Salomon Sense Pro 2

These are a lightweight, low profile trail shoe. I have been using them for backpacking (as a guide, and recreationally) on well-maintained, rocky, gravelly, and moderately muddy tracks in Tasmania and Nepal. They lack the cushion needed for heavier packweights (15+kgs) over long or hard trails, but are comfortable at lighter weights or shorter days.

The Salomon Sense Pro 2's are a light and low-profile trail runner that makes a good backpacking shoe for lightweight packs and/or shorter distances. They were my only footwear for 24 days of trekking in the Himalayas and jungles of Nepal. Their traction is moderate and they offer good ground-feel due to having light cushioning. I received these shoes in March or April this year, from a friend who bought them only to discover they were too small for him, and wore them over the winter season. They have done about 500km.

Fit

These shoes are quite narrow throughout and offer minimal support. The heel counter is plush and hugs the ankle well. Although, it took a little breaking in to let my heel fully sink into it. They are quite comfortable overall. I found that when the uppers started to wear out, my arch spilled over the sole a bit. It was hard to tighten the laces enough to add extra support through the mid-foot without the narrow Quicklaces cutting into my upper foot. Because I have a wide forefoot, and because the the rest of the shoe fit quite well, I removed the bottom two lace eyelets to add more forefoot room. It worked quite well. I have never gotten a blister with these shoes.

Build

The Quicklaces are easy to use and robust. They make tying your shoes a breeze. Still, they don't allow for any custom lacing. The mesh breathes well and is not waterproof (which was a selling point for me). The mesh is a little fragile and has started to wear away in high-use areas (see photos). The treads were grippy in the early stages but a few months in and I noticed they started slipping on gravel surfaces when going up hill. The treads were great on slick, hard, surfaces (e.g. wet rock).

Background

The shoes have taken me on over 500km of trail in the last 7-8 months. Terrain varied from hard gravel and stone trails to mud and wet stone. This was my first foray into trail runners for backpacking use.