In this Salomon Wildcross review, I’ll talk about who it’s for, how it’s made, what it’s like to run in and you’ll get an idea of if the Wildcross is the shoe for you.
Who it’s for
The Salomon Wildcross reviewed here is a trail shoe with a bias towards soft and wet conditions. It has fairly dep lugs to grip the trail.
For years, the Salomon Speedcross has been a staple choice for many trail runners when the trails get muddy and mucky. However, some people found the heel to be too high and the boot-like support felt like too much shoe. People with wider feet or those that like a roomy toe-box also found the Speedcross a bit restrictive.
In steps the Wildcross, which has the same 5mm lug depth, lower heel and less cushion, but with a wider, more natural shaped toe-box.
How’s it made?
The outsole has a variety of well-spaced, multi-directional lugs made with Salomon’s Contagrip.
The midsole is medium stack, from 21.5mm at the front to 29.5mm at the back.
There’s a mild shape to the instep which took a bit of getting used to – it’s a Salomon thing. If you have flat feet, best try before you buy.
The heel has only a token gesture at a heel counter, which is in keeping with the more natural design of the shoe. It’s quite flexible and low, so keeps the shape rather than holding your foot unnecessarily.
The toe-box has a natural shape, with a protective grip up the front for steep slopes.
There’s a waterproof shield around the base of front of the upper. The rest of the upper is quite breathable and water drains quite fast out of the sides.
The laces run through a flexible support that wraps around the midfoot. The laces are Salomon Quicklace and there’s a small lace “garage” in the tongue to store the excess.
Size and weight
I’m normally a size 11UK or 11.5UK in most running shoes. I’m a 12 in adidas. I went for the 11UK in the Salomon Wildcross after trying the 11.5UK. I preferred the snug feeling across the whole shoe, still leaving enough room for the toes on the downhills. If you have wide feet, definitely go up half a size.
My size 11UK weigh 342g. They are around 40-60g lighter than Speedcross (depending on size).
The Salomon Wildcross heel drop is 8mm.
On the trails
The Salomon Wildcross reviewed here is a fun shoe on the trails. The grip is sensational in most mud types. On wet grass, it’s like it’s on rails. On wet chalk, the fierce lugs really dig in for confidence.
Because the lugs are well spaced, any mud de-clogs quickly rather than turning into a giant boot of mud.
Oddly, the lugs still feel fine on roads, without feeling like they are pressing on the foot. There’s also enough grip on roads.
The forefoot shape is wide enough for my narrow feet to wiggle the toes and splay nicely, which is great. If you have wide feet, you might find it acceptable rather than wide.
Although the toe-box is a wider natural shape, it still has a snug feel due to a shallow depth. On the first few shorter runs, I did wonder whether this might be obtrusive eventually, but the shoes remained comfy on long runs up to 2.5hrs. I’m going to be using them on a 50k hilly ultra later this month, so I’ll report back.
If you have a really high arch, you may find this shallowness odd, so give them a go in your local running shop!
I was planted and in control at all times. I never had any moments where I worried about my ankles and most of the time just forgot what I was wearing and got on with the job of enjoying tearing round corners that would not have been possible in less grippy shoes.
If you are looking for a fun trail shoe with loads of grip in proper mud, but isn’t as boot-like as a Speedcross, you should definitely consider the Salomon Wildcross.