Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

Dynamic, agile and primed for adventure, the women's Salomon Genesis trail-running shoes are designed to deliver hard-wearing durability and meticulous precision on steep, technical terrain.
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Imported.
View all Salomon Women's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
---|---|
Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Moderate Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 8 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 34 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 26 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Single-pull Lace |
Upper | Matryx |
Lining | Textile |
Midsole | energyFOAM |
Support | Active Chassis |
Outsole | Contagrip rubber |
Rock Plate | No |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 1.1 oz. |
Gender | Women's |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 22.5 Mondo | 23.5 Mondo | 24.5 Mondo | 25.5 Mondo | 26.5 Mondo | 27.5 Mondo | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Women's | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 3.5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8.5 | 9.5 | ||
U.S. Men's | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 11.5 | 12 | ||||||
UK | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 3 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 8 | 9 |
EU | 36 | 36.6 | 37.3 | 38 | 38.6 | 39.3 | 40 | 40.6 | 41.3 | 42 | 42.6 | 43.3 | 44 | 44.6 | 45.3 | 36 | 37 | 39 | 40.3 | 42 | 43.3 |
Mondo | 22 | 22.5 | 23 | 23.5 | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 | 28 | 28.5 | 29 | 22.5 | 23.5 | 24.5 | 25.5 | 26.5 | 27.5 |
Foot Length (in.) | 8.5 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 10 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.8 | 11 | 11.2 | 9 | 9.4 | 9.8 | 10.2 | 10.6 | 11 |
Measurements are stated in inches.
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The first thing I noticed when pulling these shoes out of the box was how light they were! They also seemed to have a lot of support. I was excited to see a quick lace system as well, though they didn’t seem to operate as smoothly as I would have liked. On my first run, I went straight up hill to the lake and the shoes performed great. Next day was very rainy and wet, so I was a but nervous, but the traction and stability were amazing! These shoes didn’t even need to be broken in. Super comfortable from day 1. Pros: lightweight, sturdy, good traction, comfortable Cons: quicklaces do not operate smoothly and are a but long even after being tucked under Overall, these are a great trail running shoe that I would highly recommend. Hopefully the manufacturer will work on refining the quicklace system to operate more smoothly.
Straight out of the box I LOVE LOVE LOVE these shoes!! They are light, comfortable and fit me perfectly. I’ve taken them on a few runs of varying lengths (3-8 miles so far) and have found them to be responsive, supportive, and “sticky” in a good way (good grip when needed)! I hit trails with dirt, mud, gravel, rock, you name it and these shoes performed beautifully. Now to be honest, if I could take away half a star I would. The one thing about this shoe I don’t love is the speed laces. They are so long!!!! The shoe has an ingenious little cubby for the extra lace to be tucked up into, but it’s not that easy to get all that lace shoved up in the cubby, and it certainly isn’t speedy. I would replace the speed lace with a regular lace but I don’t know that that is possible as the lace guides are really small. If you don’t shove the extra lace up in the cubby, you end up with a huge loop flopping around, or you can alternatively tuck the lace back down under the other laces on top of the shoe. For me, tucking the lace under the other laces still too much lace bouncing around so I went back to shoving it in the cubby.
First off I was hesitant on how secure these shoes would be as the Quicklace closure was not a feature I’ve had in any of my other shoes. I was surprised, there was no need for any adjustments and they stayed secure during my run. I have flat feet so these weren’t the most comfortable under my arch area. I will be adding insoles so hopefully this will help. The toe box on this shoe runs a little wide which I loved. No need to break them in. On my outing the ground was wet with the recent rain. Plenty of water got on the shoes and my foot stayed dry and no slipping when running downhill. Great traction! These shoes are lightweight and breathable, everything I look for in a shoe.
These are the most comfortable trail shoes I’ve ever ran in. They felt great right out of the box. It took me a little bit to get used to the lacing system but I actually like it better than regular laces now. These shoes are able to handle rough terrain and gravel with ease. They are light and easy to run in. I will be training in these this spring and summer.
These shoes are a great update to the Salomon trail running line. The pull to fit lacing allows exactly the right tightness and security for each activity. The outsole has really good traction in mud during tests on dirt trails, while the tongue has well placed fabric to keep out debris. The upper is extremely durable in my initial tests, not showing any damage from scuffs and scrapes on rocks and branches. The cushioning is noticeably plus for a trail shoe, but the sole still feels very stable on uneven ground.
I received this product for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. The shoes run true to size compared to everyday shoes; however, ran large compared to other running shoes. I tested a size 9 which provided ample room, I typically wear a 9.5 in other running shoes. The overall fit feels secure against the foot and hugs the heel without causing irritation to the ankles. The quick release lacing system makes them super easy to get in and out of and although the laces were a bit long, the mesh pocket at the top of the tongue stored the excess securely. The upper mesh held up well to mud and dirt and cleaned up easily with a damp cloth, it also prevented sand and dirt from penetrating the interior of the shoe. Although I have not tried these in the heat of the summer, I think they may be a bit warm for hot weather running. The foot bed provided enough cushion for extra comfort but the still provides stability on rough terrain. The outsole has a deep "v" pattern that works well on rocky and steep hills.
Why you would love them: - Quicklace technology guarantees to keep the laces from untying (which has been a bother with my other running shoes). - Snug but comfortable fit (and keeps its hold with the quicklace), especially if your feet are more narrow than wide. - Extra cushion is noticeable, hardly feel the terrain underneath the shoes. Almost bouncy like. - Extra tall support in the rear for the back of the foot/leg. - Lightweight, lightest pair of trail running shoes I own. I could feel the difference. - Breathable and lots of ventilation for your feets and toes. - Most of all, really great grip and stability, regardless of terrain type. Salomon soles have repeatedly been the best for trail running. No matter if it's dirt, mud, loose gravel, or rock, it is solid. As someone who's torn their ACL and has hypertensive joints, this is a must when running or hiking for a sense of security. - Easy to clean. They are a great pair of shoes for running, hiking, or even as approach shoes for climbing. I would only say that these aren't for you if you needed something more waterproof, but I have no complaints.
Overall I found these shoes to be of very good quality and tick a lot of the boxes required in a trail shoe. Unfortunately they don't fit my feet well (toe box is too narrow) so they'll end up being second string shoes for me. There is a lot to like about these shoes: * The traction is fantastic. Earth, roots, stones - bone dry to soaking wet - I experienced no problems with slippage. It is probably the first thing I look for in a trail shoe and these are great. * They come with quick laces - Yay! But the laces are long and flop on the ground - Boo! Oh, but there is a pocket at the top of the tongue to stash the laces out of the way - Yay! A suggestion for the manufacturer is to put a diagram of this feature on the box. I'm embarrassed to admit it but I wore the shoes for several days without knowing about the pouch. Whoops. * The shoes are well made - super solid construction and they felt stable. I had no rolling ankles. The things that did not work for me: * The toe box is too narrow for my feet. I thought the standard width would be ok, and it is for walking, but when I run, my toes feel cramped and I feel like I am missing some stability. * The cuff rubs along the inside of my ankles. I was hoping this would break-in over time though haven't seen that happen yet. * The outer edge of the heel feels a little built up which makes me feel off kilter when my feet are planted flat on the ground. I'm not sure if that is my stance or the way the sole is designed.
I was choosing between these shoes and the Glides to start training/racing ultra trail races. I ultimately chose this shoe because I live on the East Coast and most trails I run on are rocky. I also went a half size bigger than my road shoe size because I found my feet swelling more on long trail runs than long road runs, and I had a lot of toe jamming issues. These shoes are versatile, the toe box is stiff, and although I was worried about my foot slipping around inside the shoe, I feel like these shoes provide the perfect balance of stable yet let me feet do what they need to do. The shoes handle well on technical trail, gravel, uphill, and through a variety of rocks, including big, slippery rocks. The hideaway laces are a nice feature as well.
I took my new Salomon Genesis for spin the other day. Wow. What a ride. Love everything about them! You gotta trust your shoes on the techy stuff and I had zero trust issues in the Genesis. They allowed me to run with confidence as they really gripped the rocks and roots. Well done Salomon….again :)