Salomon Index 03 First Run: A Fully Recyclable Road Running Shoe That Surprised Us

Introduction

The Salomon Index 03 is the latest version of the brand’s fully recyclable road running shoe, and it is one of the more interesting launches in recent memory. The all-white look is not a style statement. The shoe is designed to be fully disassembled and recycled into a second life as a pair of Salomon ski boots, and keeping it dye-free is a big part of that plan.

But sustainability only matters so much if the shoe does not perform on the roads. So we took it straight out of the box for a first run of more than eleven miles to see whether the Index 03 is a genuinely good running shoe or just a clever recycling exercise.

Price, Weight and Key Specs

The Index 03 has just launched on the Salomon website and retails for £150 in the UK. Interestingly, that price has gradually come down across the Index line, which is rare at a time when running shoe prices generally only move upward. Salomon now has the whole manufacturing, breakdown, and recycling process in place, which appears to be behind that drop.

The shoe weighs a reasonably light 270g in a men’s UK 9.5, with a 29mm stack height at the heel and 20mm under the forefoot, giving a 9mm heel offset. Those numbers put it firmly in everyday trainer territory rather than max-cushion plating.

A Shoe Designed for a Second Life

The recycling system is refreshingly simple. Inside the box you find a Salomon postcard with a QR code and a short set of instructions. You scan the code to register the shoe, and once it has reached the end of its running life, you contact Salomon through their website. They arrange collection, and the shoe is broken down so its materials can be recycled into new products, including Salomon ski boots.

The white colourway is central to the concept. Skipping the dyeing process reduces the carbon footprint of production, and it also makes recycling easier. That is why the Index line has only ever been available in white.

Upper and Construction

The upper is a lightweight, breathable, fully recyclable polyester that feels very soft in the hand, with moderate padding in the standard tongue and around the ankle collar. The heel is so soft you can fold it into the shoe, and there is no plastic heel cup for structure, which clearly comes down to the disassembly requirement. Structural overlays wrap around the midfoot and lace eyelets to give the soft upper a little more substance and durability.

It uses a standard lace system rather than Salomon’s Quicklace, which you tend to see across the rest of their road lineup. The most noticeable detail is the red stitch line that runs all the way around the shoe. On the medial heel it marks the “splitting area”, designed to make it easy to separate the upper from the TPU bottom unit that gets reinjected into ski boots.

The midsole is Infini Foam, a nitrogen-infused TPU cushioning that feels lightweight and soft, paired with Salomon’s Reverse Camber geometry. That aggressive rocker shape should feel efficient and push you along through the running motion. The outsole uses a translucent Contagrip rubber finished with small circular lugs and a flex groove down the middle, a very distinctive look for a road shoe.

How It Performed on the Road

The biggest surprise of the first run was the upper. In the studio it felt understructured and we had real doubts, but out on the road it fit beautifully. Lockdown around the midfoot was excellent, the heel held well, and the toe box offered a nice level of wiggle room despite Salomon’s typically narrow fit. It runs true to size in a UK 9.5.

Over 11.5 miles straight out of the box, the shoe kept impressing. On greasy roads the outsole grip felt confident, and the lightweight upper and balanced ride gave a genuine no-shoes feel. The Reverse Camber midsole felt efficient at a steady 8:00 to 8:20 per mile, and because the shoe is relatively light it also handled quicker tempo bursts well.

On cushioning, this is not the softest shoe around. If you love a deep stack of very soft, bouncy foam, the Index 03 may feel a touch firm. But it delivered comfort with good ground feel and stability, so if you prefer a slightly firmer, old-school ride, that could actually be a selling point. The upper’s airy feel also reminds us of the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2, one of the best neutral daily trainers we have tested, and it came very close to that standard.

Durability and Who It Is For

Salomon states the Index 03 is designed for one less run per week, so it is not a high-volume training shoe. Given the very soft upper construction, long-term durability is the big open question, and that is something to watch as the shoe beds in.

As a daily or secondary trainer for moderate weekly mileage, though, it makes a lot of sense: comfortable, light, grippy in the wet, and genuinely recyclable at the end of its life. And after more than eleven miles of tiptoeing around mud and puddles, it even stayed white.

Conclusion

Salomon has taken a real risk here, and it largely pays off. The Index 03 is a thoughtfully engineered, fully recyclable road running shoe that also happens to be a pleasant, balanced ride with an excellent upper. If you want a firmer-feeling trainer and care about where your shoes end up, this is an easy one to recommend, as long as you accept the moderate mileage expectations and the all-white look.