In the last couple of years, a new shoe category has been emerging. Lighter tempo shoes that are both fast and comfortable, and the Salomon Phantasm fits perfectly in that category, instantly becoming one of the best options out there!
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Based on the faster elite-focused Salomon S/LAB Phantasm, the Salomon Phantasm is a more comfortable everyday racer. It’s perfect for those of you who want a tiny bit more meat on your race day shoe or those who want a faster and lighter shoe for everyday training, without sacrificing comfort.
Salomon Phantasm - Bursting with energy!
The midsole is built to be blazingly quick. On top, you have the nice and springy Energy Surge foam that was first seen on the amazing Salomon Ultra Glide last year and is now on almost all Salomon shoes on the market. At the bottom, you'll find Energy Cell, a firmer foam blend, which gives some stability to the shoe. Between those two layers, you find the fork-shaped Energy Blade, a composite (TPU + glass fiber) plate, covering about 2/3 of the shoe’s length. This gives the midsole a characteristic softer heel and a firmer forefoot.
Salomon Phantasm
The entire midsole has an aggressive Reverse Camber rocker, which reduces ground contact significantly and helps with a faster transition. And together with how the midsole is constructed it’s clear to me that the three key attributes of this shoe are propulsion, resilient foam, and stability. These are the main reasons why you should buy the Salomon Phantasm!
Salomon Phantasm
Because of the firmer foam layer in the bottom and the lower stack height, the Salomon Phantasm feels very controlled and nice to run in. But once your pace increases and your hips are angled forward the shoes turn from a lighter daily trainer to something quite a bit faster. For me, it just feels better running in the Salomon Phantasm when I run faster than my threshold pace.
That foam mixture is the perfect blend of light, soft and long-lasting. Many of the shoes in the light tempo category have shorter life spans, and it seems to me that this midsole will be quite resilient, based on my experiences running in the Salomon Phantasm.
Salomon Phantasm - A breath of fresh air!
The Matryx upper is very breathable and airy, but It’s on the stiffer side and needs a couple of runs to conform to your feet. It didn’t take long for me to get a good lockdown around the heel, even with the upper and heel being so minimalistic.
If you like a stretchy upper, then the Salomon Phantasm might not suit you. Instead, you get a firm and static upper a little reminiscent of an upper from a lightweight trail shoe that just keeps your foot in place at all times.
Generally, the stability of the midsole and the firmness of the upper makes it a tempo shoe that can handle some twists and turns. It, therefore, separates itself quite a lot from some of the more unstable soft racing shoes out there.
Salomon Phantasm
Salomon Phantasm - Contragrip to the max
Even though the Salomon Phantasm is light, it still has a nice amount of rubber in the forefoot to handle those fast corners. It’s not just any rubber though, it’s Contragrip rubber, a fantastic sticky compound that does just as well on the asphalt as it does in the woods. So don’t be afraid to take the Salomon Phantasm out on a rainy day!
So overall, if you are looking for a great racing/tempo shoe with a bit more cushioning and stability, or you are running a lot in a city with cobblestones and gravel roads. Then the Salomon Phantasm is a great option for you.
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