Salming Distance Review

Salming is a Swedish company that just started selling in the United States over Labor Day of this year.  Founded by the professional Swedish hockey player Borje Salming in 2001, they started making floorball and handball products before branching out into the running world.  They strive to make no nonsense shoes; basically shoes without the gimmicks. 

The Salming Distance is a light weight training shoe that is has a 5mm heel drop.  It weighs in at a mere 8.4 ounces for a men’s size 9 shoe.  It is the heaviest shoe in Salming’s lineup, but you wouldn’t know it during your runs.  

 

When I tried these shoes on, I was concerned with how light they were and how it could have enough cushion to handle longer training runs.  I was completely surprised by how comfortable they were from the second that I put them on.  The first thing I notices was that my big toe was pressing against the top of the shoe.  Don’t worry though because the second you start to run in them, that issue resolves itself. 

The lacing system is not like most shoes where they have holes in the shoe itself.  The laces go through loops and I found that it was easy to get the right tightness. I found that the 5mm heel drop was very comfortable as I typically run in a low heel drop shoe.  If you are a runner that is not used to a low heel drop shoe, this might take some getting used to.  The 5mm heel drop helps to keep you in a natural running posture by promoting forward lean.

The Distance was designed in Salming’s 4D running lab, which is the only one in the world like it.  They use a 3 layer construction for comfort and durability and a RunLite midsole that allows you to have a good connection to the ground while still providing you with a cushioning.  The shoe is flexible light enough to take to your next race.

The Distance also uses what Salming calls their Torsion Efficiency Unit.  It allows your shoe to be responsive without being overly supportive.  The shoe has a nice outer sole that will grip the road but not wear too quickly.

To be completely honest, when I got these, my first thought was that they would not be very comfortable because they were so light.  I took them out for a 3 mile easy run and was blown away by how comfortable they were and that my run was so effortless.  I didn’t even think about the shoes, which is not always the case.  I could focus on my form and ended up turning the 3 mile easy run into a 5 mile tempo run. 

The Salming Distance is one of the best shoes I have tried this year.  The only down side is that they cost a little more than most running shoes, retailing at about $169.  If you can find room in your budget, these should be on your shoe list.  If you have run in Salming shoes or get a pair, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Note:  I received this product in exchange for a review.  The review is my personal opinion of the product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it.  I am not a doctor, so please use all of the products that I review at your own risk.