Salomon Sense Ride 5 Review | Worth It In 2025?
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Salomon Sense Ride 5 review for those who are wondering whether they are still WORTH IT in 2025. As a seasoned trail runner with over 12 years of experience testing trail running shoes, I recommend these for runners looking for a stable, trail running shoe mainly for flat terrain.
For this review, I have put in over 50+ miles into testing my own personal pair of the Salomon Sense Ride 5 throughout this last year.
I’m very familiar with how they feel and perform on the trails. I’ll go over comfort/fit , traction, stability & support , weight, overall protection, and durability. I’ll be giving a score of each category based on OBJECTIVE testing standards and an overall score with recommendations at the end.
The Salomon Sense Ride has updates to their upper as well as the outsole. The Sense Ride series have been a durable, and dependable trail shoe.
Our Verdict
The Sense Ride 5 is a great option for summer trail runners, looking for a highly sensitive and stable trail runner. The weight is also very light at only 8 oz per shoe. The comfort and fit are modest, with lower scores in the plushiness and shock absorption categories.
Overall, it’s a very good trail running shoe for moderate terrain and well maintained paths, especially for runners who value ground feel, speed, agility and stability over max cushion. If you’re not tackling ultra distances or highly technical terrain the Sense Ride 5 delivers excellent value at a budget price point.
Sense Ride 5 Pros and Cons
- Great trail feel
- Excellent stability & support
- Ultra Lightweight
- High heel to toe drop (8mm)
- 21mm forefoot stack height
- Decent comfort
- Not for ultra distance trails
Should you buy the Salomon Sense Ride 5?
Buy if
- You want great responsiveness and sensitivity on trail
- You want a trail running shoe that you can use on flat pavement as well as gravel
- You are looking a BREATHABLE trail shoe for the summer
DON’T Buy if
- You’re looking for a pure road-to-trail hybrid
- You are mainly a heel-striker only
- You prefer a soft, flexible upper
Compare To Similar Products
The Sense Ride 5 is a performance trail running shoe that excels in stability and support. The budget-friendly price is also what makes it a great choice
Versatile trail runner. Made for the hardcore trail runner with exceptional stability and traction. Lacks upper comfort
One of our top trail runners. The Speedcross 6 has top-versatility with excellent out-of the box performance. An easy choice.
Salomon Sense Ride 5 Price
Right now, the Sense Ride 5 retails for $160, but I found some great discounts on Backcountry.com for as low as $140.
Get The BEST PRICE on the Sense Ride 5 at the LOWEST Price Available! (Do NOT pay retail):
Disclosure: These links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to run the website 🙂
Sense Ride 5 Comfort & Fit : 7/10
I noted the footbed of the Sense Ride 5 to be quite stiff, which is in-line with the expected stability of the shoe. The upper is a little stiff to begin with, however it began to loosen up after the first 5 miles.
My foot did not sink into the footbed like it did with the Challenger 7, it was more static and hard-shelled.If you are looking for a plush footbed, consider a different shoe. The shock absorption was average due to the lower stack height.
The toe box I measured at roughly 9 cm. The toe box has a decent amount of room however remember, the stiff upper doesn’t enable a great amount of flexibility. I had some compression of my pinky toe during my first few runs
The upper is very stiff which aids in the stability and support; however, it is not the most comfortable, especially concerning the underlying lack of a sock liner.
Otherwise, the shoe fits true to size. No need for sizing up or down. The lacing system is just like any other Salomon shoe, the quick lace system which gives a nice tight lockdown of your foot.
Overall the Sense Ride 5 is just like the Hoka Speedgoat 6 a very stiff shoe with great performance however lacking areas of comfort.
Traction: 8/10
The Sense Ride 5 equipped with the Contagrip all terrain outsole. The lugs are spread in an oblique pattern and approximately 4 mm each. We tested the Sense Ride 5 on loose gravel, sandstone, limestone and of course dirt trails.
I felt the traction was slightly above average. This was not because of the Contagrip outsole, however it’s more due to the internal stability support system of the shoe. Contagrip itself is quite soft and conforms to the surface more so than other outsoles.
Testing the Sense Ride 5 on flat terrain was where it really shined. They held up great on loose gravel and dirt trails. I began to struggle a bit with traction on wet, loose, uphill terrain.
Overall, the Sense Ride 5 has above average traction than thrives in flat terrain.
Stability & Support 8.5/10
The stiff upper of the Sense Ride 5 really aids in the stability of your foot, The tough mesh counteracts any overpronation of supination at your foot especially while on technical terrain.
The forefoot stability is where the shoe really stands out from the crowd for forefoot strikers. If you are traveling at a faster speed, the Sense Ride 5 really has you covered for forefoot stability. The lockdown is very impressive.
The Sense Ride 5 offers impressive torsional stability. Its low stack height helps minimize unwanted twisting, something other trail runners lack because of the higher-stack heights and more cushioning.
The sensitivity of the shoe is quite noteworthy because of the low stack height. I really felt a great ground level field connection which enabled me to change up my stride as needed on the trail.
Weight 9/10
I weighed the Ride 5 in at 8 oz flat, for frame of reference they are 20% lighter than the Hoka Challenger 7.
For trail runners looking for an ultralight shoe this one is up there.The Sense Ride 5 also features breathability materials that tend to weigh less.
Nonetheless, the shoe is a little lighter than the average trail runners we have tested to date.
How’s The Overall Protection Of The Sense Ride 5?
The Sense Ride 5 does not feature a rock plate, however the underneath of the shoe is quite stiff and hard which will guard against punctures and jagged terrain.
The breathable mesh can be prone to tearing, though I did not experience any rips during my 50 mile testing. The upper was quite robust when scraping against elements on the trails.
The rubber toe cap offers solid protection against sharp or hard trail obstacles. It’s about the average length and width of protection you’d have on most trail runners.
The gusseted tongue did a great job of keeping out any debris while pushing hard on the trails.
Salomon Sense Ride Overall Protection 7/10 (10%)
Durability 7/10
The durability of the Salomon Sense Ride 5 Has impressed me after testing this for 50+ miles on the trails. I expected the thin upper to break down and begin to rip a tear which it has not.
The soft Contagrip outsole I theorized would begin to flatten out after 50 miles however to the contrary, there’s been minimal breakdown or where on the lugs itself as well.
Even with the low stack height, and a majority of forefoot and mid-foot striking, the energy return of the Sense Ride 5 still holds its own on tough trails. The structural integrity is a highlight of this shoe.
Overall, the Sense Ride 5 durability has been remarkable for such a budget type trail running shoe.
Is the Salomon Sense Ride 5 worth it?
If you are looking for a budget type trail runner that can handle mild to moderate terrain and excels in flat terrain this one is definitely worth it.
The Sense Ride 5 is built similarly like the Speedgoat 6, made for performance on trails, with a low stack height for stride training.
It’s tough to find a more stable trail runner for under $140.
Other trail running shoes to recommend that work well on mild to moderate terrain would be the Merrell Agility Peak 5 or even the Altra Lone Peak 9+. Both are more comfortable and have higher stack heights.
Value: 4/5
Scoring Breakdown
Comfort & Fit (20%): 7/10
Traction (20%) : 8/10
Stability & Support (20%): 8.5/10
Weight (15%) : 9/10
Overall Protection (10%) : 7/10
Durability (10%) : 7 / 10
Value (5%) : 4 / 5
Total Weight Score: 1.40 + 1.60 + 1.70 + 1.35 + 0.70 + 0.70 + 0.20 = 7.65
Our Rating: 7.7 / 10
Salomon Sense Ride 5 Price
Right now, the Sense Ride 5 retails for $160, but I found some great discounts on Backcountry.com for as low as $140.
Get The BEST PRICE on the Sense Ride 5 at the LOWEST Price Available! (Do NOT pay retail):
Frequently Asked Questions
How Good Are The Salomon Sense Ride 5?
The Sense Ride 5 are a good trail runner for moderate terrain in the summer months. The trail feel and stability are the main standout features of this shoe.
Are The Salomon Sense Ride 5 Running Shoes?
No, the Sense Ride 5 are trail running shoes. However, they excel on flat terrain so you may use them as running shoes as well.
How Does The Salomon Sense Ride 5 Fit?
The Salomon Sense Ride 5 fits true to size.
What is the difference between Salomon Sense Ride 4 and 5?
The Sense Ride 5 has 1mm shorter lugs as well as less stack height compared to the 4.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
I personally tested the Salomon Sense Ride 5 over 50+ miles with continued testing in 2025. Mountaineer Journey is a 100% independent publisher with years of testing and reviewing outdoor equipment.
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve logged thousands of trail miles across everything from smooth single-file roads to steep, technical singletrack. This includes long-distance runs in the Rockies, muddy East Coast climbs, loose desert terrain, and fast descents through alpine switchbacks.
This kind of hands-on experience helps me evaluate how a trail shoe truly performs—whether it’s truly stable, grips well on varied surfaces, and holds up over time under real mileage.
We currently pay for the products we test ourselves; no company or manufacturer pays us to sway our opinions or decisions.
