The new Supercross offers an approachable alternative to some of Salomon's more aggressive mountain-specific trail shoes. Think of it as a less expensive, less technical Speedcross and you'll be spot on.
Comfort is the name of the game here and is evident from the moment you pull on the Supercross. The 10mm drop and super soft springy Ortholite insole combine to create a notably plush feel that immediately separates the Supercross from it's minimalist technical trail brethren - the S/Lab, Speedcross and Sense ranges.
The fit is also more accommodating than we've become accustomed to in Salomon's other high-end, mountain specific offerings so if you've got narrow low volume feet - be warned. The Supercross definitely runs on the large side compared to other Salomon shoes you may have worn in the past so be prepared to size down.
Other notable points of difference include the Supercross's QuickLace system. Annoyingly the Supercross doesn't come with Salomon's usual innovative lace garage storage system so instead of stashing the looped laces in a pocket on the tongue, you have to tuck them into a small, elastic loop halfway down the shoe.
If you plan on using these shoes for light runs on low level tracks then you won't notice a thing, but more experienced technical trail runners might find this annoying as the laces could get snagged on spikey heather, roots and twigs. The lack of a practical lace storage system undoubtedly makes the shoe more affordable and also hints at its true entry-to-mid level trail intent.
On the flip side, we were impressed by the Supercross's grip on muddy steep trails. The widely spaced aggressive chevron lugs offer decent traction in slippery conditions which makes them ideal for UK trails. Other features we liked include the durable ripstop upper which has been designed to keep the grit, stones and other trail debris on the outside where it belongs.
To summarise - if you're looking for a decent, dependable and durable trail shoe then the Supercross is great value at £100. Comfortable rather than technical, it's perfect for the huge numbers of runners who like to think they need Kilian Jornet-esque levels of tech but end up crying into their porridge when their expensive minimalist shoes break down after 3 months of use.
