Welcome to another shoe review, this time we're talking about the Salming Recoil Prime, after 1,000 km +
DISCLOSURE: Salming NZ give me some help with shoes and other gear, but haven’t asked me to make this video, and have no input into its content.
CONTEXT: I’ve been using Salming shoes for quite a few years now.
I'm on my 3rd pair of Greyhounds which have done 1,340 km, and my 3rd pair of Recoil Trails.
I’ve been training for ultra marathons since 2021, and completed the Old Ghost Ultra in 2023 & 2024. So I’ve been doing a pretty high training volume for a while now, and the Salmings have served me really, really well.
I was excited to try out the Recoil Primes, which are Salming’s most cushioned shoe ever, and to see if they might be suitable for a trail like the year’s Old Ghost Ultra, and the many kilometers of running in the build-up to the event..
The Primes come with a new upgraded Recoil Plus foam in the midsole and SALMING say they’re designed for a smooth ride on hard surfaces.
The outsole is made of a blown, partly recycled rubber and the grip pattern and lug depth suggest 'multi-purpose' and which makes them a really versatile all-rounder. They’re be great on any dry surface, and have even served me well throughout the NZ winter.
They have a 29 mm heel stack and 21 mm at the toe - for an 8 mm drop.
They weigh in at around 300 grammes, depending on your size.
SUMMARY: The four main features that are important to me; the fit, the ride, the grip and the weight.
FIT: They seem to have a mid-width toe box area, and they don’t rub or irritate my foot anywhere, they felt a little snug initially, but are improving with every km.
WEIGHT: At around 300 g they are in the right ball-park, and on a par with most shoes in their class.
GRIP: They’re not designed for muddy New Zealand winter trails, but are great for everything else. The rubber feels pretty sticky and the outsole lug pattern gives extraordinary grip on a variety of trail, cycle path and road surfaces.
THE RIDE: My first impressions of the ride from the Primes is that they are VERY smooth, and it seems that the faster you go, the more cushioned they feel.
If you’re interested in the Recoil Primes they're available from SamingNZ. www.salming.nz
Thanks for watching. and Happy running.