Tested | Salomon Genesis 2

The John Deere of trail shoes, the Salomon Genesis 2 is a rugged, technical trail shoe that earns your trust when the terrain gets tough.

The Genesis 2 looks like it belongs in the mountains. There's an S-Lab version that's lighter and racier for the Doug Pickards up front, but for long-lasting battle armour, this shoe is hard to subdue.

Ours came in earthy grey and brown, with off-white zig-zag panels and hits of red that feel inspired by the terrain itself. I haven't run in the original Genesis, but others say this one carries the same DNA with a roomier toe box and a revamped chassis that now sits integrated into the midsole, rather than as an external structure, to offer better stability.

STURDY CONSTRUCTION

For me, a standout detail is the upper. It's made from something called Matryx, which meant nothing to me, so I looked it up. Turns out it's a woven textile, made using individually coated technical yarns, including Kevlar fibres.

Pick the shoe up and you can feel it. The material is thin and slightly wiry, which initially seems at odds with how rugged the shoe looks. Three runs across technical terrain and I get it. For something that feels so thin, it's seriously tough. The smooth synthetic sections add some structure over the weave, and the whole upper feels built to take a beating.

The fit was comfortable from the start. Once I was moving, I didn't have to think about them much again. Nothing rubbing, nothing moving around, and no distractions when the terrain got rough. My pair, a UK size 10.5, weighed 319g on my scale. Underfoot, Salomon lists a stack height of around 37mm in the heel and 29mm in the forefoot, giving it an 8mm drop.

The midsole uses Optifoam, Salomon's lightweight EVA-based cushioning. I generally like to move fairly quickly on the trail, so I'm naturally drawn to shoes with a bit of energy. But I really started to appreciate the firmer, more grounded feel here. On loose rocks and wet descents, being able to feel what was happening underfoot gave me confidence. There's no rock plate in this version, but I never found myself wishing for one. The outsole is Salomon's Contagrip rubber, with lugs around 4mm deep.

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SERIOUS GRIP

My first run involved a hard climb followed by a fairly direct descent. The second was a gentler contour route with plenty of rocky, undulating ground. The third brought rain, mud, wet rock and the kind of slippery mountain terrain where you start paying considerably more attention to where you put your feet. I felt secure through all of it.

That third run was the real test. At one point I missed the trail and continued climbing where I shouldn't have. Rather than doing the sensible thing and retracing my steps, I decided to traverse back down a steep face of loose gravel. There were no real footholds, no convenient roots to catch me, and not much below me if I started sliding. It was probably the moment I appreciated the Genesis 2 most. The outsole seemed to bite into everything I put underneath it and I never once felt like the shoe was going to let go. Not necessarily my smartest route choice, but a pretty convincing test of the grip.

THE VERDICT

After those three runs, the Genesis 2 earned my trust. The worse the conditions got, the happier I was to have them on my feet. For me, the Genesis 2 is all about terrain. When the route turns rocky, technical or a little sketchy, this is exactly the shoe I'd reach for. It's firm, grounded and seriously grippy. A proper mountain workhorse, whether I'm heading out for a quick jaunt or spending a long day on the trails.

Salomon Genesis 2 men's trail shoe | RRP R3,299 | salomonsports.co.za