Salomon Speedcross 3 CS

     Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a sucker for flashy shoes.  Well, if I were grading simply on that criteria alone, these shoes would get an 11 out of 10.  Fortunately, their functionality goes just as far.
     I was in need of a good winter/spring shoe and was lucky enough to come across these hot little numbers.  I had used Yak Trax Pros for a year or so when the trail called for a little more traction than my daily trainers could provide.  My main complaint about the Yak Trax is that they attracted mud and snow to the bottom of the shoe over the course of a run.  I would suddenly find myself three inches taller and still slipping a little.
     The Salomon Speedcross 3 CS was the answer to my dilemma.  These shoes are definitely the workhorse of the Salomon lineup.  They sport a ridiculously aggressive tread.  They are like monster trucks on your feet.  I found myself powering up and down mud and snow packed hills with ease.        
     From what I gather, the Salomon Speedcross 3 CS have a 9mm heel to toe drop (quite a bit more than I am used to).  They have a surprisingly good amount of cushion and have a great toe guard for those nasty rocks and roots that have a tendency to sneak up on you.
     The CS in the shoe name stands for Climashield.  It is a water resistant, breathable membrane that is built into the shoe upper.  It has kept my feet dry and warm.  On numerous runs, I have gone out of my way to fully submerge the shoe in puddles and still stayed relatively dry.
     Salomon shoes incorporate a unique quick lace system.  You do not tie the laces together but rather cinch them down with a simple pull of the lace tab.  The tab is then stored in the pocket built into the tongue.  It took me a while to get used to the system, but I must admit I am a fan now.  The shoe seems to hug and wrap around my foot.

     

     I only have two small dislikes of the shoe.  First, the toe box is a little narrow for my feet although I have noticed it has loosened the more miles I put on them.  Secondly, I feel a little "top heavy" in the shoe.  By "top heavy" I mean the base of the shoe feels a little narrow.  I have caught myself a few times slightly rolling my ankles on the downhill and feeling slightly disconnected with the trail.  It has helped me with over striding and keeping my feet under my body though.

     Overall, I am a huge fan of the Salomon Speedcross 3 CS.  Although I would not want to wear these shoes on hard packed trails for a 20+ mile run, they serve their purpose as a sort of speciality shoe that is an aggressive, trail eating monster.