We’ve lost count of the amount of new trail running shoes we’ve tested this spring, but every now and again something still manages to jump out from the crowd. The Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 2 has been a big hit with our testers over the past 12 months, but if early impressions are anything to go by the new and improved Pulsar 3 will blow it out of the water.
We like to think we’ve got our ear to the ground with new shoe releases, but one guy who’s always one step ahead of us is mountain runner Ben Mounsey. When he isn’t pounding trails in his native Yorkshire or competing in races around the world, Ben also works as part of the team at sportsshoes.com – the UK’s No.1 online retailer for run, hike, and gym gear. So he gets his hands on new kit before almost anyone else, then gives it a good thrashing before it goes on sale to make sure it’s up to scratch.
We caught up with Ben this week to find out what shoes he’s most excited about as we head into the summer running season – and the Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 3 was right at the top of his list.
Built for speed and bite
“The Salomon S/LAB Pulsar is a shoe that just screams SPEED,” says Ben. “It fits like a glove and feels like a slipper. And as you can see from the images I’ve taken of the old and new version (above), I've loved my original pair to death.
"Cue the release of the new S/LAB Pulsar 3, a lightweight trail racing shoe designed to provide more bite, some extra spring, and added stability to all your runs up to 25k distance.
“To say I'm excited about this release is an understatement. Salomon has listened to athlete and customer feedback to make some major improvements on a shoe that already delivers so much.”
What’s so exciting about the Pulsar 3?
“Firstly, the redesigned outsole with an updated lug pattern and deeper 4.5mm lugs for more traction and grip on extreme off-road terrain," says Ben.
"There’s also extra cushioning underfoot with a dual foam midsole and a lighter, more breathable Matryx upper – my preferred choice of material. All this on a wider base with a fin-shaped heel for extra stability and control.
“The result – what I hope will be the ultimate short-distance trail racing shoe!”
S/LAB Pulsar 3 vs S/LAB Pulsar 2
Weight: 205g v 178g
Drop: 6mm v 6mm
Lug depth: 4.5mm v 2.5mm
As you can see from these specs, the new Pulsar weighs almost 30g heavier than the previous model and has deeper lugs to add more bite on trails. So rather than follow modern trends of trying to make new releases lighter and more stripped back, Salomon have gone the other way and beefed up this shoe by adding more traction and cushioning.
Like Ben says, Salomon have listened to feedback and produced a shoe with even more performance packed into it than its predecessor. One of our testers is currently putting a pair through its paces on training runs, so look out for a full LFTO review very soon.
For full details on the Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 3 and to order your pair from sportsshoes.com, visit CLICK HERE
