Advnture Verdict
Water-resistant enough to take on wet weather and breathable enough to keep you cool, Salomon’s comfy, quick-to-lace Sense Ride 4 is a solid choice for changeable conditions.
Pros
- +
Quick-adjust laces
- +
Water-resistant
- +
Breathable
Cons
- -
They look dirty fast
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Salomon Sense Ride 4 women’s: first impressions
Salomon Sense Ride 4 women’s trail running shoes could be your solution to a perennial problem. Choosing the best trail running shoes is, of course, and very subjective process with every runner having their own personal preferences (see: how to choose trail running shoes). Many runners will only seek out waterproof trail-running shoes for the coldest, wettest weather, but they don’t let feet breathe very well. Not so Salomon’s Sense Ride 4, which boasts a waterproof membrane but is also breathable enough to keep your feet cool on warm, rainy runs.
This shoe is not quite as waterproof as, say, Gore-Tex hiking boots would be (it has a lower collar, of course, so water can get in the top), but it does repel rain well, and if it does get saturated in puddles, it’s quick to dry – we’d class it as water-resistant.
• RRP: $160 (US) / £110 (UK)
• Weight (per shoe): 235g / 8.29oz
• Drop: 8mm
• Sizes: 3.5 – 10.5
• Colors: Sirocco, Peachy Keen & Red Orange / Delphinium Blue, Mallard Blue & Lavender / Pastel Turquoise, Lunar Rock & Slate / Wine Tasting, Quiet Shade & Ebony / Brick Dust, India Ink & Sirocco
• Compatibility: Great for wet conditions
Salomon Sense Ride 4 women’s: on the trails
The Ride 4s are pleasingly lightweight and speedy to wear, and we like the quick-adjust laces – no more faffing with knots mid-jog, and getting a custom fit makes the shoes feel snug underfoot mile after mile (see also: how should trail running shoes fit?).
The lightweight and mesh-like outer fabric feels freeing to wear, but does offer a tad less protection than a stiffer shoe would, making these shoes better suited to groomed trails rather than going off-piste on rocky ground or doing more scrambly skyruns.
All in all, this is a quality choice for runners dealing with mercurial weather, and their breathability is ideal if you’re taking on running events in hotter climates.
We also like the looks of the Sense Ride 4 but the ones that come in paler hues do look dirty quickly when you’re exploring dirt trails (we will never understand why trail shoes come in pastel colorways!).
