I have tried all sorts of shoes for multisports racing and training, be it a specific trail shoe for the coast to coast or a general road shoe for laps round the park. Most of these race shoes last a couple of hard mountain runs while the more durable lack the feel for technical running and white road shoes say “I’m a triathlete” a little much for style points in the off-road scene. The Salomon XT Wings seem to fit the bill, they are durable, perform well in technical situations and look uber cool with some jeans for your après MTB at the local.

After extensive testing in the Port Hills, the streets of Sao Paolo and numerous jungle trails in Brazil my verdict is on the Wings; piece by piece:

Uppers

Quick drying mesh and sensibly integrated textile parts. Practically, there is nothing more annoying than the uppers of a new shoe shredding quickly because the mesh is as weak as tissue paper and lets out water while letting in gravel. The XT Wings upper design obviates this.

Protection

The rubber belt offers an ideal blend of flexibility and protection. Shoes with super tough protection plates sound great but typically render the shoe hopeless for technical trails, further more they restrict the foots natural movement. When you lack feel for the trail, efficiency of movement is compromised.

The rubber toe cap provides enough protection for all but the biggest hits without adding excessive weight.

Outsole

Salomon’s latest CONTAGRIP is much improved from their earlier offerings. I think this tread is the best mix of durability and grip I have used. While Teva’s spider rubber and Nike’s sticky rubber provides better traction, CONTAGRIP is more durable.

Sockliner

This feature is not a big issue for me but it is of good quality and EVA molded. Salomon’s Ortholite provides a cleaner, drier and healthier environment for the foot. Despite the Ortholite my shoes smell like my other runners however I do recall these being better than most but once the stench comes get out the Grans Remedy.!

The EVA heel cup provides added support and cushioning. As I have spurs on my heels I wear through the heel cup lining very quickly, but the Salomons held out better than most in coping with this.

Height/Support

Salomon suggests the height is low, however I feel the heel is moderate and the forefoot low. This allows good control but still provides calf/quad relief on the climbs and descents. On the flats the shoe is good with a smooth transition. Salomon uses triple density EVA in the shoe to offer excellent cushioning, stability and pronation control. I prefer a neutral shoe so was a little concerned with this purchase. Interestingly is feels more like a neutral shoe. Unlike road shoes the pronation support doesn’t run the entire length of the medial heel which could be the reason for the seeming neutrality.

Lacing/Tongue

Salomon has the best lacing system I have used…period! I have heard people comment that if you break a lace then it’s not possible to tie a knot. This is a valid point but I have never broken a lace and I doubt I ever will, at least not with this system. The tongue has a gusset to keep out debris. The lace pocket on the tongue is a great finish to a nice shoe, tres chic.

Weight

 At 380 grams it’s not one for the weight watchers, but it’s doesn’t feel like you’re stuck in the mud either. I’m sure something is very right with these shoes as it feels much lighter than it is, this could be due to my gait or the shoes design, either way I like it.

Overall this is one of the best shoes I have ever used. It is an excellent all-rounder, high mileage trail runner for all seasons and will excel in all but the most extreme situations.

Do buy this shoe if you want a durable one stop shoe for training and racing and/or are style conscious.

Don’t buy this shoe if you severely over pronate, are a weight weenie or are price sensitive.