Before I begin my review of the Thundercross, a quick caveat:
I’ve been running in Salomons since before some of you were born. I became sponsored by the brand in 2008 and have been part of the Salomon family ever since. So I’m putting it out there, loud and proud: I love the brand, I wouldn’t choose any other. There’re many reasons I believe Salomon is the best running brand, but I’m here to specifically review shoes, and to give my honest opinion of them. And it’s important to point out that my reviews are honest, I’m not compelled by Salomon to say positive things about their shoes, I say it as is.
So, with that clear, let’s hit my review:
First up, the specs:
- weight = 290g (M), 256g (W)
- toe-heel drop = 4mm
- lug depth = 5mm
- lacing = Quicklace®
- biomechanical fit = midsole foot strike
I had read the Thundercross described as a blend of the best qualities of the “lightweight all-rounder Sense Ride 5 and the aggressive mud-slinging Speedcross 5”. I enjoyed four of the five versions of Sense Rides (I’ve not yet run in the 5s) but having found the Speedcross design too narrow, I was worried these might feel too tight for comfort. How wrong was I.
I took a risk with the Thundercross. We’re currently travelling for 3 months and I chose them, brand new out the box, as the only pair of trail shoes to take on our travels. Things could’ve gone horribly pear-shaped but from my first run in these kicks I knew I’d chosen well in terms of comfort – my broad feet were happy. In the 4 weeks since, I’ve run +300km on the roughest terrain in the Western Cape, bagging vert in the Cape Peninsula, the Kogelberg and Langeberg mountains. I ran in mud in the hills behind Plett, I ran the rocky shores near Nature’s Valley, and over roots and rocks along the Tsitsikamma trail, and these kicks scored tops on all counts.
Grip
Hah, the all-important factor for mountain running! The multi-directional lugs on the Thundercross are 5mm deep and the tread is spread across the full outsole, enabling maximum cover for grip. As with all of Salomon’s trail shoes the tread is made of Salomon’s unique Contagrip® traction technology, a combination of rubber compound with a lug profile designed to provide superior traction and grip. Salomon designed five types of Contagrip, four of them specific to certain terrain. The Thundercross has the All Terrain Contagrip which is designed for the widest variety of surfaces, whether wet, dry, rocky or stoney/shaley.
Support
The midsole feels supportive, with just enough cushioning to allow decent bounce on hard rocky terrain. The shoes even feel surprisingly springy on the sections of tar between trails, which was one quality I did enjoy in the various Speedcross models. (All to do with the Energy Foam in the midsole, I’m told.)
Stability
The shoe feels broad enough not only for comfort but to give stability on technical terrain. If the design was a higher stack, the 5mm deep lugs would have me feeling like I was teetering, but instead I feel a perfect combination of reliable stability and responsiveness.
Fabric
This might not be to everyone’s liking. The upper of the Thundercross is not mesh like most of Salomon’s trail shoes, instead it’s a fine rugged hardshell fabric that’s brilliant for not letting in grit or sand. This also means it’s not the most breathable shoe, and perhaps more importantly, it affects the drainability of the shoe. I guess there’re pros and cons of every upper’s fabric: this shoe’s clearly designed for the high reaches of the Alps rather than lower valleys with lots of river crossings!
Quick synopsis
These steeds live up to their super-cool name – they’re tough; light but not lightweight; sufficiently cushioned for comfort without compromising the foot’s feel of the trail; responsive on all terrain; and they grip on rocks like a gecko on a wall. Great for not letting in sand and grit, but not so great at letting out water.
PROS
+ runnable straight out the box
+ light yet robust
+ great grip
+ excellent stability
+ no mesh means no worries about grit/sand coming through the upper
CONS
– don’t drain easily
– 4mm drop might be a problem for some runners
