Salomon S/LAB Phantasm 3 review: Is it an aerodynamic advantage?

If you were paying attention to Ironman World Champion Casper Stornes’ feet as they flew along the sand at the 70.3 Oceanside race last weekend, you probably noticed that the Norwegian was wearing Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 running shoes (albeit with the air cover removed).

Salomon has historically not been a go-to brand for triathlon – in fact, it has long been synonymous with road running. But since launching the Sonic line in 2016, the brand has expanded its focus to include the road, and recently, they revealed they’re moving into the triathlon business in earnest by sponsoring three professionals: Stornes, two-time long course world champion Marjoleine Pierre (FRA), and French Ironman record holder Julie Emolo. Salomon’s latest and most ambitious road project reflects their ambitions in this market: an updated carbon fiber version Super shoesthe S/Lab Phantasm. Instead of seeking marginal gains through foam or panel modifications, Salomon turned to one of the unexplored variables in superior shoe performance: aerodynamics.

Taking a page out of cycling’s innovation playbook, Salomon turned to the wind tunnel to improve this overlooked variable in running. We found out where they focused on improving the aerodynamics of the shoe, and put a sample to the test.

Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 at a glance

weight: 7.0 oz (men 9, women 10.5)
Stack height: 39.5-33.5 mm
Drop from heel to toe: 6 mm

Pros and cons

+ Incredibly soft midsole

+ Provides excellent cushioning without being mushy

+ Eye-catching futuristic design

– Difficulty riding and tying laces

– The narrow midsole width under the heel is not ideal for heel strikers

S-curve to create superior footwear

New technologies often follow a pattern known as the S curve of innovation, where they advance slowly at first, then accelerate rapidly, and then plateau when further gains become more difficult. Now it seems that the super shoes are entering this final phase.

Today, nearly ten years after the creation of the first luxury shoe, the basic materials and design (foam, plate, midsole geometry) are largely understood and improved, making meaningful progress difficult. To achieve marginal gains in performance and stand out from an increasingly homogeneous field of luxury footwear, brands are looking beyond improving the basics.

Aerodynamics and running

While running in 2023, Gatien Eriau, product line manager for road running shoes at Salomon, was discussing the future of road running shoes with a colleague. The conversation turned to aerodynamics, which led to the creation of a bicycle company called Swiss sideHe became famous Wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic consulting in professional cycling. Shortly afterwards, Erio met with the founder of the Swiss side, Jean-Paul Ballard, to explore how they could work together to improve the shoes.

Aerodynamics has already been explored in running and speed clothing. Nike AeroSwift gear, which he wears Faith Kipyegon during her attempt, which took less than 4 minutesand Eliud KipchogeThe drafting strategy tested in the wind tunnel on the Breaking2 project showed that aerodynamics had the opportunity to improve performance. However, despite its influence on apparel and racing tactics, aerodynamics has remained largely unexplored in the world of footwear.

To explore the potential benefits, Erio and his team conducted a study to determine the performance gains that could be achieved. They tested 12 shoes, from the chunky Hoka Bondi to the sleek Nike Vaporfly, on the treadmill. They found that a runner’s foot speed during the forward swing of the step is twice his speed. At these speeds, shoe resistance becomes more important, suggesting that performance gains can be achieved by improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the shoe.

Inside the wind tunnel

Using a built-in two-by-two-meter wind tunnel to evaluate different shoe shapes, the team fitted each shoe at 50-degree and 25-degree angles to the runner’s gait. They 3D printed more than 80 prototypes using modifications to the design and tested them in the built-in tunnel. Using computational fluid dynamics, they determined that the biggest areas where aerodynamic efficiency could be improved were the transitions between the outsole, midsole and upper.

The more they can smooth out each transition and make the shoe a natural extension of the leg, the better it will perform in the built-in wind tunnel. The final design features a soft, rounded midsole and an integrated upper covering the laces.

Once the team had settled on the final prototype, Salomon, with the support of the Swiss side, conducted running economic tests with elite athletes in a large-scale wind tunnel. Athletes completed two 12-minute laps at LT1 speed in the S/LAB Phantasm 2, first without wind and then with a 20 km/h headwind to replicate outdoor conditions. After an eight-minute recovery, the same protocol was repeated in S/LAB Phantasm 3.

The results backed up what Salomon first saw in the small wind tunnel: The S/LAB Phantasm 3 reduced overall aerodynamic drag by 2.5 to 3 percent, a margin that Salomon says can equate to up to 18 seconds during a marathon at 20 km/h (aka 2:06:35 marathon pace). While an independent comparison of operating economics with competing models would strengthen Salomon’s point, early data suggest there is more to it than just theory.

The shoe also recently received a convincing showing in the real world, where ultra-running star Courtney Dowwalter beat her personal best in the marathon by 11 minutes, posting 2:38:55 at the California International Marathon while running it. Futsum Zienasellassie won the men’s race in a time of 2:09:31, also a personal best, in the same shoes.

And of course, there’s Stornes, who unleashed a fantastic kick The last 200 meters of 70.3 Oceanside To catch and overtake American Sam Long for the final podium place in the men’s race.

Salomon S/Phantasm Lab 3: First impressions

Tested on the road, the Phantasm 3 outperforms its predecessor in every way, aside from aerodynamic innovation. That was immediately noticeable. It’s like a completely different shoe than the Phantasm 2.

Weight is down 10 percent to 7 ounces, while stack height has increased 10 percent to 39.5 mm under the heel. It still uses PEBA supercritical foam, but with a softer and denser formulation. The spoon-shaped carbon fiber panel remains the same.

While running, I tested the S/Lab Phantasm 3 from an easy warm-up pace to about 5 minutes per mile, and the ride felt remarkably consistent throughout. I never found a pace where the shoe felt awkward or out of its element.

The first thing I noticed while running was how smooth the ride was. It’s not an overly bouncy, somewhat uncontrollable ride, like some PEBA-based superior shoes. I found the foam to be fairly stable. However, like the Phantasm 2, the width from midfoot to heel was quite narrow, which led me to wonder if the shoe would be stable enough for a backswinger.

The wide forefoot has a noticeable, but moderate, rocker presence, making the transition from heel smooth, without the need for a strong forefoot, unlike some shoes with a sharp rocker.

The standout feature of the shoe is undoubtedly the white upper which contrasts with the aerodynamics of the shoe. The outer layer is made of a very thin, lightweight and stretchy material. The interior is a single layer engineered mesh upper with notched laces. It’s not a slip-on shoe by any means; Making the inner top flat requires some patience. Personally, this isn’t a downside: I like a racing shoe that’s hard to get into. I don’t wear it often, so it’s not a daily inconvenience, and the right fit makes me feel stable and ready to go.

I couldn’t point to a moment where I felt a clear aerodynamic benefit from the shoe, but the closed lace design was noticeable, giving the upper a clean, continuous feel that enhanced the sense of closure.

Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3: For him

The S/Lab Phantasm 3 is well-suited for competitive road runners racing longer distances, as their higher leg speeds create greater aerodynamic drag. I’m skeptical that more casual or slower runners, with lower leg speeds, would benefit much from improved aerodynamics.

More than anything else, the S/Lab Phantasm 3 indicates how Salomon approaches shoe design. Rather than chasing trends or copying what already works elsewhere, Salomon invests in research and testing to guide development.

Salomon has been vocal that he wants to increase his reputation on the road. To be a true player in today’s road shoe market, having a legitimate premium shoe is essential. Salomon wasn’t even on my radar as a superior shoe contender before the S/Lab Phantasm 3, but its performance puts the brand in the running, and the aerodynamic technology should turn heads.

Whether aerodynamics ultimately proves to be a meaningful tool for performance in superior shoes remains an open question. However, Salomon’s findings with the Phantasm 3, combined with cues from the lace-free Cloudboom LightSpray, suggest that smoother, more integrated constructions may play a bigger role in the next phase of super shoe design.

Similar shoes

On Cloudboom Strike LS

Diadora Jara Carbon 2

Track maker Elliott Racer

Hoka X3 missile