Rolling Forward: The Thick-Soled Hiking Shoes from Salomon – the 'ELIXIR' Series

Born in Annecy, France in 1947, Salomon has been appreciated for its comfortable shoes. Not only are they popular among trail running and hiking scenes, they've also been popular for town use due to their functional beauty.
 
Recently, Salomon introduced a new series of hiking shoes, 'ELIXIR', that features an exceptional thick sole. Their midsole, made from superior cushioning and rebound materials, and their gently curved rocker sole design for toes and heels help to reduce foot fatigue and promote smoother strides. So, what exactly are these shoes all about?

"The 'ELIXIR' series was developed for comfortably strolling through long distances on mountain trails, widely applicable from low mountain hiking to long-distance traverses. They've already gained popularity as town-use shoes as well, owing to their supportiveness and easily-coordinated design," says Taiga Kobayashi, staff at SALOMON STORE TOKYO SHIBUYA.

The Thick-Sole Models with Both Cushioning & Stability

The 'ELIXIR' models have adopted a bold rocker shape — a common sight in running shoes — enabling a forward rolling motion with each step, and thus, a prominent feature of thick-soled models is their high degree of cushioning. However, while thick-soled models with rocker shape might tend to be less stable on landing, this issue is skillfully addressed.
 
"There is a part called Active Chassis on the outer side of the shoes that resembles the shape of an arrowhead. This Active Chassis helps limit lateral motion. Also, the wide design of the sole increases the area in contact with the ground, providing a stable feeling when landing."
 
The shape, size, and position of the Active Chassis are all calculated.
 
"We used a material, EnergyFoam, in the midsole of 'ELIXIR' which delivers a balance between cushioning and rebound. While taking advantage of the features of EnergyFoam, the Active Chassis is optimized in shape and positioned to prevent any sense of discomfort or tightness during wear."