The Capabilities of Salomon's Increasingly Popular Town-Use Trail Running Shoe 'SENSE RIDE 5'

Salomon, founded in Annecy, France in 1947, is well known for its strong presence in various scenes such as skiing, snowboarding, trail running, and hiking. In recent years, the comfort and functional beauty of Salomon products have attracted attention in the fashion scene, increasing their popularity for town-use.

A staple in Salomon's trail running shoe lineup is the 'Sense Ride' series, which can handle everything from high-paced short-distance runs to ultra-distances. What kind of technology has been used in the latest product, the 'Sense Ride 5'?
 
"Salomon's trail running shoes are divided into four main categories," says Kazumi Sugaya, a Salomon Store advisory staff member and Salomon Running Ambassador at the Tokyo Shibuya store.

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Salomon's trail running shoes include models that emphasize grip, cushioning, propulsion, and all-around capabilities. The 'Sense Ride' series falls into the all-rounder category. But what exactly is an all-round model in the context of trail running shoes?
 
"In trail running, races range from short distances of around 20 km to long distances that exceed 100 miles (160 km). Of course, the road conditions are diverse. Some races have a lot of rocky areas, others have long road sections, and depending on the weather, you might find yourself running through mud. Some races have severe ups and downs, while others have long relatively flat sections.

"Models that can handle all these situations and have high versatility are considered all-round. Another characteristic of all-round models is that they can be used by everyone from elite to beginner runners," Sugaya shares.

The 'Sense Ride' series, which debuted in the fall of 2017, has become a best-seller beloved by trail runners worldwide due to its versatility and comfort, and has prospered into a popular series to this day. The reason for its wide support from a large number of runners lies in its meticulous design that isn't immediately noticeable at first glance. Let's delve deeper into the latest 'Sense Ride 5'.
 
The unique material used in the midsole, EnergyFOAM, is a blend of EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) and olefin (polyolefin resin). Compared to traditional EVA materials, it offers about 5% higher elasticity and excels at transforming the impact of landing into energy for the next step.
 
"One of the appeals of EnergyFOAM is that it balances cushioning and rebound. Also, it's highly durable and water-resistant, which I think makes it a suitable material for trail running, where you may run for long hours under harsh conditions."
 
The stack height of the shoe is 21.3mm for the forefoot and 29.6mm for the heel, which is about 2mm thicker compared to the previous model. Its weight is 286g for a size 27cm. In comparison, the same size of the previous model weighed 290g, which means it has been made lighter despite the increased thickness. This weight reduction is also attributed to the use of EnergyFOAM.
 
The outsole uses Salomon's original 'All Terrain Contagrip'. As the name suggests, it's designed to handle different situations, delivering high stability and durability in various conditions like wet and dry surfaces, rocky terrain, and muddy paths.