Which Salming Indoor Court Shoe Is Right For You?

Please note that this article was written in 2017. The information is still relevant to the models of shoes that were available then. We have an updated version for the 2019/2020 season at the link below.

https://blog.controlthet.com/blog/a-guide-to-which-salming-indoor-court-shoe-is-right-for-you

Salming makes high performance indoor court shoes that are designed for squash …

Salming’s real strength I believe in their line is providing very light, very comfortable, high performance indoor court shoes.

Salming is extremely visible on the PSA Tour. As such most players will have seen their shoes or will know someone that plays in them. They are certainly very popular at our club. What gets tricky though is figuring out which model is for you.

This post is designed to give you our take on the strengths of each model and the technologies they use.

There are 4 series of shoes from Salming: the Kobra, the Viper, the Race and the Adder. Each model has its own strength and those strengths will help determine what the right Salming shoe is for you.

After the section on the shoes we have covered the technologies that Salming has incorporated in the shoes in the Salming Technologies section of the post. Please read that section as well as we cover Salming's description of each technologies and also provide our take on them too.

SALMING KOBRA

Technologies Included in the Kobra:

Here is what Salming has to say about the Kobra:

“The Salming Kobra is a fast paced unique combination of lightweight, cushioning and stability. Together with all the unique Salming technologies, Kobra is wrapped up into one agile shoe.

A new Wrap Around System Design (WAS Design)
In order to facilitate agility and stability but still maintain the lightweight characteristics, we have designed the midsole rear end with higher side walls that wrap around the heel area. In combination with the LMS Plus 8° and the new fully integrated ExoSkeleton construction, it ensures an excellent stability and perfect fit.”

Our take:

The Salming Kobra are Salming’s top of line shoe in terms of both technology and price point. The Kobra provide excellent lateral support, cushioning that helps with comfort and performance, and are extremely light weight and breathable.

The Kobra provide exceptional lateral support and stability. It is one of the first things I noticed when I played in a pair. They are incredibly stable shoes. Before I play I do a stretch lunge exercise. As I am lunging quite far forward I find this to be a good gauge on how much stability the shoe will provide. The Kobra provide the most stable base of any model of court shoe I have played in.

The technologies that Salming has incorporated in the Kobra to achieve such good stability and lateral support are the EXOSKELETON, LMS, LMS+ and a new Wrap Around Design (WAS) system. These technologies work together to provide optimal stability to this light weight shoe.

The WAS system is an enhancement to the EXOSKELETON and is only found in the Kobra line. The EXOSKELETON on the Kobra integrates right in to the loop for the laces that keeps the foot locked in place and provides excellent strength and stability to the Kobra.

Salming uses RECOIL and RECOIL R foam to provide cushioning to the shoes. The RECOIL foam in the forefoot area not only does a great job of absorbing shock, it also transfers energy back to the player to give some additional spring to your movement.

The Kobra might look like they are a bulky/heavy shoe but they are anything but that. They are actually the lightest model from Salming. I believe that is a pretty incredible accomplishment for Salming given just how supportive they are.

The Kobra are geared towards the player looking for the latest and greatest in technology in an indoor court shoe to really take their game to the next level. They provide incredible performance and good cushioning.

Salming Viper

Technologies Included in the Viper:

Here is what Salming has to say about the Viper:

“The Salming Viper is a fast paced agile shoe with a low profile and excellent stability characteristics. It incorporates the very best of Salming Indoor shoe technologies and then some. If you’re a fan of the Salming Race model you will find the Viper lower and with less cushioning in the fore-foot area, enabling a more close-to-the court feel plus a lighter and more breathable upper.

The construction has its origin in the Salming Running shoe product range, where it has been very well received with its three layer system where the unique Salming ExoSkeleton™ keeps the foot in the right position during lateral movements and high performance activities. Agile, fast paced with a low profile – The Viper.”

Our take:

The Viper are designed with a primary focus on performance. They offer excellent stability with Salming’s LMS and LMS+, and EXOSKELETON technologies. The LMS+ 11° provides the largest positive angle that Salming uses with their LMS+ technology. It really keeps your weight inwards and that really helps with lateral support. You are also very low to the court in the Viper which helps with lateral stability.

Salming designed the Viper to be lower to the court with performance in mind. There is much less cushioning than in the Kobra or Race models.

I like to equate it to owning a sports car. Sports cars often have very high-end, low profile tires to provide ultimate performance. If you have driven a car with very low-profile tires you know the performance they provide. You also know they do so though at a cost of comfort. You feel the road more.

In the case of the Viper you feel the court more. From a pure performance perspective, this works extremely well. When you drive down in to the court floor to propel yourself to the ball there is much less cushioning to absorb that energy. This really helps you get to and from the ball as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Being really close to the court also provides a connected to the court feel. It does so at the sacrifice of some of the comfort that you will find in the Kobra or Race. They are not as soft under the forefoot area.

The Viper are designed for the player looking for maximum performance and do not need, or require as much cushioning in their court shoe.

SALMING RACE X

Technologies Included in the Race X:

Here is what Salming has to say about the Race X:

“The Race X is an updated version of the Salming race model powered with a new Exoskeleton™ design that is integrated with the lacing construction. The shoe’s upper is made from the same durable lightweight polyester fabric featured on the race providing virtually zero “break-in” time.”

Our take:

The Salming Race X are the latest in the Race series and are the shoes endorsed by Ramy Ashour. The Race X are a good performing pair of indoor court shoes but their claim to fame is comfort. They are a very soft pair of indoor court shoes and feature excellent cushioning in the heel area of the shoe and in the forefoot area.

If you play a lot and are looking to protect your feet from the wear and tear of the hard movements we squash players have to make on court then you should definitely take a look at the Race X.

The cushioning foam under the heel of the foot and the rebound foam under the forefoot provide an ultra comfortable ride. The upper of the shoe is incredibly comfortable too and Salming’s claim of requiring virtually zero break-in time is accurate. You can take them out of the box, lace them up and go play!

While designed for comfort, the Race X do also perform well on court. They are used at all levels of the sport including many top level professional squash players.

We sponsor Nick Sachvie who at time of writing this article is Canada's top squash player and we gave him the choice of any shoe we carried and he chose the Race X.

The LMS, LMS+ 5°, and EXOSKELETON technologies provide good lateral support. The Exoskeleton system keeps the foot in place in the shoe even though the upper is incredibly soft and comfortable.

The Race X are ideal for the player that is looking for ultimate comfort in an indoor court shoe while still getting top notch performance.

Salming Adder

Technologies Included in the Adder:

Here is what Salming has to say about the Adder:

“The Salming Adder is greatly inspired by the success Salming Viper in many aspects. Salming Adder provides the lowest profile (height from ground surface to your foot sole) of all Salming indoor shoes. This enables a great feel for the ground and great stability characteristics. The material in the midsole is a lightweight EVA compound and in the heel impact zone there’s a C35 compound designed to reduce impact forces.”

Our take:

While the Adder are a lower price point shoe and feature less of Salming's high-end technologies they are still a high performance indoor court shoe. They are the lowest to the court of all of the Salming shoes. Lateral support is excellent in the Adder thanks to their very low profile, EXOSKELETON and LMS+ 11° design.

The C35 cushioning foam under the heel does provides reasonable cushioning to protect against heel strike. As noted there is less cushioning in the forefoot area. The upper of the Adder is not as soft as is found in the Kobra, Viper or Race models.

The Adder are a good performing shoe and will best suit someone that was a light court shoe, and does not require a great deal of cushioning. They are an excellent pair of indoor court shoes at their price point.

SALMING TECHNOLOGIES

	ROLLBAR Salming's description: "An increased radius on the inner side of the outer sole, facilitates rolling the foot inwards and toe push off. Reaching for that stop ball in squash or covering a shot in floorball is made easier with the RollBar™ technology." Our take: The key benefit of the Rollbar technology is the aid it provides in pushing off towards the ball. When you dig your foot in to the court to push forwards, Rollbar allows the foot to work inwards towards the toe to provide better push off. Additionally, the shoes are very firm in in the toe area to maximize energy transferred to the court and provide the best possible drive.
	T.G.S. 62/75 Salming's description: "Torsion Guide System. The distance from heel to the ball of the foot (62% of the shoe) has been designed with extra stability, which ends in the so-called ”ballet” line, a 75° angle. In front of the 75° line, we have equipped the shoe with greater flexibility to stimulate the foot’s natural movements. TGS 62/75 takes all of the gait cycle criteria into consideration. At the same time, it softens the strains caused by friction during lateral movements. The shoe bends in exactly the right places, stimulating the foot’s natural lateral and forward movements." Our take: The back portion of the shoe is firmer and designed to improve balance and stability. The forefoot area of the shoe has been designed to allow more freedom of movement to allow your foot to move and perform naturally. The split comes at the ballet line. If you were to drive your heels up off the floor so that your weight is on your forefoot area the "ballet line" is where your foot would leave the floor. It is also where Salming has designed the shoes to flex. The front part of the shoe is more flexible. The back 62% of the shoe is firmer to provide maximum stability.
	EXOSKELETON Salming's description: "The exo skeleton design stabilizes the foot for lateral movements and reduces pressure at the MTP joints (Metatarsophalangeal joints). It is important to keep the foot stable medio-lateral, avoiding friction and side forces in the soft parts of the foot sole, especially underneath the forefoot." Our take: This is one of the key components of Salming's shoes. The shoes that feature the EXOSKELETON design are largely made of mesh. The EXOSKELETON provides the necessary support to the shoe. The EXOSKELETON is the little bands that come up from under the foot then around the foot and in to the lacing area of the shoe. They are very light but very solid and keep your foot in place inside the shoe. This is a critical component in lateral support as if you foot starts to slip outwards when planting the foot on a lateral movement your weight will start to transfer outwards and this increases the risk of injury. It also decreases performance.
	ERGO HEELCUP Salming's description: "To stabilize and fixate the heel, which is key to providing a great fit and comfort, we have developed a new anatomical Ergo Heel Cup that is slightly longer than the average heel cup." Our take: Salming's description is clear and it is also very accurate. The Ergo Heel Cup helps keep your heel locked in place in the back of the shoe to prevent it from slipping upwards. This keeps the back of your foot from rubbing against the shoe and prevents blisters.
	HEXAGRIP Salming's description: "A new very durable lightweight rubber compound - HX120 - that features Salmings HexaGrip™ pattern designed for the best possible grip on all indoor surfaces." Our take: Hexagrip was first introduced in the Kobra series. It is an update to the rubber that they use on the outsole of the shoe. The rubber is formed in a hexa pattern, a 6 sided pattern to provide the best possible grip to the court. HexaGrip provides incredible traction. To maximize your movement you need your court shoes to have the best grip possible and HexaGrip is exceptional. Good grip on the court is also important from an injury prevention perspective as if you slip on the lunge you risk tearing muscles. Salming XR112 with HexaGrip is their top of the line outsole material.
	XR110 Salming's description: "In order to help you control all of this cornering performance, our XR110 outer sole has an extra sticky developed compound!" Our take: XR110 rubber is the compound the outsole of the Viper, Race and Adder are made of. It provides excellent grip on the court. All of Salming shoes grip well which really aids in their performance. Good grip also reduces the risk of the foot slipping out from under you which helps lesson the chance of injury.
	LMS Salming description: "Lateral Movement Stabilizer - an especially designed light weight integrated dual torsion unit that supports the foot during fast and irregular lateral movements." Our take: Lateral stability is one of the key performance and safety components in a shoe designed for squash. There is a lot of lateral movement in squash with the need to change directions quickly. Salming's LMS provides torsional stability to the shoe in its mid section. That helps prevent your foot from rolling outwards when planting your foot to change direction. This reduces the risk of injury (rolling your ankle) and allows you to change directions as quickly as possible.
	LMS+ 11°/8°/5° Salming's description: "Fast lateral stops expose the foot to the risk to roll over outwards, causing injuries. LMS+ (Lateral Movement Stabilizer Plus) is a unique design with a positive angle of 11° that prevents the foot from rolling over outwards." Our take: LMS+ compliments the LMS system to provide lateral stability in the shoe. The 11°/8°/5° angle refers to the angle from the lateral (outside) side of the foot to the medial (inside) side of the foot. There is an 11, 8 of 5 degree angle with the lateral side being higher than the medial side. That angle keeps your weight inwards and helps to prevent your foot from rolling outwards.
	RECOIL™ + RECOIL R™ Salming's description: "The material in the midsole is a newly developed compound named RECOIL™ which is a super lightweight cushioning compound that releases a higher rebound energy effect. The Recoil R™ - as in Recoil Reduction - is a cushioning compound featured in the heel impact zone designed to reduce impact forces and increase comfort when lunging." Our take: In the mid to forefoot area of the shoe Salming has used a RECOIL foam system. The RECOIL foam will absorb shock but it also transfers energy back in to the foot to add more spring to your movement. It’s a smart design that provides comfort and aids in performance. Under the heel RECOIL R is used to absorb shock. As squash is mostly a heel strike first movement there is a lot of impact under the heel and RECOIL R is designed to protect the foot from that.
	RUNLITE Salming's description: "The midsole features a special High Abrasion Injection EVA - RunLite™ - designed to create a nice feel for the court. It is light and responds to the surface from the very first step." Our take: EVA stands for ethel vinyl acetate and is a type of foam. The midsole refers to the section of the shoes between the upper and outsole of the shoe. It provides light weight cushioning under the foot while still providing a responsive feel.
	REBOUND FOAM Salming's description: "Forefoot rebound energy foam - RE35. 80% better rebound energy than a regular EVA midsole compound." Our take: Salming uses rebound foam under the forefoot area in some of their models. It is designed to not only absorb shock but to transfer energy back to the foot. The shock absorption improves comfort and the rebound or transfer of energy back to the foot helps performance.
	CUSHIONING FOAM Salming's description: "Heel cushioning foam - C35, positioned at the heel centre, gives you 70% better shock absorption than a regular EVA midsole compound.." Our take: Salming uses cushioning foam under the heel of the shoe to provide maximum shock absorption. 70% better than a standard EVA midsole is their claim. Salming's Cushioning Foam is extremely effective at shock absorption and really helps make the shoe ultra comfortable to play in.