Fight Light Trainers
Is it a boot? Is it a shoe? It’s the Salomon Speed Assault, ladies and gentlemen! One of the several excellent offerings in the Salomon Forces range (including RSM- friendly Quests, the fantastic non-GTX Quest Desert, and an intriguing-looking Jungle Boot), the Speed Assault is an interesting concept which doesn’t have a civilian equivalent in Salomon’s range. It utilises the same contagrip, heavily treaded sole as the legendary Speedcross (ally favourite of many squaddies), albeit with a slightly more “boot-like” sole profile. The Speed Assault shares a number of design features with the Speedcross, particularly the tongue and speed lacing system, which is as effective and hassle-free here as it is on the Speedcross itself.
First things first. Is the Speed Assault a military boot? No, not unless you kick doors, clear buildings and cut about in a chest rig for a living, in which case congratulations, your job is cooler than mine. Your CoC may also take issue with you cutting about in what is essentially a glorified trainer. However, the Speed Assault is an excellent shoe/boot for a number of issues and could be used for green stuff in a pinch, which is why I often pack them as harbour shoes.
The Speed Assault comes in Multicam/MTP compatible Burro Brown and features a much higher ankle than the Speedcross, which provides a remarkable amount of ankle support for such a minimalist boot. It also weighs literally next to nothing, a remarkable feat for a shoe that’s got some decent structure to it. The shoe itself is made of the same ripstop weave the Speedcross is but features less padding and a wider toe box, as well as moulded plastic reinforcements on the outside , heel and toecap. This helps protect the boot, which stood up very well to five days’ hiking on some very rough shingle, surviving unblemished and intact.
The Speed Assault is definitely a summer boot. It features a single layer of ripstop synthetic canvas-like material which is in no way shape or form waterproof – but this is clearly an intentional design, as it also has two jungle boot-like water valves on the inside of the instep to allow water to drain out. It would make an excellent summer wetlands or arid terrain hiking shoe/boot.
I wore the Speed Assaults for five straight days, pretty much fresh out the box, whilst hiking in the mountains in Italy. Temperatures ranged from 30 to 38 degrees. I never once experienced a hotspot, a blister, or anything similar, and the shoes required no breaking in whatsoever. I also had no issues with hot and sweaty feet, despite hiking in high temperatures for several hours. On scree, steep dirt, and even slick wet stone the contagrip sole’s grip was outstanding – better than a lot of vibram offerings, particularly going up dirt hills, where the flex in the sole coupled with the aggressive tread left me feeling anchored in. I carried medium weight over rough going on a number of occasions and experienced no stability issues. The drawstring laces stayed tight and comfortable throughout even when subjected to steep gradients and uneven terrain. I also waded up a river for several miles, and once again the Speed Assault performed superbly, venting the water out whenever I emerged from the riverbed and providing good traction on the slippery stones underfoot. Once I left the river behind, my shoes dried in the heat in no time – far faster than a boot could hope to.
Two minor quibbles – one is that the material round the heel has a tendency to ride down and form a very uncomfortable ridge when donning the shoes, meaning that rather than pull them on like a normal trainer you have to fully loosen them off, slide your foot in whilst keeping the heel of the shoe clear with a finger, and then let it sit onto it. The other is that on steep descents over rocky scree the ankle support was minimal and I risked a twisted ankle descending too fast a couple times, but that’s to be expected in such a lightweight shoe.
Is the Salomon Speed Assault for you? Well, if you’re an operator you don’t need my advice. If you’re in the forces, you might be able to rock a pair of these for Battle/Boot PT and other activities with minimal loads. If you’re into fell running, these are an excellent alternative to the Speedcross – for a minimal to no increase in weight compared to the latter you’ve got far superior ankle support and a beefier toebox. If you’re a hiker then definitely give these a go, particularly if you favour warmer climates or are into superlight trekking and expeditions. If you’re planning on going somewhere hot (where your feet might occasionally get wet) then these are a serious contender. It’s exceedingly difficult to find a pair of lightweight hiking boots in the UK that won’t make your feet want to die or are non-GTX lined, so if you’re off to Southern Europe, Africa, Australia, South Asia or South America then give the Speed Assault a serious thought. Although they’re not as garish as civilian offerings the understated Burro Brown doesn’t scream “military” or “contractor” as a Desert Tan shoe might, and your only non-GTX alternatives for that kind of environment (particularly hot wetlands) are generally speaking military desert or jungle boots (which are normally high-leg and a lot heavier), which depending on the country’s political climate you might not want to wear.
VERDICT: The Salomon Speed Assault stood me in good stead from the depths of a riverbed to over 2000m in height. They’re lightweight, comfortable and extremely breathable. Buy yours here:
Allyness: 4/5
Cost: ££
Recommended Y/N: Y
This Kit Pest Review was written by Tommasso. Hopefully you enjoyed it and if you have any thoughts or comments related to this article then leave a comment!
If you'd like to visit Cooper's Kit Corner, you can find it here.
If you'd like to visit Gen Kit Exchange, you can find it here.
Tax Reclaims - https://forces-money.co.uk/military-kit-insurance/
Tax Reclaims - https://forces-money.co.uk/military-kit-insurance/
No comments:
Post a Comment