Ninety-nine percent of every outdoor trail running adventurer has a day job. We spend 40+ hours a week waiting for the weekend. Sitting behind the oppressive desk of daily monotony, we secretly dream of topographic maps that reveal a universe of pink dotted footpaths and orange contour lines that can deliver our running to fresh pastures and new heights.
A universe that could one day, have us climbing hernia-inducing hills, leaping across mountain streams and scrambling across heather strewn valleys – in which case you’re going to need a rugged, comfortable, and dependable trail running shoe. A shoe like the XT Wings 3 from Salomon Running.
On Performance & Design…
Since Salomon first introduced the XT Wings trail runners, the shoes have been busy earning their stripes and winning over legions of diehard fans. During that time, they’ve built up a reputation as reliable trail shoes that offer a balanced combination of cushioning and agility. It’s a winning formula that Salomon wasn’t going to mess with, and it hasn’t in the latest evolution of the XT Wing.
The new XT Wings 3 features technology from the S-Lab racing version making this latest evolution of the XT Wings a luxury off-roader that dispatches challenging terrain with ease. Yet this latest version still hews to the design attributes that have always made running in the Salomon XT Wings a distinctive experience: the Quicklace™ lacing system for one-pull tightening; built-in Ortholite footbeds for stellar comfort; toe bumper that protects your toes from trail hazards; and the simplistic yet bold aesthetic that says these shoes are ready for business.
Those feelings of luxury are only enhanced once you slip into these trustworthy trail kicks. Like sliding into the soft, luxurious leathers seats of the world-renowned Land Rovers, the XT Wings 3 offers impressive comfort for the rough roads ahead. Seamless upper construction ensures a better fit and feel while the soft OrthoLite® sockliner lets your feet become one with the shoe. Made from Ortholite® foam, it creates a cooler drier and healthier environment under foot.
Of course the XT Wings 3 is most remarkable off-road. Whether we were tracing narrow singletrack along isolated ridgelines, or covering terrain that resembles a Mars landing expedition, we returned home feeling like we’d just finished a casual run over miles of pavement. That type of ride is courtesy of a cushy midsole featuring the Agile Chassis System and an EVA heel cup that work together to effectively absorb the larger impacts associated with time on the trail.
Moreover, it’s this same internal construction that makes this shoe just as comfortable and confident on asphalt as it is on the trail. Considering most of us don’t live on the doorstep of the Wasatch Mountains, or in a cabin at Yellowstone, this makes the few miles of pavement you have to traverse on your way to trail-varna just as welcoming as the winding miles over dirt and clay.
Over the course of six weeks, Salomon’s Contagrip® outsoles allowed us to skillfully glide over rock-strewn trails, muddy single tracks, and steep ascents. The aggressive lug pattern provided confidence underfoot while never feeling like another obstacle between our feet and the trail below. For every mile of terrain, our team was ever more thankful for the XT Wings 3 dynamic responsiveness and rugged durability.
Notes from the Trail…
This is one trail shoe that will win over your hearts and feet. The shoe proved to be so comfortable that we routinely wore it to the office and never had any hesitation to use it as our go-to option for fast dayhikes on the weekend. For more minimalist minded runners, it’s worth noting that the extra underfoot cushioning and more traditional heel-to-toe drop (10.5 mm) of the XT Wings 3 will be a little steep. That being said, if Salomon ever makes this shoe in a zero-drop or near zero-drop shoe, even minimalist runners maybe be converts for life.
Bottom Line …
The XT Wings 3 showcases the best of Salomon’s trail running shoe design expertise and its forward looking innovations. True, you don’t have to acknowledge the feat of engineering that gives these shoes such a colossal span of ability, but feel free to acknowledge the fun they’ll let you have as you fly over the most ambitious of trails.
*Gumption Gear Review received the item featured in this review from Salomon Running at no cost, and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.