Salomon Sense Ride 4 Review Analysis (2021)
Last update: April 2024
The Salomon Sense Ride 4 is an all-around trail running shoe that combines comfort, protection, and grip.
The Consensus
Since its debut, the Sense Ride has shined with comfortable cushioning that disperses shocks on various trail running surfaces. The ride is enjoyable over longer distances. According to testers, version 3 was less springy and more protective, and it looks like 4 continues that trend. It’s possible to go fast, but let’s say that it may not be as compelling as other lighter shoes in this area.
The new, more straightforward, sleeker (and lighter) upper still provides a precise foot lockdown with decent midfoot and forefoot space. The combination of Sensifit (overlays) and Endofit (internal bootie) ticks all the boxes. Finally, Quicklace has been a core feature of Salomon for years and still does a great job at allowing a worry-free adjustment of the laces.
The grip is as impeccable as the rest. The Contagrip rubber outsole and its medium-depth lugs excel on all different types of surfaces. Trail runners have found no shortcomings in this area: whether you’re running on soft dirt, rocks, or snow, the SR4 performs!
As you can see, the Salomon Sense Ride 4 sets the bar high by combining comfort, protection, and grip—all this while shedding significant weight. The only slightly negative point is the firm ride, but that’s a matter of preference and doesn’t affect the excellent shock absorption.
- Great comfort
- Cushioning that disperses shocks well
- The effective grip on most terrains
- Good foot protection
- New lighter upper
- Cushioning can be a little firm for some trail runners and lacks responsiveness
Technologies
Outsole
- Contagrip MA: a blown rubber that’s resilient and offers secure traction on uneven trail surfaces.
Midsole
- Optivibe is a compound made from Dow Infuse olefin that provides a more comfortable and snappier ride.
- Profeel Film equips the midsole. This foam layer placed between the midsole and the outsole protects and supports the foot to combine comfort and safety on trails.
- OrthoLite increases in-shoe comfort and helps with controlling humidity.
Upper
- The upper of the Salomon Sense Ride 4 is a single-layer engineered mesh that comfortably and safely locks down the foot inside the shoe while ensuring a good breeze.
- The Gore-Tex Invisible Fit is an impermeable internal lining that repels water and humidity while running to keep your feet dry. Only the GTX version features this technology.
- Endofit: a seamless and soft internal bootie that improves in-shoe comfort, especially on top of the foot.
- Sensifit: an adaptive and targeted support system designed to improve comfort and foothold.
- Quicklace lets you to tighten or loosen the laces with just one pull. The laces are thin but robust and athletes only have good things to say about their ease of use.
- The lace pocket allows you to safely stow the laces to prevent them from bothering you while running.
Facts
Technical Specs
| Terrain | Trail |
| Pronation type | Neutral |
| Drop | 8 mm |
| Heel stack height | 27 mm |
| Forefoot stack height | 19 mm |
| Features | Available in GTX, Toe cap |
| Weight (men) | 281 g/9.9 oz |
| Weight (women) | 265 g/9.3 oz |
| Release year | 2021 |
Cushioning
| Softness (1-5) | 2 – Firm |
| Bounce (1-5) | 2 – Low |
Technologies
| Outsole | Contagrip MA |
| Midsole | Optivibe, Profeel Film, OrthoLite |
| Upper | Single-layer engineered mesh, Gore-Tex Invisible Fit, Endofit, Sensifit, Quicklace, lace pocket |
Use
| Speed | Slow, moderate |
| Distance | Mid, long, ultramarathon |
| Workout | Daily runs |
Reference: Salomon’s official website
Comparisons – Salomon Sense Ride 4 vs.:
Salomon Sense Ride 3
The SR4 is lighter than its predecessor while being as comfortable and efficient. Also, the new upper is better ventilated and more straightforward. So the choice is quickly made if your budget allows it.
Salomon Sense Pro 4
These two shoes have different profiles. On the one hand, the Sense Pro 4 is lighter and more responsive, with deeper lugs particularly well suited to soft ground. On the other hand, the Sense Ride 4 absorbs shock and protects the foot on rocky terrain. So it’s up to you to decide depending on how you plan to train. If you plan to do long runs and comfort is your main criterion, then the SR seems more appropriate. For shorter outings at full speed, the SP is a better choice.
Salomon Speedcross 5
The Speedcross is another popular model in Salomon’s trail running line, also available in Gore-Tex. It’s a much heavier shoe (1.8 oz/50 g more!) but with more substantial lugs for the trickiest terrains. The cushioning is also more advanced, with a thick 30 mm heel stack height (compared to 27 mm for the Sense Ride 4). Trail runners who tested both shoes note that the Sense Ride is more stable with its wider platform. Overall, we recommend the Sense Ride 4 if you’re on the fence between the two.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, athletes who ran with this model confirmed that it fits true to size. Therefore, you can buy your regular size for running shoes. Nonetheless, if this is your first pair of Salomon shoes, it’s recommended to give them a try in-store to avoid surprises.
Yes, this shoe is suitable regardless of your weight. Indeed, The Salomon Sense Ride 4 has a 27 mm heel height, which is enough cushioning for most athletes, so you can use it even if you’re a heavyweight runner.
This Salomon trail running shoe is very well suited to different types of training and distances. For trail running, it offers enough comfort, protection, and grip to be a good choice. However, it would be best to rely on your experience to make this decision. It’s best to make it part of your preparation to ensure no discomfort or pain during your long runs.
The SR4 is available in two versions: regular and GTX. The regular is sufficient to repel small amounts of water (like light rain), while the GTX keeps your feet dry much longer. Of course, no protection is fully waterproof (to let your feet breathe), but Gore-Tex does a good job of fending off heavy rain and shallow streams.
The changes to a gusseted tongue, along with a bigger toe box has been disappointing to me. I really wish they would have made the refinements they did without changing the tongue and enlarging the toe box so much that it now runs big in the size I normally wore. This was once a great shoe, but I find I cannot use it anymore for trail runs.
+ PROS: running on flats, or downhill good lock on heel
– CONS: running on the front foot pads