This is the Tesla of trail shoes. It’s stylish, efficient, loaded with features and expensive – let me break it down for you.
The Salomon S-Lab Wings is designed for all of your trail needs. It has an internal sleeve that gives it a nice, sock-like fit. With that being said, it was still a little snug for me. I debated with myself for a bit. I wanted it to be wide enough in the toebox. In the end, I decided it wasn’t quite there. There was friction, and over the course of a long race, my little toe would pay the price. It also has a snug heel, although that is a feature I enjoy.
I think the shoe provides a nice level of cushion. I’m not small for an ultrarunner (about 69kg) but I think this shoe could go all the way up to a 100-mile race. This differs from other reviews that I’ve read, but I think it all depends on your size, how hard you strike the ground, the terrain of the course, etc.
The upper of the shoe is soft and breathable. I really like the material and I hope that Salomon continues to make other shoes with a similar upper. The shoes have the classic Salomon quicklace system. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – you can’t go wrong with these laces. Just make sure you use the lace pocket so Matt Flaherty doesn’t lose his mind.
The sole is fantastic. It uses contragrip (also found in other Salomon shoes), which basically means there are varying densities in the sole. This provides nice traction on most surfaces. This will be great on hard trail, soft trail and some roads. These shoes will not get the job done on a very muddy course.
The size 10 came in at 10.2 ounces. The heel is approximately 28mm and the forefoot is approximately 19mm – a 9mm drop. For me, this is a perfect drop, and it’s one more reason that I think these can get the job done at any distance. With regard to length, the shoe has an average fit. I normally wear a size 10 and I was a size 10 in this shoe.
If you’ve tried the Salomon X-Series (my favorite shoe), the S-Lab Wings is similar in a lot of ways. It’s basically a tricked out trail version of that shoe. With that being said, I think the S-Lab Wings is a tiny bit narrower. I’m curious whether other wearers noticed the same thing.
The price is a bruiser – these sell for around $180. Yikes. With that being said, Salomon shoes always go on sale as they bring new models out. Keep on the lookout. I expect these to drop down to the $100-$120 range.
Pros:
– The internal sleeve makes these super comfortable
– The sole is fantastic
– These can get you through 100km, and if you’re light on your feet, they can take you through 100 miles
– Quicklace system with lace pocket
Cons:
– A little narrow in the toebox
– Not great in mud
– Price – yowza!