On paper, the Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2 is Salomon’s most promising carbon plate running shoe yet. It fits the mould of a modern super-shoe, with a high stack of Peba-based in the midsole, a full-length carbon plate and a lightweight upper. Nick has been out for a first run in the shoe to see if it lives up to its promise.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Design & Key Stats
02:29 – How’s The Fit?
03:22 – First Run
05:57 – Early Verdict
Subscribe to The Run Testers for more running gear reviews:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRunTesters?sub_confirmation=1
Best Carbon Plate Running Shoes 2023:
Salomon S/Lab Phantasm CF Review:
Adidas Adizero Prime X 2 Strung Review:
Best Super Trainers 2023:
Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro Review:
Asics Superblast Review:
Nike Vaporfly 3 Multi-Tester Review:
Hoka Rocket X2 Review:
Nike Alphafly NEXT% 2 Review After 230km:
Hello and welcome to run testers this is Our first run review of the Salamon slab Fantasm 2 so the slab fantasm is salomon's top Carbon racing shoe their range gets a Little bit confusing because it's not The successor to the fantasm 1 it's the Successor to the fantasm CF carbon fiber There was also a fantasm low stack Racing shoe and there's also just the Fant FM 2 which is the training Partners Shoe to the slab fantasm 2 needlessly Confusing I would say from Salomon but Yeah slab is the key word here that Means it's the topof the range racing Option you're getting also the price Will give you a clue because it's very Expensive it's £240 in the UK $275 in The US it's a lightweight shoe at 226 G Or 8 O in a UK 9.5 and it's got a 9mm Drop with a stack height of 37.5 mm at The heel and 28.5 mm at the for foot now The big change compared to the fantasm CF which was pretty good carbon shoe on Its own right I'd say is the foam in the Midsole you've now got a full paback Midsole in two different layers of the Foam to the touch this the bottom layer Feels noticeably softer than the top Layer which is a strange thing I'm not Really coming across that usually of Dual density mid cells the soft layer is On top but we'll see how that feels on The run this is the new energy foam plus
With the SL fantasm cuf you had an Alin Foam I think and it just isn't as bouncy As peack that's why everyone's using Peack these days it's also a lot lighter The shoe does come in a lot lighter than The fantasm CF despite the fact this is A bigger size than the one I used for The fantasm so in general everything's Just moving towards what you get from Other shoes on the market pack Mido Higher stack uh even though it's not Quite 40 mm the usual stuff with a full Length carbon plate running through it Which is salamon's energy blade you have A single layer mesh upper which you can See is nice and see-through which obv Makes it lighter everyone knows that and With minimal padding and not much of a Heel counter going on either a nice Lightweight upper all rounds you got Salomon's conter grip rubber out soole Which has got two strips at the back Pretty good 4ot coverage cont grip has Been pretty grippy for me in the past And this looks like a pretty solid Outsole for a racing shoe I think Tomorrow when I go and run the shoe it's Going to be very wet so I think I'll get A good chance to test that overall I did Quite like the fantasm CF I ran like a 236 marathon of them almost out of the Box really enjoyed using them in general But they did have probably slightly more Super trainer vibe to them than full
Super shoe and they had the price of a Full Super Shoe so I'm hoping that the c Laab fantasm 2 can really live up to its Billing as a proper super Sho set to Rival the best on the Market Coming on to the fit of the slab fantasm 2 so I've got a UK 9.5 which is actually Half size up on my normal UK size Because that was the sample available For review but interestingly that's a US 10 or an eu44 which is often the size I Am as well when the other brands convert A uk9 so it doesn't actually fit that Badly I've got a little bit probably too Much room on my left side cuz my left Foot's slightly shorter than my right Foot but overall it's not too bad I Think probably go with your normal size Overall but I haven't had any problems With this half size up which is the same Size in some other countries no problems Around the hill today on the run that Stayed in place really well nice midp Foot hold I did have to adjust the laces To really pull it tight just because it Probably is slightly bigger than my Normal shoe so it's hard to say Definitively what to do cuz I haven't Got my normal size here but I think the Fit is pretty much fine the tongue is Much improved on this shoe compared to The fantasm C which had a very fussy and Annoying tongue to deal with it's just a
Better tongue all around so that's no Longer a Problem morning morning I am just off to Do my first run in the slab fantasm 2 It's a pretty wet and windy day uh it's Been it's been a rough morning so far I Won't lie my cats made a mess everywhere My kid refused to sleep I need a win I Need this run to go well and it's a Pretty hard run going to be doing a Progression 10K first 3K at 345k next 3K At 335k then 325k for 3K kick the last K It's the kind of run that tends to be Really tough off I think I often get set It by my coach quite early on when I'm Just feeling out fitness as a bit of a Tester so we'll see how it goes today uh Nothing's really going to plan this Morning I'm not exactly gone where I Want to do the run so I'm going to have To try and just do it where I am it'll Be fine it'll be fine anyway looking Forward to testing out the Shoes so just back uh that went really Well um surprisingly well yeah hit the Paces quite nicely there very comp to For the first 6K even though it was Tipping it down ended up on a short Little 850 M loop I know just cuz that Way I could balance out the wind a bit Rather than going out into the wind Coming back with it cuz it was pretty Blowy in One Direction uh yeah then 3K 325 was okay held it okay and then kick
Was a bit desperate but I managed to get Sub 320 for the last k at least so yeah Good session and the shoes were really Good actually the actual ride feel at Times was excellent you've got a lot of Softness there but it certainly gives You that tip forward a little bit of the Kick as well it's not just mushy Softness it feels very light and Nimble You know I feel like I keep turning my Feet over when I tried to push at the End it was easy to lift them up and keep Pushing through reminded me a little bit Of the um a 3 I'd say almost cuz it's it Is quite soft but it do get the firmness That you need to push onto your for foot And toe off nicely so yeah big positive On the ride quick shoe really impressed Actually how that went today I really Enjoyed how it felt L good the outo was Absolute nightmare like it first run out The box so maybe it'll scuff up a bit But there sections of that run I just Couldn't run I had to really go slowly And certain kinds and it was all flat Tac I was on but some of it was just Very slippy was getting no purchase from The bit on the front there trying to you Know grip in under the forefoot and toe Off just didn't get anything so on the Loop there was one bit I had to slow Down a little bit which really was an Ideal um I'm hoping that will improve as The outside scuffs up this was fresh out
Of the box it was maybe a bit slick Because of that but that was really Surprising for a Salomon shoe yeah you Know cont grip I think has been good for Me before so I'll have to see that in The future but yeah certainly feels like The ride here is a proper Super Shoe Really enjoyed that today um we'll Getting out doing more testing obviously But big tick on the ride today uh in the Salamon fantasm 2 really fast really Enjoyed It so that was very very enjoyable first Run today in the um in the fantasm 2 Like I said before the run I needed a Win today and I really felt good on that Run today really smooth controlled the Pace all the way through like first 6K Was holding back as you'd Hope on that Kind of run and then on the 3K at 325 I Was right on the pace and when I dropped Slightly off it I could speed up and Control it quite well and then a little Bit of a kick at the end not much of a Kick so and the shoe just felt really Good for out like I said in the uh in Just after the run there it's quite a Soft feeling shoe but it doesn't at all Detract from the propulsion you get from It it does leave you give you that boost From the plate and the foam and even as A heel strike coming on the big chunk at The back there with the what I feel like Is softer foam underneath the heel it
Felt very comfortable but not at all Spongy or slowing you down at all the Transition was still very Snappy and Fast like I said at the end of the run It did remind me a little bit of the Vaporfly 3 which is obious a little bit Softer than the bayly 2 which had that More aggressive ride I think this is a Shoe that so far I really like the feel Of and I think it worked very well for a Nice range of distances so second half Of that run today was a pretty decent 5K For me in the state I am overall so And it didn't feel hard to turn my feet Over at the end really felt like a quick Shoe lots of balance lots of protection Lots of comfort not a lot of grip right Now I do think that hopefully will come In time yeah I really hope it does come In time but I it really felt like it Needed a smooth surface to interact with So on the bits I was skidding a little Bit was just it was road but it Like A Flat Road but just slightly bobbly time Like not completely smooth and I just Don't think as soon as it was on that Surface it slipped really quickly and Just wasn't very good for maintaining a Pace so I did have to slow down on those Little sections but hopefully that will Improve in time and for the most part if You're on nice smooth roads it probably Won't come up and it was a very Unpleasant wet day today where it wasn't
Exactly bucketing down but it was that Real sheer slick feeling on Pavements Which is never ideal for any shoe yeah Compared to the fantasm CF you've got The soft ride here the bouncier ride the Fantasm CF was really all about the Rocker which I really liked on it I it Was a really good rocker and I felt I Could run quick in it because of that But the foam wasn't necessarily Exceptional it was a slightly firmer Than most super shoes with that rocker That meant I could run quick in it but I Don't think it was an amazing super shoe On the market at large like I said Earlier on it felt more like a training Like super trainer the fantasm 2 does Have that super shoe feel to it and I'm Really looking forward to getting out Again hopefully try and fit in a raceing It as well if we can before I get to the Full review but yeah very good first run Lot happier now than I was first thing This morning good running the Bag that's our first look at the Salomon Slab fantasm 2 uh have you been checking This out have been checking out Salomon's Road shoes in general let us Know in the comments below please do Like and subscribe ring a little bell And we'll see you next Time
