Review on Top-notch Performance: Salomon Men's Speedcross 4 Trail Running Shoes by Patrick Stephani

I usually run longer triathlons, including the Iron Man distance, so I run in regular running shoes. This year, after my last triathlon, I made a last-minute decision to run the 14-mile Spartan Steeplechase. Having never raced or even seen one, I didn't really think about what I would wear to race until race week. I read more details about the race and it kept mentioning the mud and water and what gear is best for racing. So I started looking for shoes, socks and shorts and found these Salomon Speedcross 4 shoes, highly recommend them. I ordered them and received them 3 days before the race. I've been running for many years and I know very well that I should NEVER change gears a few days before a race let alone on race day, but I was pretty sure that running 14 miles on a track with lots of mud and water wouldn't be very funny. regular running shoes, so I decided to try them and see what happens. So on race morning I lubricated my feet with Tri-Glide, put on my Hoplite compression socks (which I also highly recommend) and got ready to race. When walking in these shoes they were very comfortable and stable but once I started racing I really understood why these shoes were rated so highly. When the trail was flat the fit and feel was very similar to my regular running shoes. When I got to the dirt they were amazing! Entering and exiting any mud pit, mud mound, body of water, pond, creek or whatever, the grip was overwhelming. I never slipped or slipped (almost everyone around me slipped badly without OCR shoes) and the more confident I got in the shoes the faster I got and I still had no problems. I've never slipped on dry ground either uphill or downhill. I passed people left and right on steep descents because I could grab them and they couldn't. Throughout the race, with at least 7 water crossings, my feet felt comfortable and traction was very reliable. At the end of 14 miles and 35 hurdles, my feet were probably the only thing that didn't hurt, and I don't put my faith in my Salomon boots.