Salomon Speedcross 6 Review: The Mud Shoe, and Only the Mud Shoe
Every source we read agrees on what the Speedcross 6 is for: wet fells, soft woodland and boggy hillsides, where its cleat-like lugs bite and shed mud. They agree just as firmly on what it is not for — tarmac and hard-packed trail. The real buying questions are fit, which is contested, and whether you need the Gore-Tex version, which costs £20 more at full price.
Where the reviews line up
We built this from three very different kinds of evidence: the lab measurements and wear tests at RunRepeat, the side-by-side runs of two testers at the specialist site Road Trail Run, and 994 owner reviews of the men's shoe at the US outdoor retailer REI. We have also cross-checked figures against OutdoorGearLab's April 2026 test and Salomon's own spec.
Three things come up everywhere. Grip in mud and on soft ground is outstanding — OutdoorGearLab gave it a perfect 10/10 for traction and 5/5 on mud and loose trail, RunRepeat praises how quickly the lugs clear, and REI buyers say the same in plainer words. It is a poor shoe on hard surfaces: RunRepeat says plainly it is not made for fast, flat trails and recorded a low wet-traction score on its hard-surface test, and both Road Trail Run testers describe it as a shoe for specific soft conditions. And the Quicklace system is liked — one pull to tighten, a pocket to stow the toggle.
Two honest caveats. It runs warm: RunRepeat scored even the non-waterproof mesh version 1 out of 5 for breathability, and OutdoorGearLab says it runs hot in summer — so the GTX will be warmer still. And durability reports are mixed: RunRepeat found the rubber very hard and hard-wearing, but a run of REI owners report heels wearing through and soles starting to come away within a month or so.
Fit is where to be careful. SportsShoes' testers and OutdoorGearLab say it runs small; REI's buyer summary and one Road Trail Run tester say it comes up generous. Everyone agrees the forefoot is narrow. Try it on, or buy where exchanges are free — and if you have wide feet, Salomon makes a Wide version at the same price.
The three reviews this summary is built from
- RunRepeatLab test: cut-in-half measurements of lugs, stack, drop, weight, plus breathability and outsole wear tests. Scored 85/100.
- Road Trail RunTwo runner-testers, one man and one woman, with measured weights and a direct comparison with the Speedcross 5.
- REI4.6/5 from 994 reviews of the men's shoe; 4.6/5 from 647 for the men's GTX. A US retailer, so these are US buyers.
Before the review: which Speedcross is current
We checked on 6 October 2026. There is no Speedcross 7: Salomon's own UK Speedcross collection lists the Speedcross 6 as current, in men's and women's at £140, Gore-Tex at £160 for both, a men's Wide at £140 and Gore-Tex Storm versions. The older Speedcross 3 is still sold alongside it — check the number on the listing. The Speedcross 5 is discontinued.
Specification at a glance
| Spec | Figure | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Lug depth | 5 mm (Salomon, SportsShoes) · 5.5 mm (OutdoorGearLab) · 5.8 mm (RunRepeat lab) | All agree it is deep — RunRepeat calls it nearly twice the average |
| Weight per shoe, men's | 298 g (SportsShoes) · 296 g (RunRepeat, men's size not stated) · 291 g at US 8.5 (Road Trail Run) · 11.08 oz, about 314 g, at US 10.5 (OutdoorGearLab) | Salomon US lists 11 oz; Salomon UK lists 300 g for the Wide |
| Weight per shoe, women's | 281.5 g at US 9 | Road Trail Run |
| Weight per shoe, men's GTX | 328 g | SportsShoes; size not given |
| Stack height | 32 mm heel / 22 mm forefoot (Salomon, SportsShoes) · 36.5 / 22.4 mm (RunRepeat lab) · 33 mm heel (OutdoorGearLab) | Salomon UK lists 30 / 20 mm for the Wide |
| Drop | 10 mm (Salomon) · 12 mm (OutdoorGearLab) · 14.1 mm (RunRepeat lab) | RunRepeat says it feels like 8–10 mm on foot |
| Outsole | Mud Contagrip rubber, deep sharp lugs | Salomon; RunRepeat measured it very hard (93.9 HC) |
| Midsole | EnergyCell+ | Salomon |
| Lacing | Quicklace one-pull system with lace pocket | Salomon |
| Width | Standard D; men's Wide (2E) version available | Salomon UK, SportsShoes. RunRepeat measured a narrow 104.9 mm forefoot platform |
| Sizing | Contested — see below | Runs small: SportsShoes testers, OutdoorGearLab. Runs large: REI buyers |
| Returns from Salomon UK | 30 days; exchanges free, returns carry a £5 fee | Salomon UK product page |
| RRP | £140 (men's and women's) · £160 (Gore-Tex) | Salomon UK, 6 October 2026 |
| Typical UK price | £69.99–£125.99 at SportsShoes (by colour and width) · £115 at Sports Direct · GTX £79.99 at SportsShoes, £129 at Sports Direct | Checked 6 October 2026 |
RunRepeat
RunRepeat buys its shoes, runs in them and then cuts them in half to measure them, which makes it the best source for the numbers buyers argue about. It measured the lugs at 5.8 mm — nearly double the average trail shoe — and credits them with quick mud-shedding. It also measured more heel than Salomon claims: a 36.5 mm heel and 22.4 mm forefoot, a 14.1 mm drop, though its testers say it feels closer to 8–10 mm on the run. That is a high-heeled shoe by modern trail standards, and worth knowing if you are used to something flatter.
On hard ground it is blunt: the shoe is not made for easy, fast, flat trails, and it recorded a low wet-traction figure on its hard-surface test. The outsole rubber is very hard, which wore well in RunRepeat's abrasion test, but the heel padding scored only 2 out of 5 for durability. Breathability scored 1 out of 5, among the least breathable shoes it has tested — and that is the mesh version, not the Gore-Tex.
Watch: Salomon Speedcross 6 Review
A general review of the standard Speedcross 6. Confirmed through two search listings; we could not open YouTube to check the channel or running time.
Watch on YouTube ↗Road Trail Run
Road Trail Run is a specialist site written by working runners rather than a magazine desk, and its value here is two testers of different sizes and sexes in the same shoe. They weighed the men's at 291 g in a US 8.5 and the women's at 281.5 g in a US 9, and confirm Salomon's 32/22 mm stack. Against the Speedcross 5, they found the 6 about 27 g lighter, more flexible and softer in the upper, with a roomier toe box.
They split on fit, which mirrors the wider confusion. Sam found it true to size; Dominique found it generous and suggests women go down half a size. Both agree on terrain: excellent in mud, snow and soft ground, less versatile on hard-pack, though Sam felt it was more runnable across mixed ground than the 5. Quicklace works smoothly, Dominique adds, though she uses a finger to stop it slipping. They rate the protective rubber rand around the lower upper.
Watch: Salomon Speedcross 6 Review & Trail Run
A review that takes the shoe out on trail — closest in spirit to the Road Trail Run testers’ runs. Confirmed by search listing only.
Watch on YouTube ↗REI
No UK retailer we checked shows a review count for this shoe, so the largest buyer sample we could find is at REI, the American outdoor co-op. These are US owners on a page that sells the shoe, so treat the score as a temperature check, not a test. The volume is large enough that the patterns matter more than the stars.
The praise matches the testers: strong grip in mud and wet ground, reliable Quicklace, comfortable over long runs, with one owner reporting 70-plus miles without trouble. One buyer finds the tread fine on flat ground and aggressive enough for scree and loose dirt. The complaints are the useful part. Several owners report heels wearing out and soles delaminating after about a month of moderate use, alongside others who are perfectly happy — a split that suggests uneven quality rather than a universal flaw. REI's fit summary says it runs slightly large and narrow, the opposite of SportsShoes' half-size-small guidance. GTX owners praise the waterproofing but also report lug wear over time.
Watch: Real World Use Review Salomon Speed Cross 6 (Buyer Beware)
An owner’s long-term view with a warning in the title — the video counterpart to REI’s durability complaints. Confirmed by search listing; we could not watch it to report what the warning is.
Watch on YouTube ↗Strengths and weak points
What holds up
- Deep 5–5.8 mm lugs: top marks for mud and soft ground from OutdoorGearLab and RunRepeat.
- Sheds mud quickly, helped by the anti-debris mesh upper.
- Quicklace: one pull, tucks away, liked by testers and buyers alike.
- Lighter and more flexible than the Speedcross 5 (about 27 g, per Road Trail Run).
- Hard-wearing outsole rubber in RunRepeat's abrasion test.
- Wide and Gore-Tex versions at the same price as their standard equivalents.
- Often heavily discounted — half price on some SportsShoes colours.
What people complain about
- Poor on road and hard-packed trail; the lugs feel unstable and grip less.
- Runs hot — 1 out of 5 for breathability even without Gore-Tex.
- Narrow forefoot, and sizing reports point in both directions.
- Higher drop than the 10 mm claimed, by two independent measurements.
- Some owners report heel wear and sole delamination within weeks.
- Heavy for a trail shoe: OutdoorGearLab scored weight 4.1/10.
Who it actually suits
Buy it if you run, walk fast or hike on soft, wet British ground — fell paths, muddy woodland, grassy climbs, winter cross-country — and want a shoe that grips where others skate. Choose the mesh version for running, where your feet will get wet anyway and drain faster; the Gore-Tex earns its £20 on cold, wet walks and shorter runs where you want dry socks more than cool feet. Pair it with a light pack such as the Osprey Talon 22 and a GPS watch such as the Garmin Forerunner 165 for longer days out.
Look elsewhere if most of your miles are on road, towpath or dry hard-pack — the lugs will feel unstable and wear faster there. For road running, a cushioned shoe such as the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 is the better tool, and if price is the priority, see our running shoes under £50. If you have wide feet, try the Speedcross 6 Wide before giving up on the model.
What we could not check
- The videos. YouTube does not load from our research setup, so all three videos were confirmed by their exact title and address appearing in two differently-worded search listings, not by opening them. We could not see the channels' names or what each says.
- Salomon's footwear guarantee. Salomon's warranty page did not load for us, so we cannot quote its length or whether outsole wear is covered. The 30-day return with a £5 fee is from Salomon UK's own product page.
- UK buyer ratings. SportsShoes and Sports Direct showed no review counts for this shoe, so the buyer sample is from a US retailer.
- Which size RunRepeat and SportsShoes weighed. Neither says, so their 296 g and 298 g cannot be compared directly with the sized weights from Road Trail Run and OutdoorGearLab.
- The sizing split. SportsShoes' testers and OutdoorGearLab say it runs small; REI's buyer summary and one Road Trail Run tester say large. We cannot resolve it — try before you buy.
- The GTX's breathability. No source measured it; we only know the mesh version scored lowest in RunRepeat's test.
- Discounted prices by size. The £69.99 and £79.99 SportsShoes prices apply to specific colours and may not cover every size.
- Long-term durability. The delamination reports are owner anecdotes; no source has run the shoe to a known mileage and inspected it.
Sources and prices last checked 6 October 2026. Trainer prices move weekly — check the size and colour in your basket before ordering.