Salomon Alphacross 3 is for experienced trail runners as well as beginners who wants to try out trail running or people who just wants to go for a walk in the woods. Its light, luxurious and versatile and also one of the cheapest shoes in our range, so you really get value for money in this shoe! I have tried Salomon Alphacross 3 and when it comes to trail shoes I am quite picky. So my standards really had to be exceeded to convince me that this was the right shoe for me. As it is designed to be an allround-shoe for the beginner, I didn´t think that it would suit me very well. But I can already reveal that it certainly isn´t the last time I have used it!
I have previously used Salomon Speedcross, and I have a bit of mixed feelings about it. It has a great fit but it is slightly too firm for my taste. Alphacross has a great fit, a softness in the midsole and a grip that lives up to my expectations of what a trail shoe should be able to handle!
Fit & Feel
For me first impressions are everything. If I get into a shoe which feels too hard, too wide or too rigid, it has to offer a lot to make me convinced that its worth keeping. Salomon Alphacross 3 feels right from the start. It provides a sock-like sensation which I really enjoy but there is also plenty of room in the forefoot. And yes, I did just say that I would like a narrow shoe but because it is quite "low" in the forefoot, I don´t think there is too much space out there at all.
Specifications
Drop: 10mm
Stack height heel: 34.3mm
Stack height forefoot: 24.3mm
Weight: 255g (US 7 ½), 300g (US 9)
Salomon Alphacross 3 is a somewhat lighter shoe than Speedcross (weighing 280g), which is also very evident. In spite of a relatively high stack height (The sole is rather thick so there is a lot of foam between my foot and the surface), I feel it provides a great touch with the surface.
Upper:
Salomon Alphacross 3 is available in different colors for men and women. The upper isn´t waterproof in the model I tested but it is slightly water-resistant. If you want a waterproof shoe, Salomon Alphacross 3 is also available in a GORE-TEX version which you can find here.
Buy Salomon Alphacross 3 GTX here
Its designed with a luxurious brace around the lacing system but perhaps you need an extra hole around the ankle to make the shoe wrap itself closely around your ankle. However, if you (like me) are satisfied with the fit but you don´t want all kinds of dirt in your shoe during trail running, a universal gaiter can easily be used.
The tongue protrudes rather high and at the same time the heel cap goes up and forms a small "tail" around the Achilles tendon which provides a feeling of extra support without being like wearing a boot. "The tail" is facing backwards, so it doesn´t bother the Achilles tendon.
Midsole:
The Alphacross midsole is designed with EVA EnergyCell. It has a nice feeling without being too soft. The midsole provides a bouncy efffect but isn´t so thick and soft that you lose touch with the surface. In fact the midsole feels flexible enough to allow your foot to move in line with the surface.
Outsole:
The outsole is designed with the rubber Contagrip TD-system. The lugs are approx. 5 mm and provide a great grip running up - as well as downhill. The shape of the lugs provide a really good grip as they are shaped like an arrow on the forefoot so it graps on to the surface when you run uphill while the lugs turn the other way on the heel providing a great grip during downhill running.
Surface, terrain and weather - what is it best suited for?
I have tested the Salomon Alphacross 3 in different circumstances to find out what it is best suited for. And it is suprisingly versatile! I have tried walking, running on hard-packed trail in the woods and in hilly terrain. The soft Contagrip rubber which Salomon have used for this outsole is soft enough not to create any discomfort for running or walking on slightly harder surfaces but at the same time it is strong and hard enough to really grap the surface in the woods when its needed - to gain extra speed.
Indeed Alphacross really provides a great grip on hard-packed trail. And combined with a great fit and the soft midsole, it makes for a surprisingly good running sensation! When I got the opportunity to test this Alphacross which is one of the cheapest trail shoes from Salomon, I expected that I would have to lower my expectations - but that wasn´t necessary at all! I really feel that I get a great grip, even when the surface in the woods is a little loose.
When I had enjoyed a couple of good runs in the Alphacross 3 which had confirmed that it really excels in what it has been designed for, I decided to test it a little further with running on mixed surfaces - both on slightly harder trail but also in the woods where the surface can be really tricky and suddenly go very soft. And even if I tried sharp turns, change in pace, takeoffs and looked for places where the surface was soft, I just kept a solid grip! On the completely smooth surfaces like a wet tree stump, I would slide a little but I could still trust the shoe to keep me from falling. The only small minus was that I can feel that it is a shoe intended for people with minor trail experience or for somebody who is not going out for fast runs or competitions. I feel it through the fact that the sole is relatively wide and that it provides such a great grip. This prevents the shoe from being a real racer, as speed is reduced in the sharp turns so you can´t quite use your momentum to slide on downhill runs. In this case we are talking very small details which won´t influence your workouts or running at a somewhat lower speed.
Conclusion
Its probably one of the best trail shoes available in this price range! Even if its a shoe for beginners, I would consider using it myself as it would be very well suited for trail runs where you aren´t going to take part in competitions in the most challenging terrain.
You can also easily use Salomon Alphacross 3 as an everyday shoe if you are going out for walks in the woods. Therefore I would recommend the shoe for everyone who enjoys all aspects of nature. Here you will feel grounded and flying at the same time!
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