The Salomon Wings Pro 2 has proven to be one of the most promising shoes in my light hiking arsenal this year. It combines a lot of different features I’ve grown to love about Salomon trail running shoes. In years past, I’ve put quite a few miles on my Salmon XA Pro 3D, Sense Pro, S-Lab Wings, and Sense Mantra. I never wore the past versions of the XT Wings series due to the tight toe box and narrow last. This new Wings Pro 2 has a wider toe box, endo-fit (inner socklike liner), a welded sensi-fit overlay, and a slightly wider last, which makes for an all-around great feeling shoe.
**The Wings Pro 2 is nearly identical to the Slab-Wings, with the only differences coming in the midsole, and some of the materials used for the upper. You’ll see me refer to the Slab-Wings a lot for a point of comparison. You can find my review of the Slab-Wings here.
Support Trail to Peak by purchasing the Wings Pro 2 on Amazon:
Fit and Feel:
The Wings Pro 2 fit large. I usually wear a 12.5 in Salomon shoes, but purchased a 12 in the Wings Pro 2. I probably could have gotten away with an 11.5 to be honest. The endo-fit makes for a nice a seam-free fit throughout the midfoot. The heel fits very well and is not as wide as the XA Pro 3D. The Wings Pro 2 fit a lot like the S-Lab Wings, but with a little more space in the midfoot and toebox. Speaking of, the toe-box is the biggest improvement over previous versions of this shoe, as Salomon has removed the solid rubber toecap and made the toe area a little wider.
Upper:
The upper on the Wings Pro 2 is a highly breathable mesh with a welded sensi-fit overlay. The overlay starts at the midsole providing a rand around the base of the shoe. From the midsole, the sensi-fit continues up to the anchor eyelets of the quick-lace system. This is one of the most comfortable uppers I’ve ever worn for a Salomon shoe, it feels very similar to the Slab-Wings, with the only difference being that the Wings Pro 2 has a little more volume.
Midsole:
The midsole is an area where Salomon made some of it’s biggest changes to the Wings Pro series. In comparison to the Slab-Wings, the Wings Pro 2 has a noticeable arch support where the Slab-Wings do not. The arch support in the Wings Pro 2 is much like the XA Pro 3D, and is more pronounced than the older XT Wings series. Salomon also added a newer dual layer midsole, with a firm under layer from heel to toe (blue in photos), and a softer layer for the forefoot (green in photos). This has radically changed the feel of this shoe in the best way possible. The older XT Wings, and the XA Pro 3d, were very firm and stable shoes, but also very harsh. This dual layer midsole keeps the stability, and also offers a nice forgiving forefoot.
The Wings Pro 2 comes in with a 10mm heel to toe offset, with 28mm in the heel and 18mm in the forefoot.
The older version of the XT Wings used a 3D Chassis that ran from the heel through the forefoot. Salomon removed this completely from the Slab-Wings. For the Wings Pro 2, Salomon is using just a heel chassis for added stability in support. It feels like the perfect middle ground.
Outsole:
The outsole pattern of the Wings Pro 2 is the same as the outsole for the Slab Wings. Salomon uses a series of Contra-grip rubber and trapezoidal lugs to give great coverage of this outsole. The Slab-Wings uses a single compound for the outsole, but the Wings Pro 2 uses two compounds. The black is a little more sticky, and the green is a little harder for added durability.
The trapezoidal lug pattern offers really nice traction on a wide variety of surfaces. Gravel, dirt, and loose rock are no problem for this contra-grip sole. The flat lugs also make this outsole feel really nice on hardpack or asphalt.
For rock protection, the Wings Pro 2 uses Salomon’s tried and true Pro-feel film in the forefoot to protect from rocks and other sharp objects. I’ve done a lot of running in my Salomon Sense Mantra and Sense Pro, and really like the protection offered by such a light and flexible piece of technology.
Closing Thoughts:
The Wings Pro 2 are an incredible pair of trail shoes from Salomon. They are a huge improvement over the XT Wings of old. They are very similar to the Slab-Wings, but offer a little more width and volume in the midfoot and toe area. You’ll also like the Wings Pro 2 if you prefer built in arch support. The Wings Pro 2 may be a little heavier than the Slab-Wings, but that added weight has been put in areas for additional durability. If you’re looking for a stable shoe that fits like a dream and provides great protection and traction, this would be a great option to try on.
Support Trail to Peak by purchasing the Wings Pro 2 on Amazon: