4 mile afterwards. For longer water obstacles (swimming stuff), it can be a noticeable waste of energy trying to run with them. Given their durability, they probably make for GREAT trainers, but I’d avoid them for water-heavy races.
I have put loads of trail miles on my speedcross 3’s over the winter and also my sense mantras, after you get used to how to work the lacing system, it is really quick, easy and reliable. I suspect the speed lock laces were developed for developed for cross country ski boots. Well I like the speedcross 3s in cold weather, they don’t vent as well as other shoes, but in cold weather that can be good.
I put the lock up in the pouch and it seems to work. I also bought the gaiter Salomon makes for it with some added duct tape to my socks for better protection. You have to get the best duct tape out there though. 3M has a strength and waterproof rating on their "tough" duct tape. Get the toughest rating with the most waterproof rating. It's the only one that will stick the longest. Once you have that settled, the shoe is awesome for OCR's. The tread is great and it drains really well. throw them in the washing machine (do not dry) and your good for another OCR.