Börje Salming made his name wearing ice skates rather than running shoes. The Swede played over a thousand games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL, acquiring the nickname ‘The King’ in the process. When he hung up his hockey stick, Salming he turned his attention to footwear – and Salming Running was born. The brand’s maxim is ‘natural running’, and all its shoes are designed to encourage runners to land on their mid-foot.
Salming Race
£95
The lightest of the Salming models comes in eye-catching yellow and blue and weighs in at just 185g in a men’s size 9. The shoe is very flexible with a 5mm drop and a perfect option for efficient forefoot runners. You’ll get great ground feel in these, with just enough protection for longer road miles (MR wore them at a recent half marathon with no issues). The laces are a little on the skimpy side, but that’s the small of niggles in what is otherwise a top-quality shoe.
Salming Speed
£100
This shoe is less extreme than the Race, but with a 5mm drop and weighing in at only 210g, it’s still a lean, mean machine. Ideal for short, fast-paced sessions (we even wore ours in a 1500m track race), there’s enough cushioning – just – to make them suitable for longer runs, both on-road and off. The three-layer upper works well to stablise the foot in the shoe, while also allowing it to breathe. Well worth a look.
