The Salomon Speedcross 6 is a trail shoe built for one type of ground, and it handles it better than almost anything else: mud, soft earth and soaking undergrowth. Its 5.8 mm Mud Contagrip lugs bite where others slide. In exchange, it asks you to accept two deliberate trade-offs: very firm cushioning and almost no breathability.
Measured specifications
These figures come from the independent lab RunRepeat, which physically cuts open and tests the shoes. We also show what Salomon claims, because the gap is telling.
| Measurement | Measured in the lab | Claimed by Salomon |
|---|---|---|
| Weight (UK 8.5 / EU 42.5) | 296 g | 298 g |
| Drop (heel-to-forefoot difference) | 14.1 mm | 10.0 mm |
| Stack height at the heel | 36.5 mm | 32.0 mm |
| Stack height at the forefoot | 22.4 mm | 22.0 mm |
| Lug depth | 5.8 mm | — |
| Insole thickness | 7.3 mm | — |
What the measurements reveal
The real drop is clearly higher than claimed: 14.1 mm instead of 10 mm. In practice, the heel sits higher than the product page suggests. That is not a fault in itself — it is even comfortable if you land heel-first — but if you are coming from a low-drop shoe, the transition will be more noticeable than you expect.
The outsole is among the hardest RunRepeat has ever measured: 93.9 on the durometer (the instrument that measures rubber hardness), against an average of 86.1 across 100 trail shoes. Translation: the rubber will wear down very slowly, but it grips dry, smooth rock less well than a softer compound would.
The upper resists abrasion remarkably well: 4/5 in the sanding test, against an average of 3.1 across 140 models. This is a shoe that lasts.
One detail that rarely gets mentioned: the insole is 7.3 mm thick, almost double the average (4.6 mm). So a good part of the comfort you feel comes from that simple removable insole, not from the foam.
On the ground
Grip in soft ground is the reason to buy this shoe. The deep, widely spaced lugs bite into mud and, more importantly, shed it quickly — a point where many rivals clog up. The QuickLace system (the thin cord you tighten one-handed) locks the foot down without pressure points.
The cushioning is firm, very firm. RunRepeat describes it as feeling “like concrete”. Energy return is low: this is not a shoe that pushes you forward. On the other hand, you feel the ground precisely under the forefoot, which is reassuring on technical terrain.
Breathability is poor. That is the price of the protective layers. This shoe is rated as a “winter” model: above 20 °C, your feet will overheat.
Finally, it is torsionally stiff and its heel counter is firm: the foot is well held, but the shoe does not adapt to uneven ground the way a flexible shoe would.
When to look elsewhere
Three types of runner should look at something else.
If you like soft cushioning, the Speedcross 6 will feel dry to you. The HOKA Speedgoat 5 and the New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v7 offer noticeably softer cushioning for comparable trail use.
If you land on your midfoot or forefoot, the 14.1 mm drop and the thin forefoot stack (22.4 mm) work against you. This shoe is designed for a heel strike.
If you mostly run in summer or on dry trails, the lack of ventilation becomes uncomfortable, and the very hard rubber grips rock less well than it grips earth. An all-season shoe will be more versatile.
Sizing and width
The Speedcross 6 fits true to size: take your usual size. The width is standard, with a medium-width forefoot. If you have wide feet, a Wide version exists (see below).
Which version should you choose?
| Version | Who it is for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Speedcross 6 | The reference model, men’s fit | from €150 |
| Speedcross 6 W | Women’s version, same outsole | from €150 |
| Speedcross 6 GTX | Gore-Tex membrane: dry feet in the rain, but even less ventilation | from €170 |
| Speedcross 6 GTX W | The Gore-Tex version in a women’s fit | from €170 |
| Speedcross 6 Wide | Wide feet | from €150 |
Affiliate links — at no extra cost to you. Prices shown are the French retail prices in euros. Measurements: independent lab RunRepeat.