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RW Takeaway: The versatile Sonic 3 Balance is a very firm and stiff neutral shoe that has ample cushioning for long runs, but will feel most responsive on faster-paced efforts.
- Which Running Gear Is—and Isn’t—Worth Your Money
- Bootie-style upper feels very secure and breathes well
- Rubber outsole with decoupling groove offers traction with a smoother ride
Price: $130
Type: Road
Weight: 8.9 oz (M), 7.6 oz (W)
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Salomon released the Sonic, its first true road model, in early 2016. The shoe felt more like a prototype—the fit was a little sloppy, the energy return was minimal, and the cushioning that worked well on the brand’s trail models felt much too firm for the pavement. Three years later, the Sonic 3 Balance is a major improvement on its former self with the right tweaks to push it out of the beta stage. The shoe now has completely revamped cushioning that uses two types of foam: the top is a denser, memory foam-like heel insert that soaks up shock, and the bottom base layer is light and responsive. Salomon worked with Dow Chemical on the latter foam to give the Balance some of the bounce and energy return absent from the earlier Sonics. Paired with a deep guidance groove on the outsole, you get a smooth ride with especially quick and punchy transitions. “Not too cushy, not too firm,” one tester said. “The Sonic has less cushioning than what I’m used to, but it feels fast and gives energy back.”
Pros
- Midsole foam feels responsive and firm, but not bouncy
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Cons
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Stiff Sole, Smooth Ride
OptiVibe, Salomon’s new two-piece midsole system, attempts to damp the vibrations that wreak havoc on your joints, launch you forward into your next stride with each footstrike, and do both efficiently enough to significantly decrease muscle fatigue. Compared to the original Sonic, Salomon says the new shoe improves vibration damping and shock absorption by 15 and 8 percent, respectively, without losing responsiveness. Our results from the RW Shoe Lab don’t show any notable change in the shoe’s energy return, but the forefoot cushioning has softened. Our testers confirm that the ride still feels firm and propulsive. In short, it’s a shoe that feels best for tempos and faster efforts, rather than easy miles.
Trail-Inspired Traction
Although the Sonic is a road shoe, it borrows the same ContraGrip outsole from Salomon’s hardwearing trail shoes. The rubber is denser in the heel, where it impressed our testers with traction on gravel and wet tow paths, but does give the shoe a stiff feeling on foot. Salomon counters the more rigid ride with a full-length decoupling groove that cuts through the center of the outsole. Compared to previous versions of the Sonic, the groove is now deeper and wider, a design tweak that both smooths out transitions from touchdown to toe-off and adds stability.
Spacious and Secure Upper
Bootie-style uppers are now pretty commonplace in running shoes, although not always well-executed. Salomon took special measures to get the fit right in the Sonic 3 with a thin, wide tongue that wraps the foot from the lower ankle to the toes. It’s made from material similar to that of its OrthoLite insole, but incorporates a slow-recovering foam that gradually molds to the foot over periods of use. The exterior is a tightly woven engineered mesh with more supportive textile strips at the toe, heel, and lateral sides, while the mid- and forefoot stay free of overlays with added slits for breathability. In testing, male runners said the Sonic fit true-to-size; female runners found the width much too generous, so those with narrow feet may need to opt for thicker socks and lace up tight.
Wear-Tester Feedback
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Two-layer cushioning system both absorbs shock and feels propulsive
“This shoe is sort of like a Toyota Camry—it has some ‘get up’ and gives you a nice ride, but it’s not really fancy, flashy, or fast. It is versatile, stable, and very comfortable for everyday running, but you are not going to take it to the races. I wore it straight out of the box for 13-mile run with no blisters or soreness; it will do the job well at any distance from a 5K to 25 miles. The Sonic has a sturdier and more responsive foam which I really prefer, and I have wider feet so it is nice to see Salomon making its shoes with a little more room in the midfoot and not quite as narrow [in the toe box].”
