A cushioned carbon racer with a bouncy PEBA midsole that shines at marathon pace, though the overcomplicated aerodynamic upper frustrates most testers and the wide forefoot geometry favors heel strikers over forefoot runners.
A meaningful step forward for Salomon on the racing side — the OptiVibe Plus midsole is great and the carbon plate is propulsive — but the aerodynamic upper is overcomplicated and the wide forefoot geometry favors heel/midfoot strikers, making it a tough sell at $280 against established super-shoes.
Best for: Heel to midfoot strikers who want a soft, bouncy PEBA racer and aren't put off by a fiddly aerodynamic upper.
Ran 20 miles at sub-7 pace in 2:12 and finished in good shape — the midsole is smooth, controlled, and efficient, but the aerodynamic upper is a gimmick most runners don't need and Kieran wouldn't pick this over the Puma Fast-R 3 or Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo.
Best for: Forefoot/midfoot strikers chasing fast paces who don't mind a fiddly aerodynamic upper.
An excellent carbon-plate racing shoe with a fantastic, comfortable, bouncy PEBA midsole that's let down by an over-complicated aero gaiter upper and stiff competition; a top-half carbon racer but not quite a top-pick over the Metaspeed Ray, Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, or Puma Fast-R 3.
Best for: Marathon racing for runners who want a more cushioned, comfortable carbon racer with PEBA squish — provided they can tolerate the fiddly aero upper.
First-run verdict is that this is the best carbon-plate shoe Salomon has made — lightweight, bouncy, more competitively priced than predecessors, with a comfortable PEBA ride that didn't blow Nick away but should hold up well over long distances. Skip the aerodynamics talk; the underfoot feel is the real story.
Best for: Long-distance road racing, especially marathons; runners who want a comfortable, cushioned PEBA carbon racer at 6.5 oz.
A cushioned carbon racer with a bouncy PEBA midsole that shines at marathon pace, though the overcomplicated aerodynamic upper frustrates most testers and the wide forefoot geometry favors heel strikers over forefoot runners.
Reviewers note: Salomon shoes run narrow and snug on him at his regular UK 8.5 — race fit is very secure and dialed in, but he'd consider half a size up for more room. The aerodynamic upper makes the shoe a 'ball ache' to get on; laces are fiddly. Once on, the gaiter creates a sock-like fit and the forefoot mesh feels airy.
Per The Run Testers.
The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 weighs about 184g (men's 9), has a 42.0mm heel stack and a 6.0mm heel-toe drop.
Reviewers compare the Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 to Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, ASICS Metaspeed Edge Tokyo, Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo.
Per The Run Testers, Believe in the Run.
Next Pair aggregates 5 expert reviews of the Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3, including The Run Testers, Believe in the Run.
Per The Run Testers, Believe in the Run.
Compared to other road racing in the same lane.
