Salomon XT wings ii

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Monday, 13 December 2010 09:37

Gear Guys

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Salomon XT wings ii

IF IT AIN’T BROKE, don’t fix it, so the saying goes. The first iteration of the Wings was a mega-success, riding a wave of hype which it delivered on. The second version - with three design tweaks - may arguably be a better shoe in some areas.
Change 1: Wings II is laced symmetrically (with crossed laces, but still using Salomon’s Quicklace System with Kevlar laces). We feel the older system pulled tight quicker and more evenly. Change 2: the French company says they softened the toe cap slightly. A kerb kicking test and trail runs over more than 100km confirmed that it was still adequate to shield our tootsies.

Change 3: the most significant modification is the complete over-haul of the midsole. This makes it feel softer while running on hard surfaces like rock and tar. In fact, the cushioning in both Wings models puts most road shoes to shame, while in the dirt its rugged broad outsole still protects superbly against sharp rocks and roots. While not designed for road running, its low profile tread means you could run 20km on tar in the 100km Hi-Tec PUFfer and then tackle gnarly offroad conditions without shifting gears. It still feels sluggish and quite unresponsive on loose soil sections and over trail litter, probably due to the wide sole, so it wouldn’t be our first choice for a smooth fast 8km trail race. The greatest strength of both Wings siblings is stability; second is good foot protection top and bottom. In our books, that makes it a winner in 90% of trail conditions

Salomon 031 313 1400
Retail R1 399
www.salomonsports.com