REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Strong traction
Well-cushioned
Very stable
Moderate weight
REASONS TO AVOID
Less rugged
Lacks some protective features
Slightly less sensitive
Salomon Pulsar Trail - Women's Review
Great for fire roads and some technical terrain, this shoe shines when you are looking for a smooth ride on moderately-challenging surfaces
Credit: Salomon
Our Verdict
The Salomon Pulsar Trail is a great shoe for trail runners who want comfort above all else. We measured a cushy 31mm stack height and a 9mm drop, giving this plush trail runner enough protection to make it a rugged shoe without it feeling like a cleat or hiking boot. The lugs and protection are not suited for some aggressive terrain types, but they hold their own on most trails. The Pulsar never became our favorite shoe, but it definitely climbed through the ranks to become one of our top choices for long-distance trail days. If you want a comfortable and stable trail runner with great traction and a spacious toe box, you will likely love the Pulsar Trail.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Salomon Pulsar Trail is another shoe we can't get enough of. This trail runner features 3.5mm lugs, an All Terrain Contragrip outsole, and a minimalistic Energy Blade for added stability and oomph. This affordable and grippy trail shoe will help you comfortably handle mud, loose terrain, and steep granite faces with confidence.
Performance Comparison
The Pulsar Trail's grip is perfect for flowy granite faces.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Foot Protection
The Pulsar Trail is not the most protective shoe in our lineup — on Salomon's website, it is listed as a shoe with light protection, and we found this to be very true. The Pulsar hosts a soft rubber toe cap for a first line of physical defense. Much like other Salomon-made shoes, the toe cap lives outside of the shoe, so it doesn't eat up precious toe box real estate. We love how the protective elements of the Pulsar are flexible, since this feature lends itself to a good ground feel, especially for such a cushy shoe. The ample underfoot cushioning protects your soles from being jabbed by sharp rocks and sticks.
With a flexible yet protective rubber toe cap, your toes are protected in a lightweight and pretty effective way.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
While the foot protection of the Pulsar is plenty for the average trail runner, some runners may prefer a bit more. If this is the case for you, plenty of options have stronger supports, rock plates, and beefier toe caps. Additionally, the Pulsar doesn't have any waterproofing, so water seeps in quite quickly. Because it is such a breathable shoe, the inner body dries fairly quickly, but this isn't our first choice when we know we have a lot of water crossings. Sand and fine particulates can infiltrate, but not in an annoying way. We awarded the Pulsar an average shoe in this metric simply because we have seen better, but we have also seen worse.
The combination of comfort and protection on the Pulsar makes it a shoe we love for long, flowing downhill runs.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Traction
The All Terrain Contagrip outsole of the Pulsar provides excellent trail confidence. The lugs aren't the burliest, but their traction pattern offers a grippy hold for loose terrain. We didn't notice the lugs wearing down after running fire roads and hard-packed, rocky trails, which we have often observed on more aggressive lugs.
While not the burliest lugs we have ever seen, the traction on the Pulsar is grippy when it matters the most.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
The Pulsar was made with mixed terrain trails in mind, and it quickly became one of our favorite shoes for mild trails. With reliable traction and a springy finish, we felt comfortable ripping up flowy trails. This won't be your go-to shoe for heavy-duty mountain running, but if single-track trails are your jam, the Pulsar is a great choice.
The gripping technology that adorns the outsole of the Pulsar performed really well during our downhill granite test.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Sensitivity
For a self-proclaimed maximally cushioned shoe, the Pulsar Trail provides a lot of information about the terrain beneath your feet. There are certainly more sensitive options on the market, but we love the balance that this shoe strikes. The sensitivity is on par with many other well-cushioned options, but it is less sensitive than others. If you want an ultra-comfy shoe that offers above-average sensitivity, you will likely love how the Pulsar feels and fits.
Stability
The combination of the low heel-to-toe differential and high-ish stack height make for a pretty stable shoe. We love when high-stack shoes feature lower differentials because it greatly affects how stable the shoe feels.
We are obsessed with trail shoes that have a 4mm - 6mm heel-to-toe differential. The Pulsar sits at 6mm, so it definitely fits the bill.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
The Pulsar Trail is a neutrally supportive shoe by design, but its technical fit features add to its stability. It features Salomon's EndoFit, an internal compression system that keeps your foot right where you want it. By including a strategy to ensure a secure fit, Salomon created a stable and well-fitting shoe suitable for an array of foot shapes.
We trust the Pulsar to take us up winding mountain trails because of how well-fitting and strong it is.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Comfort and Fit
It is no surprise that this maximally cushioned trail running shoe scored well in this metric. The responsive and comfortable EVA foam interior is springy and comfortable, even on punishing terrain. The EndoFit interior comfortably stabilizes your feet so you can focus on your run, not discomfort in your shoes.
The padded tongue helps cushion the tough yet tiny laces. While not always our favorite style of shoelaces, we don't mind the Quicklace technology on the Pulsar.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
The Quicklace system typically isn't our favorite for comfort. On the Pulsar, though, the tongue is padded enough to prevent the strong yet thin laces from cutting into the top of the foot. The toe box is also spacious enough for toes to splay, which is super important for overall form, but svelte enough not to feel clunky or sloppy. We love that the rubber toe cap is on the outside of the toe box, so it doesn't cut into that precious real estate. The soft rubber toe cap isn't as protective as firmer options, but it also creates a more comfortable downhill experience. If you want a running shoe that cushions your toes and toenails on the downhill, you'll like the soft interior of the Pulsar.
In a well-cushioned shoe like the Pulsar, black toenails are a thing of the past. We like how kind these kicks are to our toes on our downhill jaunts.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Weight
Much like in many other metrics, the Pulsar earned a slightly above-average score. It isn't the lightest shoe in our lineup, but it certainly isn't the heaviest. Each women's size 6.5 shoe weighs in at 8.34 ounces. This well-fitting shoe felt comfortable on the trail, and we never felt weighted down. The Pulsar is also light enough to truly feel responsive.
The Pulsar Trail is lighter than many, which is quite a feat considering how comfortable they are.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Should You Buy the Salomon Pulsar Trail?
The Pulsar ended up in the middle of our very competitive pack of trail runners. Excuse the oxymoron, but this minimalistic maximalist shoe is a stripped-down version of bulkier options. It provides plenty of comfort, traction, and stability for a lower price than some of our stand-out favorites. If you aren't entirely sure what you are looking for in a trail shoe, checking out the Pulsar is a solid place to start.
With plenty of cushion, enough protection, and strong traction for intermediate trails, its no wonder the Pulsar Trail quickly became one of our favorites for long trail days.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Additionally, the Pulsar is a great shoe if you are a hiker who is running curious. Its unoffensive fit and strong grip make it a better option for trail-running newbies. Trail shoes tend to be tougher and harder to break in than other types of athletic shoes and if that is a headache that you don't want to confront, the Pulsar could be a great choice.
The Pulsar is one of our long-distance superstars because of how comfortable it is, even as the miles creep up.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
What Other Trail Running Shoes Should You Consider?
If you love a well-cushioned shoe, the Hoka Torrent 3 provides a similar amount of cushion to the Pulsar Trail but with a totally different shape. The Altra Lone Peak 7 is also a favorite of ours as it offers the softest, most lush cushion of all of the shoes we tested. If you want a less responsive and slightly roomier shoe, the Salomon Sense Ride 5 might be more up your alley. And finally, if more sensitivity and less cushion are what you're after, the Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 is flexible and comfortable for an intimate trail experience.
—
Ally Arcuri
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