Salomon Sonic Pro 2

The trails will always have my heart, I desire them and I thrive on them. The endless variety of our outdoor playground, stunning views to soak up, fresh clean air to inhale and summits to tag. It feeds the soul and nourishes the mind.

Yet the reality is that from time to time most people need to hit the road. The harsh manmade surfaces that drive extra impact forces and vibrations through the body. Often running through heavily populated areas with the added hazards of moving traffic and pollution. That’s not to say of course one can’t derive enjoyment from this environment. To the contrary, expect a faster and more metronomic stride. I use it as a time to work on my form and attempt to correct flaws. Yet I still take time to find a little adventure, for me it’s a short canal side run that cuts through the heart of an industrial estate on my commute.

Of course when tackling the roads our footwear should reflect the surface and the nuances it brings. This is where Salomon, renowned mountain and trail running brand, step in with another valuable addition to their range. The Sonic Pro 2 takes itself seriously as a bonafide addition to the road running world. Bursting with technology, yet still giving the appearance of a simple and functional piece of footwear.

        

The upper is smart looking with 3 colour choices; the usual Salomon Red, a vivid yellow and an understated dark blue (which I personally prefer this time around). The soft pliable upper is a combination of flexible plastic overlays interspersed with mesh for enhanced breathability. I was surprised to find this softer upper made these the probably most comfortable Salomon shoe I’ve ever worn. It also looks to tick all the boxes where reinforcing weak sections might be, which is a real plus on the durability front. The ever present Salomon Sensifit technology is of course as good as always. Users of Salomon shoes will be familiar with the sock like fit that really holds the foot to the material, which in the road running environment translates to power transfer. This time around they've opted for regular shoe laces over the typical Salomon quick lace system. I'm not sure why, although I imagine there's a functional reason, it just doesn't necessarily compliment my lazy/convenient outlook on life. Maybe it's to show they are serious when it comes to a road shoe, where regular laces can be tightened at different sections to fine tune the fit.

The outsole is as expected for a road shoe with a light tread pattern that not only grips the pavement, but could also take light trails in its stride. I’ve run on muddy canal paths and I’d say it was a fair test. Some slippage was expected, but with the responsive ride it gave me enough proprioception to stay in control. Clearly this isn’t the environment they were designed for, but interesting to me that there is some crossover, however slight that might be. Of course, on the the road they are sure footed and grippy as you'd expect.

The technology built into the sole features Vibe technology. Salomon explain this is engineered to reduce vibrations through the body. Something that’s clearly important on harder surfaces and shows Salomon are taking their assault on the road running world seriously. In my testing I couldn’t honestly say if this made a difference, other than to say my legs didn’t feel as trashed as they often are after a road session. What I did find was a shoe that gives everything back you put into it. I’ve been guilty in the past of running on the harder stuff in a softer soled shoe to try and soak up the hammering. Yet what I’ve experienced in the Sonic Pro 2’s is a firmer ride that just makes me want to run fast. All the power from my legs is transferred to the road, launching me forward. The Sonic Pro 2 is also a very nimble shoe that gives confidence if negotiating steps or other obstacles in the urban environment.


In summary the Sonic Pro 2 is a quality addition to the Salomon range, but only if you take to the roads in your running. Salomon have far more capable trail running shoes if that’s what you do exclusively. And as far as road racing I believe the Sonic Pro 2’s would be exceptional with a firm but responsive ride. I’m currently using these to commute to and from work in which is 70% road and 30% trail and they’re performing great.

                      If you hit the asphalt - treat yourself to a pair, you'll not regret it.