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Salomon S Lab Pulsar 3

Discontinued · trail · Trail / Long run / Tempo · $180

Earlier generation of the Salomon S Lab Pulsar line, kept for replacement lookups.

Built for trail, long run, tempo, at a target pace of 8:00–11:30 /mi on trail.

This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Salomon S/Lab Ultra 4.

The spec sheet

Weight
276 g / 9.7 oz
Heel stack
33 mm
Drop
8 mm
Plate
—
Cushioning
4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
2 / 5
Flexibility
2 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~450 mi
Price
$180

How it rides

The foam

Salomon tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 33 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.40 per mile at $180.

For the foams and plates Salomon uses across its line, read the Salomon brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

276 g / 9.7 oz

1 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

33 mm

3 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

8 mm

2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$180

20 pricier than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

4 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~450 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Salomon line it is lighter than the brand's median (278 g / 9.8 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (34.5 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Salomon Genesis 2

290 g / 10.2 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150

Comfortable, stable trail trainer for long technical days.

Nike ACG Pegasus Trail(2026)

286 g / 10.1 oz · 35 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $155

Road-to-trail Peg on ReactX with far better grip than the Trail 5.

Saucony Ride TR 3

280 g / 9.9 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $140

The Ride's ride with trail rubber for gravel and light dirt.

Nike ACG Pegasus Trail GORE-TEX(2026)

300 g / 10.6 oz · 35 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $175

Waterproof road-to-trail Peg for winter and mud.

On Cloudsurfer Trail 2

287 g / 10.1 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $170

Cushioned, road-friendly trail shoe for mixed terrain.

Lineage & siblings