Gear Garage #15: Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra

TrailManners has received a few different models of Salomon shoes over the last 12 months to test. The Sense Propulse had a comfortable fit, but ran clunky. The Sense Pro 2 is comfy despite the narrow fit and has a harsh ride. Neither shoe had enough positives to garner a full review, so when we received the 2017 Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra we were a bit skeptical at first and pleasantly surprised at the outcome.The S-Lab Sense Ultra (man that’s a mouthful), err the Sense Ultra was designed for the runners wanting the feel of the S-Lab shoes but with more cushioning for all day comfort. The Sense Ultra has a 8mm drop (26mm/18mm) with dual density EVA foam that supposed to help with cushioning and pronation (see video for thoughts on dual density foam).OutsoleThe Wet Traction Contragrip outsole provides exceptional grip on snow and muddy trails.UpperOne of our complaints of the previous models of Salomon have been the narrow fit. The Sense Ultra has a wider toe box and did not produce any hot spots during the testing. The Endofit sock and quicklace are a great combo. Since we have only been able to test the Sense Ultra in winter condition we were able to test the breathability of the upper mesh in a different way. Cold wind easily penetrated the mesh and kept our feet dry but chilly so we can assume that in the summer the shoe will breath nicely.Overall ThoughtsThe upper is very comfortable and the grip is awesome. The shoe still runs a bit harsh with the 8mm drop and the dual density foam. It’s a huge step forward from the Sense Pro and the Propulse. We hope that they reconsider the dual density midsole in future models and use the EnergyCell+ in its place. Shoe with similar fitPearl Izumi N2 https://youtu.be/QOaN3QFRW9w