Salomon S/Lab Spectur review: finally a carbon plate run shoe that’s not only for elites

Initially, the Salomon S/Lab Spectur packed less punch than some of the performance running shoes that I’ve tested. They’re less noticeably bouncy than many other models with carbon plates, and they didn’t have the raw aggression and rigidity of many supershoes. But that is actually the point.

Realising that most elite performance running shoes are designed for elite performers, Salomon looked into what might make good runners go faster, and they discovered that just giving them shoes that were suited to elite athletes running marathons in well under three hours didn’t necessarily help.

In fact, a model designed around the biomechanics of the sub-elite runner may be far more appropriate. The Spectur probably won’t be used to break any world records, but it’s designed to help runners improve their own personal bests, maybe a 42 or 45-minute 10k, or a 3:20 marathon, or a sub-4. Whatever you need.

This translates into a very comfortable ride, still fast, but with a supportive and stable feel. I felt settled from the first steps in these shoes – nothing spectacular or novel, just a reliability and speed that I felt I could sustain indefinitely.

The carbon plate

The full-length carbon energyBLADE added propulsion, while the unusual heel platform – wide, but with an innovative split down the middle – gave them stability.

The optiFOAM midsole was springy and comfortable, and while the rigidity of some supershoes can hammer the legs a little, the Spectur added a little more softness to my runs.

I felt best in zones two and three in these shoes – I don’t think they’re the model that will propel me to a 5k PB, but for fast or steady running over distance, the Spectur are right in their comfort zone.

Fit and feel

At 230g (8.1oz), the Spectur is still light enough to race with, and the overall feeling of support and stability is reflected in the sizing and structure of the upper.

They accommodated my ever-so-slightly-wide feet without chafing, even though Salomon describe the Spectur as having a narrow fit, and there is noticeable, and much appreciated extra padding on the tongue, which wraps nicely around the foot.

The white colour scheme is brave for the British climate, and I couldn’t bring myself to wear these in the rain, but while it’s minimalist and spare, it’s as bold in its way as the ubiquitous luminosity and fluorescence of the mid-2020s running shoe.

Overall, the Spectur may not be a supershoe in the truest sense, but then again, few of us are super athletes. For most runners, however, the Spectur is a fast, comfortable running and racing shoe that may help achieve a personal best.

Meet our reviewer:

Edward Pickering is an experienced journalist, a former editor of Procycling and Rouleur magazines and the author of Ronde, The Yellow Jersey Club and The Race Against Time. He has covered 18 Tours de France, the Olympic Games and most major international bike races on the ground, and he’s interviewed pretty much all the biggest stars in cycling in the last 20 years.

A keen endurance athlete, Ed has been competing in bike and running races since his teens. He’s run a sub-three marathon, a sub-17-minute 5k and sub-5-minute mile, and doesn’t know where his obsession with round numbers comes from. 

Salomon S/Lab Spectur specs

Price	£200/$220
Weight	8.1oz / 230g weight
Sizing	Unisex: UK 3.5-13.5; US Men 4-15 / Women 5-16
Features	Carbon plate, 8mm drop