Details
Brand
Salomon
Heel To Toe Drop
9mm
Breathability
8.6/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Trail
Type
Stability
Key Features
• Ortholite liner• Sensiflex mesh upper design• Contragrip outsole• EVA midsole• Optimized for trail and road running
Upper
The upper of the X-Wind Pro is composed of Salomon’s special mesh design, called Stretch Air Mesh. This mesh has two key properties. First, it provides a good fit, thanks to its ability to stretch accordingly with different feet. Second, it is very breathable due to its ventilation and the holes woven into it. The upper also features Salomon’s Sensiflex material for additional flexibility while running. Inside the shoe is an Ortholite liner, which adds a tiny bit of extra cushioning and comfort within the shoe. This liner also has moisture wicking properties to increase breathability. Overall, the upper of the X-Wind Pro is a very strong piece that has a lot of useful features for its purposes.
Midsole
The midsole of the X-Wind Pro features dual-layered EVA foam. EVA foam is a very popular choice for midsoles as it is inherently springy, resistant to impact, and lightweight. These three traits are all useful for a midsole. The midsole also features Salomon’s OS Tendon, a feature present in many of their other shoes as well. This piece is designed to flex in a similar way to foot tendons, which makes for a more smooth stride overall. Finally, the midsole also has a special compound dubbed LT Muscle. This compound adds to the cushioning of the EVA foam and is designed to help reduce the shock of impacts. Overall, the midsole of the X-Wind Pro is pretty good, offering good materials and technology to maximize responsiveness and reduce shock impact.
Outsole
The outsole of the X-Wind Pro is made of Salomon’s tried and true Contragrip material. This material is designed to provide solid traction on various surfaces, in addition to being extremely durable. Contragrip is a special blend of carbon rubber, which is well known for being very resistant to wear and tear. The outsole also features lugs for added traction. These lugs are particularly useful when ascending or descending on hills. The lugs are not especially overbearing either, as the shoe is designed for use on the road as well. Overall, the outsole of the X-Wind Pro definitely does its job of providing traction and durability well thanks to its lugs and Contragrip material.
Breathability
The upper of the X-Wind Pro is well equipped in terms of breathability and does a good job of facilitating air flow. The main factor in this is the mesh design. Mesh is inherently breathable thanks to the holes woven into it, and Salomon’s special design adds to this breathability. Another less significant factor is the Ortholite liner within the shoe, which has moisture wicking properties that help keep the inside dry as well. Overall, breathability is handled fairly well by the X-Wind Pro.
Comfort
Comfort is not a feature that should be overlooked when selecting new running shoes. Uncomfortable shoes are not fun to deal with, especially when considering how long they will be worn for. Luckily, the X-Wind Pro is a pretty comfortable shoe, thanks to its upper and its midsole. The mesh upper design plays a big part in the comfort, by providing security and stability, while also facilitating flexibility. This provides a very comfortable fit. The upper also contributes with its Ortholite liner, which adds some comfort to the shoe. The midsole plays a role in comfort with its cushioning in the form of EVA foam. This foam provides shock protection from impact while running, which makes for a more comfortable and smooth ride. Overall, the X-Wind Pro is a pretty comfortable shoe.
Style
Salomon is a bit less popular in terms of style than other shoes, mostly due to their trail orientation. Salomon shoes are reminiscent of popular running shoe stylings like Saucony, or Asics, but with a bit more ruggedness. For that reason, it would be a bit difficult to use the X-Wind Pro as an everyday shoe, especially compared to shoes like Nike and Adidas. That said, the X-Wind Pro is definitely not a bad looking shoe. It comes in a variety of colors and has a pretty clean and straightforward design. The X-Wind Pro is a good looking shoe in its own right.
Durability
Durability is an important facet of any shoe. No runner wants to replace shoes frequently. The X-Wind Pro is fairly durable, mainly due to the outsole and the midsole. The outsole contributes to durability through its Contragrip material. Apart from having good traction, Contragrip is extremely durable and is designed to withstand all sorts of impacts. This is because it is a special blend of rubber, designed by Salomon. The midsole contributes with its ample EVA foam. EVA foam is a durable material, that retains its shape well even after many uses. This makes the midsole more durable overall, and able to be used for a long time. As a whole, the durability of the X-Wind Pro is solid thanks to the midsole and outsole materials.
Protection
In terms of protection, the X-Wind Pro is pretty good, which is honestly to be expected of a trail shoe. The upper and midsole are big components of this. The upper adds protection through its secure design, which holds down the foot snugly while still remaining flexible. This offers good protection from twists or missteps, which can be a common occurrence on uneven terrain. The upper also does a solid job of keeping out dust and other debris which can be frustrating to deal with. The midsole adds protection primarily through cushioning. The EVA foam of the midsole adds some protection by cushioning from impacts while running. EVA foam tends to do a good job at protecting from impacts, and the ample amount in the X-Wind Pro definitely improves its protection.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness, or how well a shoe returns energy, is usually heavily dependent on the midsole of a shoe. In the case of the X-Wind Pro, the midsole is composed of EVA foam. EVA foam is a pretty responsive material in its own right and is known for being very springy. This allows it to return the energy of every stride fairly well. That said, EVA is pretty standard in most shoes, and a lack of other features to promote responsiveness in the X-Wind Pro is a bit disappointing. Overall, the responsiveness is not bad by any stretch, but it definitely is not amazing either.
Support
Similarly to protection, the X-Wind Pro is pretty good in terms of support, mainly thanks to the midsole and the upper. The midsole adds support to the foot through its cushioning which makes for a smoother and more supportive ride. The LT Muscle compound in the midsole also adds to this effect. The upper contributes to its security. The upper holds down the foot very well, which gives it good support from the top. By holding down the foot securely from the top, the foot is well stabilized and supported while running. Overall, support in the X-Wind Pro is pretty good.
Terrain
Terrain is an area that the X-Wind Pro does particularly well in, since it was designed to excel on most terrains. The outsole is well equipped for trails and less agreeable terrains with its lugs, but these lugs are not overbearing and do not impede city running either. Terrain will probably not be an issue at all for X-Wind Pro users, which is certainly a nice feature to have.
Price
The X-Wind Pro actually debuted slightly on the cheaper side, which is a bit unusual for trail shoes, which tend to be more expensive. Now that the X-Wind Pro has been out for several years, the price has generally fallen, and the X-Wind Pro can be found for a good value in many places. The X-Wind Pro is well worth the price with what it offers in terms of versatility and features.
Drop
The Salomon X-Wind Pro contains a drop of 9mm. 9mm is actually fairly standard for a trainer of this style, as they tend to fall around 9 or 10mm. The drop is neither a positive nor a negative feature of this shoe.
Stability
Stability refers to how well a shoe stabilizes the foot while running. The main factors that contribute to stability in the Salomon X-Wind Pro are the upper and the midsole. The upper contributes to the stability by securely holding the foot down, while still maintaining flexibility. This provides a much more stable stride, as the foot does not deviate from its intended path while running. The midsole contributes through its cushioning, which makes each step more stable by alleviating shocks.
Flexibility
The upper of the Salomon X-Wind Pro is mesh, which is an excellent choice for flexibility. This is because of the material and the way it is woven allows it to flex very well. Salomon’s Sensiflex design adds to this flexibility as well. Overall, the flexibility of the X-Wind Pro is quite solid.
Traction
Traction is a trait that details how well a shoe grips onto different surfaces. The X-Wind Pro has good traction overall thanks to the material of the outsole and the lugs on them. The Contragrip material plays a big part here, in helping grip onto trails and other less stable surfaces. The lugs are there to aid in traction while climbing, which is very useful as well. These features should offer plenty of traction regardless of the terrain. The outsole tends to play the biggest role in traction, and the outsole of the X-Wind Pro is well equipped.
Bottom Line
Overall, the X-Wind Pro is a very solid shoe. Despite being on the older side, they have a lot to offer in terms of versatility, being able to run on trails or road. For anyone who is seeking a well-rounded trainer at a decent price, and does not mind having a somewhat older shoe model, the X-Wind Pro is a good choice.
