Details
Brand
Salomon
Heel To Toe Drop
6mm
Breathability
9/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Trail
Type
Minimalist
Key Features
• Lightweight and breathable• Rugged and durable• Offer great traction on almost any terrain• Great style• Quicklace lacing system• EnergyCell+ cushioning
Upper
The upper is made out of a seamless open mesh material that is thin and extremely well ventilated. The Salomon Sense Pro 3 is extremely comfortable and fits exceptionally well. The shoes are made to be snug to hold your feet in place without being too tight and uncomfortable. These shoes feature a Quicklace system which makes it extremely easy and fast to put your shoes on and take them off. The tongue of the shoe houses the pouch for you to tuck in your excess laces into so they are not in your way.
Midsole
The midsole of the Salomon Sense Pro 3 is made out of a full-length EnergyCell+ EVA foam. Keep in mind that these are minimalist shoes and as such, they do have thinner cushioning than you might expect from a trail shoe. The thin padding, however, is firm and offers you a reasonable amount of cushioning. Customers have suggested that the cushioning is not enough when running longer distances but there is sufficient cushioning when participating in short or medium length runs. In addition to the EVA foam midsole, these shoes offer the use of Salomon’s ProFeel film to protect your feet against the sharp objects you might expect to run into on the trail. You will get the right amount of cushion and protection from these great trail shoes.
Outsole
The Sense Pro 3 has an outsole that is comprised of Salomon’s Premium Wet Traction Contragrip to give these shoes excellent traction on a plethora of surfaces. The outsole is strong and durable so they can keep up with you no matter what terrain you are running on day after day. The bottoms of the shoe feature deep, wide spaced lugs that will dig into softer surfaces so you do not have to worry about your shoes sliding out from under you. The outsole of these shoes will keep you safe from falls no matter where you are.
Breathability
The Salomon Sense Pro 3 has exceptional breathability. The upper, made out of an open mesh material, is very well ventilated. It is important to have a shoe that is going to allow for maximum airflow, as you do not want to feel like your feet are suffocating while out on a run. These shoes are going to help you keep your feet cool and dry. In addition to the ventilation from the upper helping you keep your feet dry, the shoes also feature an OrtholoLite Sockliner that is made out of an anti-bacterial material that will help reduce foot odor, but more importantly it will help reduce the moisture in your shoe and give you a little extra cushioning.
Comfort
These shoes have some mixed reviews about the comfort level. There is not a lot of foam and padding in these shoes, as they are a minimalist shoe, but customers have reported that there is the perfect amount of cushioning when you are out on shorter runs. Longer runs, however, are not pleasant when running in these shoes, as the cushioning wears down over time and the repeated hitting of your feet on the ground becomes too much. The comfort of the rest of the shoe, however, is not bad at all. The seamless knit of the upper makes it so your feet are snug and fit nicely in the shoe to keep them comfortable. Unless you are planning on running long distances over long periods of time, these shoes do offer an adequate amount of comfort.
Style
The Salomon Sense Pro 3 is stylish and functional. You may not want to wear these shoes as a casual shoe, as they were made specifically for trail running, but you can amaze others with the stylish look of these while running. The shoes come in a couple different colors so you can pick a style that fits your personality the best. Women can choose from either bluebird, deep blue and black, or black, graphite and potent purple. Men also get two color options, getting to choose between fjord blue, cherry tomato and urban chic, or black, urban chic and monument. No matter what color shoes you go with, you know that you will look good running in them.
Durability
Everything about these shoes is made to stand the test of time. The outsole is probably the part of the shoe that will take the biggest beating, especially when running on so many different terrains, so it was made to be the most durable part of the shoe. The outsole was upgraded from the previous iterations to give you more durability. The midsole, with the EnergyCell+ material and the ProFeel film give you additional durability while keeping the shoe relatively comfortable and responsive. Finally, the upper, made out of durable mesh material with overlays for added strength, and the kevlar Quicklace system, make sure these shoes are going to handle any beating you throw at them.
Protection
These shoes offer excellent protection, and they have to if you are going the be wearing them on various terrains and running on trails. The ProFeel film is a thin TPU film that is placed in the midsole for added protection, keeping your feet safe from anything sharp and jagged you may encounter while running. The construction of the outsole also gives you added protection, the lugs on the bottom and the superior grip will put your mind at ease when running from one surface to another.
Responsiveness
These shoes are not the most responsive shoes on the market, but they do offer an adequate amount of cushion and bounce for light to moderate use. As the Salomon Sense Pro 3’s are minimalist shoes, there is not a lot of padding under your feet. Unfortunately, the lack of a lot of cushioning means there is not going to be a high energy return and therefore not very impressive responsiveness. If you are looking for something that is going to propel you forward with each step then these are not going to the right shoes for you. Customers have said, however, that these shoes are just fine when they are on shorter to moderate runs, but if you are in it for the long haul then you might want to look elsewhere.
Support
It is important when purchasing shoes to find a pair that is going to give you the proper support you need for the task at hand. If you are going to be wearing these shoes as intended running on trails and such, you are going to want something that will give you the support you are going to need to help prevent injury and keep you comfortable. These shoes do offer you some support when running. The snug fitting upper, secure toe box, and flexible heel counter work together to keep your feet in place while in the shoe and give you sufficient support while wearing them. The Quicklace system also gives you some added support. Simply give the laces a tug to tighten them up and your feet will be secured in the shoe without any added pressure or discomfort.
Terrain
There is almost no terrain these shoes would not be good on. The amazing design of the outsole allows you to run almost anywhere on any type of surface. The wide spaced, deep and pronounced lugs that are located on the bottom of the shoes dig into surfaces rather well, especially softer surfaces like dirt and grass. The shoes, however, will not hold up as well on harder surfaces, as the lugs cannot sink into those surfaces. These shoes are great if you are running on a trail that is muddy or snowy because of the pattern of the lugs and the spacing between them. It is important to note, while you can wear these shoes on wet surfaces you should do so with caution. One customer commented that the shoes do not do too well on flat wet surfaces, as the rubber on the bottom of the shoes are not making very much contact with the ground and cannot keep a good enough grip causing slip hazards.
Price
The price of these shoes is a little on the steep end when it comes to other trail running shoes. The MSRP of these shoes comes in around $120. There are mixed reviews and comments from customers as to whether or not these shoes are worth the higher price tag. Some customers just love them and think they definitely got their money’s worth out of them, other customers say that they were absolutely overpriced for what they were. It seems that if you are purchasing the Salomon Sense Pro 3 shoes to wear for short to moderate runs on dirt trails then these shoes are probably worth the money, however, if you are planning on running long distances on cement paths or on overly wet surfaces, then you should probably find something a little better for the price point.
Drop
The drop of a shoe is simply the incline of the shoe or the difference in the height of your heel and the height of your forefront. The higher the drop the higher the incline. These shoes have a relatively low drop to them, with it measuring in at only 6 mm. Average running shoes have a drop between 8 mm and 12 mm so these shoes fall just below average.
Stability
It is important to note that the Salomon Sense Pro 3 is not a stability shoe, and it is meant for people with a neutral gait who do not overpronate or supinate (roll their feet inward or outward) when running. If you are a runner who requires a neutral shoe then these will offer you plenty of stability when you are hitting the trails.
Flexibility
There are unfortunately no customer reviews online about the flexibilty of these shoes, but as they are a trail running shoe they do have to have some sort of flexibility to them. Trail running shoes require some flex since you will be running along trails that are potentially curvy and you will need something that will allow you to maneuver the way you need to.
Traction
These shoes have amazing traction and can hold quite the grip. Of course, the traction is going to depend on what type of surface you are on, but overall these are pretty great. One place you will have to use caution is on wet, flat surfaces. As previously mentioned, when on a flat, wet surface the rubber on the bottom of the shoes do not make a lot of contact with the ground and therefore can cause you to slip. Other than that, these hold up fairly well.
Bottom Line
If you are a trail runner who loves relatively short runs in a variety of conditions on a plethora of surfaces then you might want to consider investing in the Salomon Sense Pro 3 trail shoes. These have an amazing grip on so many surfaces due to the wide spaced lugs on the bottom of the shoe that will sink into the ground and keep you from slipping. The shoes do not offer the best comfort or responsiveness, but if you are wearing them for small amounts of time, customers suggest that these are adequate. These shoes definitely have both positive and negative qualities to consider, but for a lot of people, these are the perfect trail running shoes for them.
