Salomon Sense Ride 4 Reviewed
Weight: M11oz, W8.3oz
Stack Height:聽27mm heel /19mm forefoot
Offset:聽8mm drop
Price: $120
Top Line
Inclusivity comes to a shoe that invites surface diversity.
What鈥檚 New
Salomon kept most of the shoe the same between the Sense Ride 3 and 4, with minor changes seen and felt in the upper, which has new overlays, cosmetics, and additional padding in the heel counter. It is a tad lighter and feels a little more svelte in places for some, while other testers thought it ran too big.
This Is the Shoe for You If 鈥
You want one shoe to do it all, allowing a responsive feel while still providing adequate protection 鈥 for whatever surfaces you choose to run on.
First Runs
Limited shoe storage space? This multi-surface, responsive door-to-trail shoe allows you to skimp by taking the place of a footwear quiver. It is a cross-over that is comfortable on the road, but even more at home off road. It’s the ideal travel shoe, for a trip when you鈥檒l be running and hiking, walking on streets and sidewalks, or tackling singletrack and mountain passes 鈥 as the shoe dances the fine line between protection and feel for the trail.
As with the Sense Ride 3, the 4 uses Salomon鈥檚 Contragrip MA outsole for dependable grip on wet and dry surfaces without compromising the rubber compound鈥檚 durability. 鈥淭hese were A-level traction,” said one tester. “I liked how excellent the grip was! I used them on a rolling, rocky trail after we got a bunch of snow and the trails were super slick and muddy. It was nice to confidently stride through less than ideal trail conditions.鈥
The shoe also continues the Optivibe midsole design, which combines different foams to both enliven the Ride鈥檚 ride and absorb impact and vibration with an eye toward decreasing muscle enervation and fatigue. Test team members appreciated the level of cushioning for the trails; one observed that, after spending a few hours out on the trails, the 鈥渁mple amount of cushioning would help fight off fatigue.鈥 Another praised the balance of cushioning and feel: “The 4 seems to provide a bit more proprioceptive ground feel than the 3, while maintaining a similar level of cushioning comfort.”
Our test team was less impressed with the Profeel Film鈥檚 ability to protect them from underfoot protrusions when running on sharp, rocky terrain. The thin midfoot TPU film only provided minimal defense from poke-through, making them ideal for road or tame trails, where the Sense Ride 4鈥檚 flexibility is quite welcome, even invited, because it doesn鈥檛 obfuscate the underfoot feel for well-appointed proprioception. As such, the Sense Ride remains a fine introduction to trail running but may be a little race for technical challenges.
The upper kept its well-loved qualities of a comfort, with the updated heel counter featuring more padding that seemed to improve hold as well. The internal sleeve and speed lacing combined for a comfortable, secure hold that gave the impression of a customized fit. Unfortunately, some felt the Sense Ride 4 felt slightly too big, with one tester noting, 鈥渁 significant amount of room in the toe box so it felt clownishly large to me and it caused my foot to catch on a rock once.鈥 Another, however, appreciated the more accommodating space, calling it the “best fitting Salomon ever.”
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