Performance

The Wings Pro 2 is slightly heavier than many of its rivals, but has a solid, durable feel that hints at a long life. It feels dependable, secure and decently comfortable on the foot too, with enough toe-room and a high-ish arch support.

The ride isn’t super soft on harder surfaces – not as compliant as its cousin, the Speedcross 4 for example – but it’s reasonable and the shoe rolls along nicely. Underfoot stiffness means it doesn’t feel the most nimble and responsive, but does mean good protection from rocks and stones.

Where it does struggle a little for grip is on softer, sloppier surfaces thanks to relatively low lugs and on wet rock where like the Speedcross, it always feels a little tentative.

The lacing system works well, though we found there was a fine line between ‘too loose’ with excess heel lift and ‘too tight’, which was uncomfortable. And while we’re in the lacing area, the gusseted tongue does a good job of repelling low-flying grit and gravel.

Wings Pro – Verdict

There no doubting the solidity and toughness of the Wings Pro 2 or the amount of Salomon technology that’s gone into it. It all adds up to a decently comfortable trail shoe that’s at its best on firm to medium terrain.

The pay-off for that sturdiness though is a slightly wooden feel compared to lighter, more flexible alternatives. It’s also not as cushioned as you might think from the spec and it gives quite a firm ride on harder surfaces, albeit with decent stone protection up front.

On top of that, the relatively shallow lugs are happier away from softer ground, unlike the toothier Speedcross 4. A good option if you mostly run on dry, hard-pack trails, favour a less-cushioned ride and want a very durable shoe, but for all-round use, we think there are better options available.

More Information

See www.salomon.com/uk/product/wings-pro-2.html