Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 Review
By Matthew Klein
Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3Price: $279.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 6.5 oz, 184 g (men's size 9), oz, g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 42 mm heel / 36 mm forefoot
Drop: 6 mm
Shoe Purpose: Super Racing Shoe
Pros: Firmer/snappier midsole, efficient ride, stable forefoot
Cons: Slightly long fit, upper difficult to get on, firmer than most super shoes
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 is a distance super racing shoe for those who want a unique upper with a bouncy ride for heel strikers. The full-length optiFoam+ PEBA midsole provides a soft bouncy feel while the stiff energyBLADE carbon plate provides a stiff ride and a firmer forefoot. The aerodynamic upper provides a lightweight fit that fits normal in width for those wanting a unique fit that will work for specific people. A challenge to get on, the upper helps lower the weight massively from the prior version, making the S/Lab Phantasm 3 an interesting choice over the half/full marathon distance and beyond if the shoe fits.
SIMILAR SHOES: Mizuno Hyperwarp Pro
PAST MODEL: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 fits me slightly long in a US size 10.5. I normally wear a 10, but was sent a 10.5 oddly. The slightly long fit is actually preferred if using for long efforts but for most race distances and workouts I would prefer a normal US size 10. The benefit of the extra room is that I have had plenty of room in the forefoot. The light airy upper provides a slightly flexible fit and I felt like I had plenty of room for my toes to move. The volume is also a little higher, allowing additional height. The midfoot is normal in width that features a one-piece tongue that is attached to the medial side of the upper. The gaiter is honestly a pain as it covers the laces, makes them difficult to access and modify to get a secure fit. This has been especially challenging with the size 10.5 and slightly long fit. The tongue is paper-thin but has a small strip of padding that has been helpful to offset the pinching from the laces that I had to tie down to try to get a secure fit. Even with tying the laces down, I still had extra room and experienced some sliding forward/backward in the shoe that became more noticeable on longer efforts.
While the heel was slightly snug, it didn't fully stabilize my heel and I experienced some slipping. The heel counter is flexible on the medial and lateral sides and stiff at the posterior-most section. There is no padding at the heel, which was quite irritating to my Haglund deformity. Those with sensitive heels will not do well with this shoe. Getting this shoe on was a huge pain. I had to really pull at the gaiter upper to shove my foot in. I was greatly concerned I might break or rip the upper, although it has not been damaged yet. However, getting these on takes time, so make sure you are not in a rush.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Hoka Gaviota 6, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Saucony Azura, Salomon Aero Glide 3
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Not Flexible
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Somewhat
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Moderate
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 is a super distance racing shoe. The midsole is full-length supercritical PEBA (optiFOAM+) with a highly curved, spooned plate. The midsole was initially on the firmer side and I was a bit disappointed, especially with the taller stack height. After about 20 miles, the heel midsole broke in to become quite soft and bouncy. The aggressive plate makes the forefoot feel firmer and stiffer, creating a dichotomy between the two areas. There is a 6mm drop, which, after the heel breaks in feels lower due to the compression. The heel transition is fairly smooth despite the small bevel due to the higher compression rate of the foam. The forefoot features a large and stiff rocker that feels better to roll through. Attempting to land farther forward is less comfortable and I found the shoe to work best landing at the heel and rolling forward to maximize the bounce of the heel. There is no flexibility in this shoe at all and it has a decent amount of toe spring. Therefore, those with toe mobility deficits should be careful as the shoe will still require some mobility to be held in extension.
Performance-wise, the S/Lab Phantasm 3 has a highly competitive weight (6.5 oz, men's size 9) but feels better running longer distances than shorter/faster ones. I have found this shoe to perform best running at half to full marathon efforts, ie steady and uptempo efforts. At 10k pace and below it often felt like I was fighting the shoe, which could also be from the slightly long fit. The midsole foam is bouncy, but it bounces a bit slower than I would like for 5k/10k efforts, making this a better option for longer efforts and longer races. The durability has matched this as the outsole has stayed intact over my 60 miles of running in this shoe. While there is some wear on the exposed midsole, the outsole has remained intact with only a tiny bit of wear. The midsole has continued to break in and has retained its bounciness in the rearfoot while the forefoot has retained its stiffness and snappiness. The outsole traction is fairly average, doing well on dry pavement but slipping a little on wet ground. I would only use this shoe for smooth road surfaces as the groove at the bottom of the shoe easily picks up rocks and the exposed midsole will get ripped out by rocky surfaces.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 is a neutral shoe. There are no traditional stability elements. The heel has slightly more lateral flare than medial flare, creating some mild medial bias. The midfoot is surprisingly centered thanks to the deep central groove and large sidewalls at the anterior aspect. This continues into a centered and stable forefoot thanks to the continuation of those large sidewalls on both the medial and lateral sides, the wide platform and the stiff spooned plate. If it wasn't so firm, the forefoot would be the best part of this shoe. Unfortunately, since the heel is so much softer, it felt better to land there but the medial bias was quite challenging. At faster paces, I was able to transition quickly to the forefoot. As I fatigued, the softer and less stable heel become more apparent. So while there are some good stable elements, most heel strikers will find this a fairly neutral shoe while those who land farther forward or who need some additional forefoot guidance will do best in the S/Lab Phantasm 3.
Thoughts as a DPT: What Components Add Efficiency to a Shoe?
By Matthew Klein
I applaud Salomon for trying something unique. Creating an aerodynamic upper is a cool idea and story. However, it is something that will only apply in either high wind situations or in elite runners moving their legs fast enough that this will make some tiny difference. The upper can lead to improvements in running efficiency, but there are more significant ways it can do that. The majority of things that have repeatedly been shown to improve running efficiency from shoes are weight, midsole resilience combined with stiffness and geometry (Burns et al., 2024; Franz et al., 2012; Rodrigo-Carranza et al., 2024, Perry et al., 2025). In other words, how light the shoe is, the combined foam and midsole stiffness (plate) combination and the overall geometry are what make the largest impacts on running shoe efficiency. For every 100g added to a shoe, it increases running energy cost by 1%. There is a limit to this, as getting light enough where there is no cushioning results in an increased metabolic cost due to more energy being used for active muscular shock absorption (ie minimal shoes). Resilient midsole foams can potentially make some of the largest impacts on efficiency, however their softness needs to be balanced out and stabilized with stiffening agents like plates. Simply adding any plate to them does not necessarily improve efficiency, but how the plate is uniquely designed and added to the foam combined with midsole geometry, does make a large impact (Rodrigo-Carranza et al., 2022; Perry et al., 2025).
The S/Lab Phantasm 3 moves in the right direction, with a better midsole foam, a plate and a lighter upper. However, the improved efficiency most people will experience is more likely due to the decreased weight than to aerodynamics. While the wind tunnel analogy is cool, most runners are not going that fast, so the true improvements in efficiency should be sought elsewhere. Getting uppers lighter is awesome, and any weight decrease that does not negatively impact security or comfort should be pursued.
Burns, G. T., & Joubert, D. P. (2024). Running shoes of the postmodern footwear era: a narrative overview of advanced footwear technology. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 19(10), 975-986.
Franz, J. R., Wierzbinski, C. M., & Kram, R. (2012). Metabolic cost of running barefoot versus shod: is lighter better?. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 44(8), 1519-1525.
Rodrigo-Carranza, V., González-MohÃno, F., Santos-Concejero, J., & González-Ravé, J. M. (2022). The effects of footwear midsole longitudinal bending stiffness on running economy and ground contact biomechanics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European journal of sport science, 22(10), 1508-1521.
Rodrigo‐Carranza, V., Hoogkamer, W., González‐Ravé, J. M., Horta‐Muñoz, S., Serna‐Moreno, M. D. C., Romero‐Gutierrez, A., & González‐MohÃno, F. (2024). Influence of different midsole foam in advanced footwear technology use on running economy and biomechanics in trained runners. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 34(1), e14526.
Perry, D., Lino, H., Bertschy, M., & Hoogkamer, W. (2025). Effects of longitudinal bending stiffness and midsole foam on running energetics. Footwear Science, 17(1), 3-9.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: The S/Lab Phantasm 3 has been a roller coaster of emotions. The forefoot guidance is great but the front is a bit too firm. The softer heel that finally broke in gave the bounce I was hoping for but the lateral flare pushed me medial. The upper has potential but I do not think is executed as it could be. I see the point of it, but struggled extra due to being sent a half-size large. I understand why as this accommodated swelling over longer runs, but I prefer a closer fit. I do not think most people will be running at the speeds necessary to truly benefit from the reduce "drag" as advertised, so I would instead use the lessons Salomon has learned to create a light, simple upper that keeps the foot secure while keeping weight minimal. I would therefore get rid of the gaiter to further reduce weight and redesign the heel counter. The gaiter gets in the way of optimally secure the foot and makes the shoe more difficult to get on. I would at least remove the flap over the midfoot to reduce weight and improve access to the laces. I would love to see the irritating counter removed and other methods used to secure the foot to reduce irritation in that area.
While I have mostly enjoyed the sole, I would be careful with the dichotomy of midsole firmness/stiffness. The plate really stiffens the forefoot and with the softer heel makes the shoe feel like an extremely low drop. Some heel drop for most people (not everyone) is preferred over longer distances, so I would either soften the forefoot or add a tiny bit more drop to offset what will happen dynamically.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 is a super shoe for longer distances for those who want a lighter upper and don't mind struggling to get it on. The fit will work best for those who want a light upper who have normal-width feet wanting a slightly higher volume and mildly stretchy upper with a unique setup. The ride will work best for heel strikers those who want a softer, bouncier heel and a firmer forefoot and a lower dynamic heel drop. The stability will work best for those with mostly neutral mechanics or those with forefoot guidance needs. This shoe will not work for are those who struggle to get shoes on, those who have sensitive heels, those sensitive to lower drops, those who want a softer forefoot midsole, those who want a midsole that responds really quickly for 5k/10k efforts or those who want a stable heel.
The weight decrease brings this shoe into a far more competitive light than the prior version but the upper is more difficult than it is helpful. This makes the $280 price tag really steep for a shoe that will only work for a small group. The "aerodynamic" upper does not really justify the price, whereas the incredibly bouncy heel may for those wanting a half to full marathon shoe. I am again interested in what Salomon is doing and encourage them to keep innovating. Not everything will be a home run, but this is a step toward that.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B+ (Mostly comfortable upper that is hard to get on but can be secured. Noticeable heel counter)
Performance: B+ (Bouncy heel, firm forefoot with rolling ride best for heel strikers. Best for half/full marathon efforts, faster efforts feel forced. Lower dynamic drop)
Stability: B [Neutral with Stable Forefoot] (Softer, less stable heel with more stable forefoot thanks to wider, stiffer platform with uniquely placed sidewalls)
Value: B- (Expensive with moderate durability. Upper difficult to use and fully secure but has a unique midsole design that may work for some)
Personal: B- (The less stable heel, firm forefoot, difficult upper and unpadded counter makes this a cool experience but something I will continue to reach for)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORSalomon S/Lab Phantasm 3Price: $279.95 at Running Warehouse
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