Salomon Men's Speedcross 5 GORE-TEX Trail Running Shoes

Ok, so I bought these, so no free chicken here. I have size 11, wide / flat feet with a tendency to roll ankles & experience the dreaded guitar-string arch-fall. This has occurred my whole life, mind you. I’ve struggled to find good shoes / hiking boots.A few years back I grabbed a set of these on a whim (ok, desperation) after my Asolo GTX hiking boots rubbed my heels raw for the umpteenth time (also, did I mention I have Achilles bone spurs? They’re on my heel bone & curve to poke my Achilles tendon—convenient, amirite?)… I had to flex to my military combat boots to finish my elk hunt (Lowa Zephyrs). I resolve to find better / lighter footwear after the hunt.So I snag these things and yep.. they feel tight & narrow, just like the reviews. I stick with em. No blisters. No Achilles tendinitis / discomfort from the spurs. Just a bit of “dang these are tight” for the first few weeks.After a few weeks, I take these suckers up the Moanalua hike in Oahu. Yes, this is the legal way to the radar site of the “Stairway to Heaven” fame. A serious day hike for committed hikers.Zero probs. You’re Spider-Man in these things. Afterwards, I was smoked, but no foot problems. A week later, we do it again. No probs. Again. I watched my buddies in “normal shoes” eat it on slick mud / roots, etc. No probs for these, the BFG MTRs for your feet.So if you’re like me, big hobbit feet & in your 40s with sufficient gumption and income to absorb the cost of a failed footwear purchase or a willingness to take on the Amazon AI returns bot, you have nothing to lose by trying them.This is my third pair. I put em on.. said “dang these are tight” and stepped it out for 6 miles. They’ll loosen up! Still zero blisters. Zero spur probs. Zero tendonitis.I’m convinced these are the BEST SHOES MADE (that I’ve found). The tread will wear quicker than your average gym shoe… but the treads are super aggressive trail lugs… if you’re a townie speed walking concrete, you’ll rub the nubs off quick! Keep these to the trail & they’ll last you a good amount of time.And let’s be honest—the looks and the laces.. are fire!Initial reviews are cool and the gang, but 6 years of Bigfoot slinging lugs in mountainous terrain might be useful for the buyer on the fence.Be patient & step it out.

Perfect fit, great trail runners. Lugs give great traction and stability on typical trails in the US with mud, rocks and roots. While the sole is stiff it is still a little pliant that you do occasionally feel jagged/pointy rocks underfoot.The slightly pliant part however helps with the flex needed for running vs a pure hiking shoe. The front is well protected with toe guards. I went with the non gore tex version this time as it didn't seem to matter much with my previous goretex version as far as staying dry was concerned. These are low ankle shoes so if you splash in a puddle or run in the rain the goretex will not prevent water from seeping in anyway. These seem to breathe slightly better vs the Gtx version. Fairly lightweight although there are lighter trail shoes out there. Heel toe drop is higher at 10 mm, works for me but may be an issue for some folks. Love the quick lace system that tucks into the pocket in the tongue of the shoe.For some reason shipment took time over 20 days since this was shipped all the way from Japan. Not sure the wide format is widely available (pun intended) but would definitely recommend upsizing at least by 1 size on the regular as with any running shoe, as these tend to be very narrow. I saw a few reviews saying the lugs wore out too fast ... quite perplexed ....maybe they were wearing on road/concrete duh!. All I can say is I have over 350 miles of trail running on my previous Salomon Speed Cross Gtx 5 and the lugs still look like they are new with little/no signs of wear . If you are a regular trail runner, these are great shoes to work out in. Enjoy !!

Without a doubt or the least exaggeration, these are the best shoes I've ever owned.Update:It's been months now and these are still the best shoes I have ever owned.Downside:The Insoles for mine were faulty. The left insole is fine. The right insole must have come "wrinkled" because it is absolutely painful to walk on. It is also very obviously wrinkled. This isn't a problem when they are dry. You'd just notice some texturing. When wet, however, it is another matter.Salomon. Please sell the insoles! It is a real issue.Update II:I decided to do a serious test to see just what is up with these insoles.Here's the test:1. I walk 0.3 miles.2. The elevation change is a mild 128 feet. 39.0144 meters.3. I repeat this walk up and then down 5 times.4. The walk is a total of roughly 600 steps.5. The heat is 91 F in the shade ( 32 C) and 110 F (43.3 C) sustained exposure to the sunlight.6. It's anywhere between 55% humidity to 63% humidity without any further deviation for weeks now.Results:After 1.2 miles (1.931) kilometers the "wrinkle" gets wet from sweat and/or rain and the insole deforms at the arch of the foot nearest the ball and big toe.- this is consistent after 3 days of testing.The insole without the wrinkle produces no issues.Walking with the insoles is possible so long as the climate remains dry and the humidity very low. In other words, the issue wouldn't likely exist in a climate like Arizona, but would be a real problem in a tropical or temperate region where the humidity is consistently higher. I am, unfortunately, in such a climate.Walking without the insoles is also possible, but so far as I have found REPLACING THEM is not possible. If there is a way to do this Salomon has gone out of their way to mask it with a fanciful website full of pretty images that never gets to the point... "want insole, buy where?". Thank you.In all else, the shoes are very good. The arch support is simply the best. I've tried most of the less expensive brands up to Keens. Keens make good sandals, but I wouldn't even call their other shoes footware compared to these.Another thing with the insole... you can walk without it, but don't try replacing it other insoles. It doesn't work. These shoes are designed to support your feet, not have your feet supported. It's a very big difference in functionality. If you want to experience a lot of unnecessary pain and anguish though, do try other insoles. I speak from experience. I've about about 14 different kinds trying to replace these so far. The pain is exquisite, but none of them work like the ortholite. It's really irritating... perfect shoe... minor issue... but no solution. :/If it's any consolation I love the shoes so much I bought a second pair as I'm sure I'll burn through these eventually and it takes quite awhile to actually get a pair once you order.