Salomon Ultra Raid Review: A Lightweight Trail Shoe With a Few Painful Compromises

Introduction

The Salomon Ultra Raid is a shoe that slipped under the radar for a lot of runners, and it caught our attention mostly for one reason: a black and red colorway that looks genuinely fast. The usual warning applies, of course, never buy a running shoe purely on color, but in this case the pull of the design was hard to resist. After 30-plus miles of testing, the verdict is a mixed one. There is real appeal in the lightweight, stripped-back build and dependable grip, but there are also a few design decisions that wore us down over time.

Who This Product Is For

Salomon’s product description has shifted over time, and that is worth understanding before you buy. When the shoe first appeared, it was described as suited to hiking, trekking, adventure racing, and ultra running. The current listing leans more toward long summer walks and exploration, which is a telling clue about where the Ultra Raid performs best.

If you want a lightweight shoe for mixed but reasonably friendly terrain, and you are not planning to slog through deep boggy mud, it can work well. It is also available in four colorways for men and women.

Main Strengths

The weight is the first thing you notice. In a men’s UK 9.5 the Ultra Raid weighs 280 grams, and paired with the light, almost transparent ripstop nylon upper, it feels nimble and responsive out on the trail. Coming from deeper, more cushioned midsole shoes, it took a few runs to adjust to the reduced bulk, but once settled in, the lighter ride was genuinely enjoyable.

Grip and traction have been solid. The 4mm lugs are coated in Salomon’s Contagrip MA rubber, which delivers dependable traction on wet, dry, loose, and hard surfaces. Rocky sections in both wet and dry conditions gave us no real issues. Deep mud is a different story, and we suspect it would struggle there.

The toe bumper deserves a special mention. It is a substantial rubberized piece of protection, and we tested it more than once against a hidden rock on overgrown trails and a stubbed toe on some tired legs. It took every hit without complaint, and no black toenails were earned along the way.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The tongue is the standout frustration. It is thin, barely padded, and not gusseted, which is a departure from the banded midfoot or gusseted designs most Salomon trail shoes use. It offers almost no protection from laces across the top of the foot, and because it is not wide enough, the thin sides roll up and fold back on themselves every time you put the shoe on. It could take five or six attempts to get it lying flat, and skip that step and irritation follows quickly. There is also no traditional quick-lace system here, just an old-school lacing setup, so there is no lace pocket to worry about at least.

The midsole is the other letdown. Energy foam feels plush and responsive for the first stretch, with a nice level of ground connection, but after around 20 miles the ride flattened off and lost much of its softness. The culprit seems to be the Ortholite die-cut sockliner, which was very soft and squishy but compressed quickly, leaving the midsole feeling noticeably firmer. A Pro Feel film in the midsole, similar to what you find in the Sense Ride, did not add meaningful protection either. Heavy foot strikes on rocky descents made us wince more than once, which is a real drawback if you regularly run sharp, technical ground like a coastal path.

One more caution: user reviews on the retailer’s site repeatedly mention the ripstop nylon upper splitting at the flex point. Our pair has held up fine at 30-plus miles with no early wear at the flex zones, but durability concerns from other owners make it worth watching closely.

Buying Advice

The Ultra Raid retails for £130 in the UK, the same price as the Salomon Ultra Glide, and honestly it feels more like a £90 shoe. If you like this shoe’s lightweight character and clean design but want better all-around trail performance, the Ultra Glide is the stronger pick. The Sense Ride 4 is another option worth considering. It performs noticeably better, offers a far more comfortable tongue, and comes in at a friendlier price. The Sense Ride 4 does feel similar in some ways, but it simply gets the fundamentals right where the Ultra Raid stumbles.

If your runs stay on soft ground or buffed-out trails, the lack of protection may not bother you. But if you live somewhere rocky, there are better ways to spend the same money.

Conclusion

The Salomon Ultra Raid is an attractive shoe with a nimble, lightweight ride, good grip from its Contagrip MA outsole, and a toe bumper that protects with confidence. But the unforgiving tongue, a midsole that flattens after 20 miles, limited protection on rocky ground, and a premium price make it a tough recommendation. Our overall score landed at a lackluster 17 out of 30 across price, comfort and performance, and durability. Looks get a big thumbs up, especially in that black and red colorway, but style only goes so far. For trail running on varied terrain, the Ultra Glide remains the better choice.