Salomon Phantasm 3 Review | Using Aerodynamics to Make a Better Race Shoe

It looks futuristic. It’s got some serious scientific brain power behind the design. But does the Salmon S/Lab Phantasm 3 perform?

At first glance this looks like a response to the On Cloudboom Strike LightSpray that has caught fire and is selling on some sites for over $1000. BUT it’s not. It’s still got laces, which made me question why I’m futzing with putting my foot in this bootie to get the shoe on.

Let’s talk about it. Aerodynamics. Just how much are they doing for us? Is it the shoe or the runner (hello Courntey Dauwalter wearing these to smash a marathon)?

This is a racing shoe for top tier runners. Those putting in sub 6 minute miles are going to find the most benefit from the additional aerodynamics and design of this carbon plated race shoe.

Salomon S/LAB Phantasm 3 Overview

The Phantasm 3 wasn’t just designed to be fast. It was engineered to cheat the wind.

SwissSide, whose aerodynamics expertise comes from cycling racing and Formula 1, collaborated on making the shoe itself more aerodynamic. The result? Meaningful time savings that compound over half marathon and marathon distances.

And honestly, when I first pulled it out of the box I was genuinely excited because this shoe looks seriously cool.

Then I tried to put it on.

The Phantasm 3 has a very thin layer over the laces that keeps everything tucked away and gives a smooth, fitted feel but getting your foot in there is a real project. I actually had an easier time with the On Lightspray, which was essentially just a bootie with no internal lacing system.

The gaiter like cache coeur construction completely encloses the lacing, tongue, and midfoot to create a streamlined surface straight out of the time trial and triathlon world. Once you are in, the fit feels direct and secure, not as tight as a lot of carbon plated shoes but definitely not a wide fit despite how forgiving it looks.

The upper is lightweight and seamlessly constructed with a clear aerodynamic purpose: minimizing air turbulence in the transition zone between your foot, ankle, and lower leg. Salomon claims up to 18 seconds saved on a 2:06 marathon pace. I am not going to pretend I am running those splits. But most of you reading this are probably closer to my paces than the podium, and I think my real world testing is still going to tell you a lot about whether this shoe is worth your attention.

Why aerodynamics in a running shoe?

The SwissSide team tested 12 shoes on a treadmill (geez guys we do that in a single week, kidding, kind of). What they found was interesting: during the forward swing of your stride, your foot is moving at twice your running pace. At top end running speeds, shoe drag becomes meaningful enough to impact performance. They identified the transitions between the outsole, midsole, and upper as the biggest opportunities for aerodynamic improvement, which is exactly what the Phantasm 3 design targets.

However, as noted previously most of us are not going to be getting those benefits at anything over a 3 hour marathon. If you

Now the midsole is what actually matters for most runners.The midsole uses PEBA based optiFOAM+, which gives you exactly the bouncy, energetic response you expect from a PEBA compound. Paired with a moderate rocker geometry and the Energyblade carbon plate, the transition onto your toes feels smooth and genuinely powerful rather than abrupt.

One thing to flag: the width from the midfoot back through the heel runs quite narrow. If you are a heel striker like me, it’s not an ideal situation for finding stability at top speed.

The outsole uses Contagrip Road rubber that Salomon created for competition and road running. It grips well on dry asphalt and holds up on slightly damp surfaces too, but seriously just damp and avoid the painted lines.

I haven’t found many top end carbon shoes that I’d wear in any condition I thought would be slick. It makes sense because they are trying to cut weight and a big rubber outsole adds weight.

Phantasm 3 Fit

I have generally found Salomon to run small, so I went in with that expectation. The Phantasm 3 surprised me a bit. Because this is a unisex model, I had plenty of room at the end of the toe, and the toebox carries enough volume that it did not feel punishing.

The shoe is still an overall narrow fit, so do not mistake the toebox volume for width through the midfoot, but it was more accommodating than I anticipated from Salomon.

Similar Shoes to the Salomon S/LAB Phantasm 3

We’ve tested a lot of carbon plated race day shoes and here are the one’s we find most similar:

Man did I want to love this shoe. I was stoked to see it in the package and read all the science, but I think I’m just not the ideal runner for it.

A forefoot striker with race paces closer to a 2:30 Marathon or 6 minute interval, race pace is going to see this shoe really perform. You need those top end speeds to get the most out of the PEBA, the plate and this bonus aerodynamic set up.

That being said, we’re really excited to see where this thinking leads in future shoes. It’s these innovators and first swings that often lead to other big wins (hello Nike Vaporfly).

What to Read Next?

• Best Carbon Plated Running Shoes of 2025
• Our entire list of Carbon Plated Running Shoe Reviews
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