A Comfy Beast

Born in Munich, Germany in 1935, now headquartered in the Dolomites of Italy, Salewa’s brand history is anchored to a dedication of quality equipment and light-weight mountaineering gear. All new for the 2018/19 season, Salewa welcomes the SPEED BEAT GTX trail shoe. Complete with a GORE-TEX® Membrane and one of the burliest outsoles on a low-profile runner I’ve ever seen, these shoes are pre-ski season training beasts.

I’ve worn these shoes in early season hikes through steep-pitched snowfields in the San Juan Wilderness of southwestern Colorado, on early morning trail runs along dew-covered trails near Boulder, on scorching 95-degree hikes through the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, and for one long sprint through Denver International Airport racing to make a flight.

Weighing in at 350 grams, the SPEED BEAT GTX shoes have found a way to be light and comfortable, but beastly. When stepping onto a 35-degree snow-covered slope in late May, imagery of internet videos showing raccoons clawing their way up buildings popped into my mind. The super grippy POMOCA soles clung on, inspiring confidence in each step. I thought the rigidity of the durable-density EVA midsole that give these kicks a stiffness reminiscent to a hiking boot might irritate me at first, but after billy-goating through a small scree field, I realized how stable and dexterous I felt with every precarious step.

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The GORE-TEX® Membrane combined with the POMOCA outsole has turned me into that girl running through the water crossings. But, this waterproof element did have my feet overheating a bit while I was hiking in dry, 95-degree weather. Luckily the heat just reminded me how rugged these shoes are and encouraged me to get higher in the mountains for longer.

The Salewa SPEED BEAT GTX shoe will officially release in Fall 2018, and will be available on Salewa’s website. I recommend you go grab a pair. 

Read More: Gear for Mountain Running