THE VIDEO
Salomon S-LAB is a process of making dedicated products to meet the individual fit and performance needs of our international team. S-LAB is a story of a dedicated and passionate team working with our top athletes to make their dream of performance come true.
THE PROCESS
Developing the best trail running shoes in the world for the best athletes in the world comes from the same ethos as winning the UTMB or the WS100. Training, analysis, collaboration, ideas and meticulous attention to detail are the difference between the top spot on the podium and the middle of the pack. Salomon's Advanced R&D team makes shoes specifically designed to the individual morphological characteristics of each athlete. They describe it as designing gloves for their feet.
THE TEAM
Every person in the prototype department has a minimum of ten years in the shoe-making industry. In the Advanced Development Facility in Annecy, France, Salomon can fabricate and assemble every component of a running shoe. From the sole to the chassis to the upper, the Salomon Lab process uses state of the art materials and construction techniques to build specific shoes for each individual athlete. From idea to finished prototype in just 24 hours. In a single week, an athlete can select from five different test models.
FRom the lab to
THE Range products
In this covert lab, Salomon has created, developed and tested 947 Contagrip® formulas to adapt the outsole compound and lug design to each runner's gait, terrain features, and personal preferences. From this broad database, Salomon identifies the best solutions for the range products by considering additional features such as durability, comfort, and versatility. Once built, the shoe is tested by the athlete in both laboratory and natural environments. More analysis, more tweaking, more prototypes. The cycle never stops.
THE Result
Realization of a dream comes from total dedication. The commitment of extraordinary athletes is the driving force of product development, and everyone who works in the process is proud to continue to share the path to glory. Race results are a nice reminder of a job done well, but lighter, more comfortable, better running shoes are the ultimate result of the entire Salomon Lab process.
