dual power combo indulging in nature salomon big red shoe review

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SALOMON, founded in 1947 in the heart of the French Alps, is a world-leading outdoor sports brand with extensive experience in manufacturing trail and mountaineering shoes. Over the past decade, it has created numerous patents, ushering in a new era of outdoor sports. S-LAB stands for SALOMON Lab, the brand's research and development center located in the town of Annecy, near the foot of the French Alps, boasting exceptional mountain resources. SALOMON's core shoe product lines include: SONIC – designed for marathons, SENSE – ultra-distance trail shoes, SPEEDCROSS – for winning in muddy terrains, and the WINGS series – excelling in downhill running.

This time, I had the opportunity to review the Salomon S-Lab Wings 8 trail running shoes. The WINGS series is characterized by its tagline 'winning in downhill,' primarily because trail running involves complex terrains. Besides obstacles like rocks and tree roots, and changing weather conditions, runners face the constant challenge of uphill and downhill transitions, which are technically demanding. Downhill running, in particular, offers the thrill of ground-hugging speed due to gravitational acceleration, but also requires caution to avoid ankle sprains or falls. The WINGS series is designed to ensure speed while providing excellent grip and stability, confidently tackling downhill sections.

On November 3rd, I received the shoes sent by Codoon and eagerly opened the package: the main color is bright red, with black and white accents on the upper, a black sole, and a 'SALOMON' logo on the middle of the tongue, along with a large 'S' logo on the top. The laces use QuickLace technology, allowing runners to quickly tighten them. The tongue has a specially designed pocket to store the QuickLace buckle. Inside the shoe, Endofit technology is used for a precise and secure fit, with the midsole and lace system fully wrapping the foot, providing great comfort.

The upper is made of breathable mesh fabric, utilizing Sensifit technology to reduce weight and enhance fit and strength. It is both highly breathable and somewhat water-resistant. The protective material near the toe area is extensive, using TPU overlay technology to effectively protect the toes. The outside of the toe has a LAB logo; the outer side of the upper has the Salomon name, and the inner side features the S-LAB Wings 8 name.

The midsole uses dual-density EVA material to enhance cushioning; the outsole uses Salomon's signature Contagrip material, with trapezoidal lugs about 3mm deep. A PROFEEL film layer connects the midsole and outsole for stability. The combination of geometric patterns, physical density, and synthetic formulas provides excellent traction, improving grip and durability, even on muddy surfaces.

In my tests, I used two Saturdays to run the Gushan traverse and the Yuelu Mountain to Peach Blossom Ridge routes. The former is about 10 kilometers, and the latter about 14 kilometers, both covering forest paths, gravel, mud, and cement roads.

Overall, this shoe balances speed and protection. It has strong grip, is lightweight, and is easy to run with, especially suitable for forefoot downhill running, offering great speed. Additionally, I tested it on cement roads, and compared to other trail shoes, the S-LAB Wings 8 has relatively shallow lugs, providing a good feel and balancing trail and road running.

Especially on the Yuelu Mountain to Peach Blossom Ridge route, there is a continuous downhill forest path of over 1 kilometer. Wearing the bright red shoes, I felt very light on my feet, almost like flying. The excellent fit and support also made my steps very stable, with no pressure on my big toes.