After the arrival of Energy Surge foam, the entire Salomon lineup has gone through a major upgrade. The Salomon Pulsar Trial and Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro continues this trend and makes it both comfortable and fun to run fast.
These are two phenomenal shoes, but which one should you choose? Watch the video or read on to find out!
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Salomon Pulsar Trail/Trail Pro - Mixed terrain?
The two Pulsar Trail models are so similar that Salomon categorizes them as mixed-terrain running shoes. They both have 3.5mm lugs underneath and have a well-cushioned midsole. Mixed terrain isn’t very precise though, so here is my take on it.
Both these shoes are great if you want to run to and from the trail, on forest roads and forest trails. They can handle the occasional sharper turn and wetter surfaces but are not meant for the most gritty and wet scenarios.
They can be used for races as well as daily training, but the difference in weight makes the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro a bit better for shorter trail races where weight is more important. I would gladly use both of these shoes for everyday training.
They are both fantastic shoes, but let’s get more into detail on what differentiates them apart from each other.
Salomon Pulsar Trail/Trail Pro - Midsole
The basis of a great running shoe is the midsole. And holy moly does that midsole feel fantastic! The Energy Surge is just a fantastic foam, that gives the right amount of bounce, softness, and responsiveness for a trail shoe to be both fun and dependable.
Now there are small differences between the Salomon Pulsar Trail and the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro, but the midsole is close to the same. The Pulsar Trail has 0.6mm less foam and has a wider and more flexible Energy Blade compared to its more aggressive and firmer brother, the Pro.
The differences are very subtle, but if you would like a bit more responsiveness and performance, purely based on the midsole, then I would choose the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro. If comfort is your thing, then the more flexible Pulsar Trail is the right option.
Salomon Pulsar Trail/Trail Pro - The fit
Now the second important thing when it comes to a trail shoe being a good companion on your runs, is the fit. Some might argue that this is the most important aspect of a running shoe, and this is also where the Salomon Pulsar Trial Pro and the Salomon Pulsar Trail differ most from each other.
The Pulsar Trail goes the most traditional way, with a padded heel, and a normal padded tongue attached on both sides for a nice and comfortable fit. The padding makes it a more accommodating fit that will fit more feet, compared to the ultrathin sock-like fit of the Pulsar Trail Pro.
Nothing bad about the Salmon Pulsar Trail Pro though, it has a very lightweight (Kevlar-enforced) Matryx upper with a sock-like tongue that is very comfortable and keeps debris completely out of the mix.
Both have a normal width according to Salomon, but for the most technical traverse running I found that I started moving around a bit in the Pulsar Trail Pro upper, especially when my feet got wet. But it is important to say that I really pushed these shoes to the max in the Norwegian mountains, in a scenario they really aren’t designed for.
The difference in upper is the biggest reason why the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro is so much lighter than the Salomon Pulsar Trail. But after considering weight, it all comes down to taste and fit.
I really like the lightness of the Pulsar Trail Pro upper, and the combination of the stretchy and static fabrics. But I can easily see how the more traditional upper can be a fan favorite for many and would go for this type of upper if I planned to run more technical trails in Norway again.
Salomon Pulsar Trail/Trail Pro - The price
The biggest difference between the shoes is the price. If you don’t need the advanced features of the Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro, then the Salmon Pulsar Trail is a fantastic value purchase. It has close to the same midsole and comfort, and a very comfortable upper, perfect for longer runs on forest trails and mixed terrain. And don’t forget, it also comes in a Gore-Tex version.
But if you want that lighter shoe that you can also use for races or enjoy sock-like uppers, then I would strongly suggest you try the Salomon Pulsar Trial Pro. It rocks!
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