Product Testing: Salomon Speed Cross 3 Trail Shoes - Part 2

This is a follow up post to: Product Testing: Salomon Speed Cross 3 Trail Shoes

Well, it poured last night during the thunderstorm so I decided that today would be the day to really try the shoes out for the conditions that I bought them for...mud. I headed out to the local ATV/horse/hiking trail and saw that there was at least one ATV on the trail. As I headed down my usual trail at a jog I realized that I was inadequately supported so the run turned into a hike. About a 1/4 mile down I heard the ATVs and saw a great section of mud and water. It was funny that the ATVers actually went around instead of through the stuff. After they passed I headed straight for the mud/water. I didn't actually want to got through the water itself...after all I am at home and not actually running a Spartan or Tough Mudder at the moment. However, I did get to the edge of the puddles where the consistency of the mud becomes more like natural peanut butter right after it's been stirred.I did slip a little but I would expect that in any shoe until you get your footing.

Considering the different consistencies of mud that I encountered: the aforementioned thin peanut butter...

• Sticky and soft mud that the tread of the shoes sank into but still allowed me to move easily 
• Slick, thick, mud that was so soft that it almost swallowed my shoe...I likely would have lost it if not for the speed laces, my foot did not get wet at all 
• Hard mud that had soaked up the rain but was likely so dry that all it did was soften it just a bit no problems traversing that 
• Wet sand that really had no effect on my propulsion even though it was about 1" deep at times 

I really don't know how they would perform on the incline rope wall if it is slick and muddy like the one at the Nevada Super Spartan was. However, based on the squeaking that I can hear when walking on concrete I would guess that they would do well...all I want to do is stay in the upright position instead of slipping and sliding like I did in Nevada.

Overall, I'd rate these as very good, comfortable and fit is very good. I haven't washed them yet, they are now in my vehicle I'm sure the mud is dried and packed on so it'll be interesting to knock the mud off and throw them into the washer. The really, true test will come on June 29th at the Utah Spartan Beast (my Trifecta). Hopefully there'll be some pics to show how well they work, but for now here are some pics from my testing today.

Side view 1:
Can you guess which shoe almost got swallowed by mud?

Side view 2.

Tread filled with mud but lugs still coming through.

Post run/hike.

Just after pulling out of the extremely soft mud.
Thank goodness both feet didn't get caught up!

I doesn't look like it, but this is where the "best" mud was.
This is the area where my shoe sunk into the mud.

The biggest mud puddles I could find.
Played mainly on the edges of the puddles where it was quite slippery.