Salomon XA PRO 3D V8 Men's Trail Running Shoes

Product Information

A heavy trail runner. It makes up for the weight in stability and durability, but you will feel these on your feet. Salomon offers legal language for its warranty claims. After parsing through it, we found that it offers a two year limited warranty on shoes, which includes manufacture defects and workmanship issues. Customer service is solid though, so get in touch if there’s an issue. Having measured the internal shoe length from heel to toe, we can confirm that this Salomon shoe runs true to size. We got 260.1 mm in a men's US 8 which corresponds to the US 8 size in the brand's official size chart (260 mm). The only concern is the diagonal lace that goes across the toebox. It rested right over our big toes and put some pressure on that area. That tongue is a monster!

This is one heavily padded tongue and we loved it for it! In the lab, we proved it - our caliper showed a remarkable 8.7 mm! Our advice is to know what brands of shoe fit you generally by trying them on in store, and then look for excellent models, which we review here. Look in our specifications table to see if the shoe generally fits wide, narrow, or standard-sized feet. There are a lot of differing elements among shoes, but this is the one that matters right off the bat. That said, many of the shoes feature a general “all-terrain” design, which works well across all kinds of surfaces. How We Evaluated the Best Salomon Running ShoesI wish I had known about the Salomon XA Pro 3D sooner, though I guess if I had I wouldn’t be writing this review. I love just about every darned thing about these shoes. They inspire confidence on the trail and make my feet happy mile after mile after mile. I won’t hesitate to buy the same pair of shoe for years to come. Where to Buy Salomon XA Pro 3D The glove-like fit of the stitch-free upper paired with the supportive SensiFit caging system works wonderfully. We felt no sliding inside the shoe and it provided plenty of lateral stability. Due to this shoe’s popularity, Salomon has a lot of models that diverge from the main one. The one to look for is the XA Pro 3D GTX, which is the same shoe but with a Gore-Tex liner, to keep your feet dry, and it’s offered in men’s and women’s. Lacing system across the forefoot causes a pesky pressure point at the front of the shoe (although not everyone has this issue).

While we like the XA Pro 3D for fast-and-light missions and the occasional trail jog, we hesitate to recommend it as a dedicated trail runner. Compared to my go-to option, the Topo Athletic MTN Racer (15.4 oz. per pair), the Salomon feels clunky and slow, and the 11-millimeter drop (compared to the MTN Racer’s 5mm) isn’t as neutral as I prefer. If you’re in the market for a do-it-all shoe and aren’t trying to break any speed records, the XA Pro 3D is serviceable. But if you spend a good amount of time trail running, we’d recommend a lighter and sprightlier model. Even similar crossover options including the Brooks Cascadia 16 and Altra Lone Peak 6 perform better in this regard. The forefoot is 99.2 mm in its widest part based on our caliper's measurement. This is 1.1 mm wider than the average. It features 2.9 mm lugs which really are just moderately aggressive compared to other Salomon trail shoes. Update: We reviewed the Salomon XA Pro 3D trail running shoes in 2018, and it remains largely the same. The colorway has been updated slightly, but all key components haven’t changed. Salomon XA Pro 3De Specifications With a listed weight of 1 pound 5.2 ounces per pair (1 lb. 6.6 oz. for a women’s 8.5 on our scale), the XA Pro 3D is lighter than most low-top hikers but heavier than its trail running competition. For comparison, Altra’s Lone Peak 6, which has similar crossover appeal, weighs just 1 pound 1.4 ounces, although you do give up a fair bit of protection with such a lightweight build. Other versatile designs including the La Sportiva Bushido II (1 lb. 1.6 oz.), Brooks Cascadia 16 (1 lb. 3 oz.), and Salomon X Raise (1 lb. 2.7 oz.) also undercut the XA Pro 3D. On the other hand, the Salomon is lighter than traditional hiking models including the more durable and protective Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Low (1 lb. 12 oz.) and Keen Targhee Vent Low (1 lb. 8.7 oz.). And it’s worth noting for those that used the prior generation, Salomon did shave around 0.7 ounces per shoe with the v8.The Contragrip outsole inspires confidence on a variety of terrains. The lugs hit a perfect balance between flatness and aggression which makes the shoe wearable around town as well. According to the brand, the lugs on the XA Pro 3D V8 are 3.5 mm deep. Salomon is known for a very narrow fit, and that is true with the XA Pro 3D. However, they do offer a wide version for those who want to try to make it fit!