
6 in Trail Running Shoes
Salomon - GENESIS GORE-TEX
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 24, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
21
0
"Salomon Genesises for hiking and trail running. ... I'm on my third pair and basically use my last pair for road running (I don't do a lot of it) while the newer pair is for hiking/trail."
"I commute on pavement and trail and these shoes are my workhorse."
"From my experience shoes that worked best on such terrain are Salomon Genesis"
9
1
"Great balance between being grippy enough for technical trails"
"I trust my trail shoes (currently Salomon Genesis and Hoka Mafate 5) in the wet or more technical terrain."
"For me the grip is excellent"
16
4
"I’m a very wide boy, but the Salomon Speedcross and Genesis both fit very comfortably. ... the Salomon Speedcross and Genesis both fit very comfortably."
"these are perfect in between"
"the shoes that block my heel best are the NNormal Kjerag and various Salomon models such as the Genesis"
11
7
"I have pretty high arches and had struggled with posterior tibialis syndrome and plantar fasciitis in the past with less supportive shoes, and these seem to have resolved those issues."
"The genesis is the first shoe I've owned that doesn't have a crease in the upper from my flat foot hanging over the medial side of the insole. It is relatively straight but I think the support pieces in the heel are what is doing the work."
"Switched to the Salomon Genesis, and have not had it happen since. ... My podiatrist linked the pain to overpronation, and it was telling that I only had it with the AP5s, not with the SG5s I had before or the Genesis I have now."
7
1
"The tread is ultra durable. ... I play 300 days a year and they lasted about 18 months."
"Outsole and upper are still good shape, but I collapsed the midsole with heel striking and pronation."
"neither fell apart after more than 1000 miles"
Disliked most:
6
5
"Feet so bruised I can hardly walk the next day. ... It just feels more like bruising than soreness when walking."
"collapsed the midsole with heel striking and pronation."
"Current Salomon trail runners have to thick of a sole and cant feel rock well beneath them ... maybe the ones I have just dont work well for this specific use case."
2
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"the outsole feels very slippery when I run on wet gravel or even worse on wet tarmac."
"Salomon. Their Contagrip hasn’t been great at wet rock stuff traditionally ... For what it’s worth I have a pair of Salomon Genesis that I got the Key Cobbler in Keswick to resole with Vibram Litebase."
"They are good everywhere except wet rocks on technical trails"
0
6
"I love my Genesis but find if the trail has paved bits, it kills my heel. ... I hate that one part so much I just got Pegasus trails for mixed situations."
"Feet so bruised I can hardly walk the next day. ... It just feels more like bruising than soreness when walking."
"The downside of trail runners to me (Solomans) was I would sometimes get foot bruises on sharp rocky ground. ... My Solomans had a rock plate (thank you for pointing out my omission), but I feel a big difference with my Murrell Moab's."
0
5
"They all fit differently. ... It was infuriating. ... So, a warning to all: Try all models of a given brand, because you can't rely on equivalent fit."
"if anyone has any hint of a normal to wide foot, they just don't work for them."
"The Genesis is very narrow in the toe box. It was too narrow for me"
0
1
"Also the Goretex material isn't very breathable, my feet feel quite sweaty even after a quick 5k run."
Interesting. I run with the Genesis GTX since May 2025 and don't enjoy it very much. The shoe feels heavy and pretty mushy.\ I chose the Genesis as a more road/trail mix alternative to my very old, beloved Speedcross 2.
I bought the Salomon _Genesis GTX_ (EU: 42 / US: 8.5) in April, actively use it since May (ran 132.5 km so far with this shoe).\ Bought it for mostly road running and occasional light trail running (in wet conditions).\ Well, I wish I could say something positive about it. Unfortunately this shoe feels quite heavy/chunky. Also the Goretex material isn't very breathable, my feet feel quite sweaty even after a quick 5k run. At least it is water tight. Which brings me to another contra: the outsole feels very slippery when I run on wet gravel or even worse on wet tarmac. Did I mention that I don't like its thick/chunky midsole? For heavier runners the thick padding/cushioning might be beneficial, but for me it isn't (I weigh around 68 kg). I prefer a shoe with a lower drop (like the good old Speedcross 2).\ The toe box feels kinda narrow, the heel feels very soft. Does not provide a lot guidance for the heel I think.
I've been running with Salomon Genesis since March.\ Encountered heel slip as well (weirdly on the right side like you). I've been through 3 pairs of socks until I found one which pairs well with the shoe in terms of material/material thickness.\ I'm wearing EU 42.
These are some cheap ones I got from a local store in my city (Salzburg, Austria). I'd say the fabric thickness is about 2x the thickness of typical sneaker style socks.\ I personally think the Genesis were the wrong choice for my foot anatomy/style of running anyway. My other pair (Brooks Catamount 3) literally fits like a glove.
2 pair.\ Brooks Catamount 3\ Salomon Genesis GTX (feels more like tarmac focused shoe to me though)
I've been running with the Genesis GTX since March (262 km).\ Imho yes, the shoe is capable of light trails (loose gravel, roots/forest trails, wet rock), it's just a heavy shoe.
Brooks Catamount 3: 454 km (282.1 mi)\ Salomon Genesis GTX: 275 km (170.87 mi)
I have the Catamount 2 and I really like it (ran in them today), but actually prefer the Cascadia. Also, another vote for skipping GTX. You probably don't need it (or want it) for most runs.
I have Salomon gore-tek trail runners. I bought these 5 years ago and used them all over Australia and hike regularly with them. If you want a bit of ankle support go for the hiking boots but on the trails around here you will be fine in trail runners. I found the gore-tex to be worthwhile just because the trails can get muddy after winter and you are able to just step thru them. Took them to do the overland trail in Tassie and held up fine as well. Salomon currently have a sale on.
I have run 10+ hours on trabuco 13s. In very technical high altitude terrain. Wide, cushioned enough without being soft so they work well on technical terrain, rock plate, and one of the best grips in the market. The upper is quite poor, in 250km in rough terrain the shoe looks awful, but still in use. Asics sent me a replacement pair. I tried lots of pairs looking for that long technical race. Nothing really was so confortable so I ended with my trusted trabucos. Maybe a v11 or v12 will work better in high mountain races, more durable upper and better lug pattern for rocky terrain, but less runnable. Pairs I tried, and ditched for not being wide/confortable enough to my foot: Mafate 4 speed, Topo MTN racer 3, Sportiva akasha 2, Salomon génesis (and slab genesis), Hierro v9, Zegama 2 (wide enough, but doesn't work for anything really technical, I use them for easy runs), Tomir 2.0 (weird sensation with the insoles)
Agree, it really depends on how fast, how far, the ratio of road to trail etc. my Saucony Tempus are pretty good on park run trails and “fire track” style roads. Puma shoes with their Puma Grip are great in the rain or on slightly uneven terrain. Then you have what some call Commuter shoes - road to trail shoes with lower lug depth and softer midsole. Hoka’s Challenger ATR isn’t bad, and the Tecton X and X2 had proper gravel lugs that worked well, along with shows like the Saucony Xodus Ultra, Nike Terra Kiger or Pegasus Trail. Personally I’ve just run in road shoes if it’s dry, and I trust my trail shoes (currently Salomon Genesis and Hoka Mafate 5) in the wet or more technical terrain.
Hello. As a lot of people say, a good road shoe will be good on the hard packed trails as well. But if you want a bit more traction and security, go with something that has a good foam and a smaller lugs. Options I’ve run in and like include: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4 / Tecton X - Salomon Genesis / Ultra Glide - La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - Merrell Agility Peak 5 - Brooks Catamount 4 - Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 / 2 (avoid the 3) For reference I am 85kg and usually run 30km / week.
Hoka Mafate 5 is comfy and fun. Mafate Speed 4 is still good but a little narrower and not quite so bouncy. I used to run in Speedgoats a lot but think the 5 & 6 are missing some comfort and the foam isn’t returning the energy of newer shoes. Salomon Genesis or Ultra Glide are both good if you can accommodate a narrower fit. I prefer the protection of the Genesis over the Ultra Glide. Prodigio Pro is also fun and bouncy, but much lighter, less protection around the ankle and so a bit more stripped back. Everyone I know loves them though. Hoka Tecton X 3 is a similar proposition to the Prodigio but both are spendy. Hoka is slightly more stable and bouncy but there is very little in it. If you want the best outsole rubber money can buy, look at the VJ Ultra 3. Seriously, the lugs and rubber is like glue. Finally, the Saucony Xodus Ultra is a good shoe for distances like this. It’s also comfy and protective. Just avoid the 2 or 3 and go for the latest version 4.
Oh I use “shoe rotation” as a regular excuse to buy more shoes, but in the real world I have: - shoe for trails and ultras (Salomon Genesis currently) - shoe for technical and short trails (Hoka Zinal 2) - shoe for gravel / road to trail (Hoka Tecton X) - shoe for deep or thick mud (Inov8 X-Talon Ultra) - shoe for OCR racing (VJ Spark)
Okay, so based on how you describe these issues, i think you have a pretty narrow foot, but i'm confused by the fact that you like the Hierro - this is pretty wide fitting and "plush" cushioned. SO maybe i have that wrong. But the best fitting shoes in the industry come from VJ. They have an amazing fitlock system which is peak stability. They have brilliant outsole rubber for technical trails, roots and wet rocks. They are epic for OCRs and orienteering. However, the midsole is usually a bit firm and numb, so they're not fit for road-to-trail. I've run in Ultra3 and Sparks, and if you're a lighter, smaller runner they will probably be fine. Alternatively, look at Salomon - the S/Lab Speed, Ultra, Genesis, etc are all narrow but have great lockdown. You have to persist with the lace system - sometimes you have to play with the lockdown 2-3 times before it all sits right, but I've loved running in the CDW Genesis for the last year.
As many people have said here, the SG6 is too firm and has lost some of its “fun”. The Merrell Agility Peak 5 is a good option. The Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 / 2 are great. Miss version 3. Version 4 is supposed to be a return to form. Salomon Genesis is a good shoe I’ve run 200km in but runs narrow. I am loving the Mafate 5 but it’s a marmite shoe for this community I’ve noticed. La Sportiva Prodigeo Pro has a lot of fans but the midsole is less stable, more bouncy and it’s not cheap. The North Face Vectiv Series are decent now - there’s a lot to choose from. Final option if you want great outsole grip is the VJ Ultra 3. Fab lockdown too.
Salomon Gore Tex sneakers. My second choice are Saucony Gore Tex sneakers.
Solomon’s are great. The mud doesn’t pack up op the sole, super waterproof. The tread is ultra durable. $120-$150 but I play 300 days a year and they lasted about 18 months.
However, I wear these, and they fell apart within the first month. Weak lace loops ripped and the waterproof fabric is tearing. Keens are still the only shoes that last longest, stay waterproof and don't wear on the outside over time compared to any other shoe I've tried
Salomon trail runners. They’re my goat shoes - the only thing they don’t get a grip on is wet wood.
Salomon waterproof trail runners are amazing. Easy open and close, comfy, and they have phenomenal traction - they’re my goat shoes. The only thing I’ve ever slipped on when wearing them is snow-dusted sheer ice. That, and wet wood.
Both Asics gortex and Salomon gortex Ive found to be the best I've used. I get probably 2-3000km out of them? Say 8km a day of sandstone gravel fire trails and rocky escarpments for a year. I would get 12-18 months out of them. Sometimes I just wear out heel rubber and foam is still good so I build it back up using Sikaflex or something to go another 6 month lol
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