Salomon S-Lab XA Alpine Shoe Review

If you are into mountain sports like skiing, boarding, or mountaineering, you’ve probably heard of Salomon.  Born in the French Alps in 1947, Salomon has made products that portray their passion for the progression of mountain sports.  They are always striving to provide great new products with top quality materials and manufacturing technologies.  Their brand has grown to cover mountaineering, hiking, skiing, boarding, and trail running.  Salomon is really popular with ultra and trail runners because of the comfort and durability of their products.  I reviewed the following products from Salomon in the past and have been really impressed with everything I’ve tested (click on the links below to read my reviews). 

Park short sleeve tee

Sense Pro 2 trail shoes

S-Lab X-Series shoes

S-Lab Hybrid JKT

S-Lab Exo Tights

S-LAB Sense Set Vest

S-Lab XA Alpine Shoes

The S-Lab XA Alpine Shoes are a shoe and gaiter built into one unit. The inner shoe is very similar to the Sense Pro 2 trail shoes I tested in the past. The big difference is the gaiter that helps to keep snow, mud, and other debris from getting in your shoes. 

I have tested other completely waterproof shoes from other brands in the past.  I would stand in a creek and see if they are indeed waterproof.  The XA Alpine shoes are not listed as waterproof, but they sure look like it.  The website lists it as having a “water resistant textile” and the zipper looks like it has taped seems.  It was raining when I tested these shoes for the first time and the trail was rather muddy.  I was about 3 miles into the run when I found a great creek.  I step into the creek and all of the sudden, by feet start to get wet.  I guess they aren’t waterproof, for what it is worth. 

The gaiter is breathable and zips up on the side.  You simply put on the shoes and use the awesome Quicklace system to tighten your shoes in one easy pull.  There is a pocket in the tongue for you to store the extra lace.  Then you just zip up the gaiter and you are ready to go. 

My favorite feature of the XA Alpine shoes is that it provided the most grip of any shoes that I have tried on trails.  There were some really muddy areas and I could see that most other people were slipping in the area.  I ran through that section with no slipping at all.  In fact, I didn’t slip one time, the whole 12 mile run.  I am thoroughly impressed with the Contagrip outsole.  I ran both on and off the trail and felt confident that the shoe had my back (or feet).  It was designed for superior traction in wet and muddy conditions, and it definitely passed the test.  The protective toe cap did a great job of protecting my toes from those “toe grabbing” rocks. 

The XA aren’t an ultra-plush shoe, but do provide enough cushion to make your run enjoyable without making them unresponsive.  This is made to be an alpine shoe.  It can handle running on and off trails as well as on some very rocky areas.  The XA Alpine shoes felt lighter than they really are (350 grams or 12 ounces) and provide plenty of protection.  There is a protective ankle pad and the gaiter seems durable enough to be able to handle scrapes from jagged rocks as you are running.

The shoes have a midsole height of 22mm in the rear and 16mm in the front, which gives them a 6mm heel drop.  The XA retails for $250 on the Salomon website, which is a little pricey but if you run off trail and want to skip having an additional gaiter, these are a great choice.  I was able to find them on Amazon in my size for $187.39 with free shipping and returns (for Prime members). 

Pros:

Awesome fit

Built in gaiter keeps out snow, mud, debris, and some moisture

Excellent breathability in the gaiter

Fairly Lightweight (12 ounces)

Amazing traction in wet and muddy conditions

Quicklace system

Very durable

Cons:

The retail price of $250 can be a little much (but you can find them cheaper)

Salomon’s Social Media Links

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The XA Alpine shoes, like Salomon’s other products has left me utterly impressed.  I am always blown away with the level of innovative technology, comfort, and materials and this shoe is no exception.  While it isn’t completely waterproof, it is water resistant and can handle any terrain you throw at it.  Give some Salomon gear a try and see what you’ve been missing.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.

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.

SlackBlock Review

I spent the later portion of 2016 with various injuries that almost took me out of my December marathon.  I tried acupuncture, saw a sports physician, and eventually started physical therapy at the new Kaiser Sports Medicine Facility at the Golden 1 Center (in Sacramento).  It’s a state of the art facility and my Physical Therapist Dr. Kyle is amazing.  He brought up some a great points.  He asked me “As a runner, how often do I run with both feet on the ground at the same time?”  He then talked about how runners should focus more on single leg training because that is how we use our muscles.  He suggested single-leg squats, single-leg deadlifts, clamshells, walking lunges, and some other exercises.  

It not only saved my marathon (I finished, even though the time was slower than I would have liked), but I came out of the marathon stronger than ever.  I have been training for my first 50k and besides the exercises that Dr. Kyle suggested, I have been using an awesome piece of equipment called the SlackBlock. 

I ran across the SlackBlock online and contacted the company.  They sent me the SlackBlock and a book Balance is Power by Jim Klopman.  The book explains the importance of balance, not only in sports performance, but in life.  There has been a decline in balance as a society.  The book is really easy to read, explains why balance is important and how to improve your balance.  The book is $15.99 on Amazon (free with Kindle unlimited).

The SlackBlock is a simple piece of wood with black skateboard like grip tape.  It is attached to a blue foam block with Velcro.  The blue foam block is rectangular and has four triangular parts glued on to provide added lateral support.  It is an inexpensive solution to improving your balance, which will provide several benefits. 

By using the SlackBlock, you will increase the strength in your legs, ankles, and core.  Also, as you run longer distances, your body tends to get tired and your balance can be reduced.  By doing training exercises to help improve balance, you will be able to retain your balance longer.  Another benefit is that having great balance and a stronger ankle/Achilles area, you will be more efficient in your gait.  This can help use less energy during your runs and could even make you faster.

I started by watching a video about how to use the SlackBlock.  It says to start with one foot and balance for 2 minutes.  That seemed like a really long time while I was trying to balance, but it got much easier after a try or two.  I went through the exercises and quickly started seeing the benefits in my running.  I am almost completely injury free at this point.  I know that my physical therapy exercises play a big part in my recovery, but I think my balance exercises have been just as important.    I love the SlackBlock and strongly recommend it to any runner who wants to become stronger and more injury free.

Pros:

Inexpensive ($59.00)

Compact

Easy to use

Can see benefits in a few days

There are a few tools that every runner should have.  Foam Rollers, a stretching mat, and a SlackBlock are important tools in my runner’s toolbox.  While there are still plenty of ways for me to become injured, I think it is important to focus on becoming more injury free.  The SlackBlock helps reduce the risk of preventable injuries.  Get your SlackBlock today for $59.00 and let me know what you think.

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.