Footwear is usually something people don’t talk about when it comes to shooting. Generally speaking, a comfortable pair of sneakers can absolutely get the job done; I even used to run classes and matches in a pair of Chucks, which was a very bold move depending on the ground surface of the range I was at. Most of the outdoor ones had dirt, gravel, or some combination of the two. Thus, after slipping and sliding my way through Area 4, I figured it was probably time to get dedicated “range shoes”.
I took note of what everyone else was wearing: Altama, On, Salomons, Merrells. Trail running shoes are the norm in my locale. After asking some friends for their input, and a couple who were actually willing to let me test out a pair of their shoes, I finally settled on the Salomon SpeedAssault 2s.
Features
There are a few features of the SpeedAssault 2s I wanted to highlight very quickly. I did not own the previous generation of SpeedAssaults so I can’t speak for any changes between the two. Rather, I am only speaking on the few that I noticed from this pair.
The tread is very grippy on soft dirt and gravel surfaces. While I am not necessarily the quickest shooter, the tread did give me enough confidence to being able to move and explode from position to position. I have not had an instance where I felt like I was gonna slip or fall as I was decelerating.
For laces, Salomon used their Quicklace system. This was the biggest draw to me over other trail shoes that have the traditional shoe lace system – as a match goes on, regular laces can be undone, and retying them to ensure security can get troublesome. The Quicklace allows for hassle-free adjustments on the fly.
Finally, the stretch heel just makes putting on and taking off the shoe so much easier. It doesn’t feel like I need to sit down or brace myself to wear these. After a long day, the last thing you want to worry about is falling and tripping over yourself off the range.
Fit and Finish
The SpeedAssault family of shoes are the military counterpart of Salomon’s SpeedCrosses, which have become a mainstay amongst trail shoes. The shoe’s design is a lot more muted, absent of the large “SpeedCross” branding and contrasting colors normally seen. Instead, it comes in three colorways: Black, Dark Brown, and Wolf Gray. I decided to purchase the Wolf Gray one because it not only looks very good clean or dirty, but also because within a friend group of five, four of us have dark brown SpeedAssault 2s. It helps during parties and gatherings when everyone is trying to figure out whose shoes are whose.
The fit was probably the biggest concern I had personally. Salomons are known to run on the smaller side. As a wide-flat footed American, that type of fit is the bane of my existence. Breaking them in was irritating to say the least. Depending on what socks are worn, it can affect how differently the midfoot feels. My Nike DriFit socks were much more generous versus my Darn Toughs at the beginning. The stretch heel does dig at the back of my heel at times. I have not gotten blisters, but the hotspots were hard to ignore.
The break-in period overall took approximately 4-5 weeks of constant everyday wear. After that point, the gripes I mentioned above quitely disappeared and the shoes became a mainstay with how quick, comfortable, and convenient they are.
Long-Term Review
I would like to write a follow up article to this after a few months, following the rest of my shooting season, to give a true impression. My only experience so far comes from breaking them in, going on a hike, shooting one match, and having a couple of range sessions. Ideally, I would like to give a picture of how these shoes fare in the competitive shooting environment in the long run. While they are reasonably priced in comparison to other mid-high end running shoes, I would like to hope that the durability matches price tag.
See everyone at the range! And stand by for part 2!
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