Cycling isn’t the only sport to be increasingly sliced and diced into new segments, with the Pas Normal Studios cycle clothing brand collaborating with Salomon to launch a gravel running collection, including shoes and kit.
Sitting somewhere between on-road running and full-on trail running, the collaboration focuses on the GRVL Concept shoe, which Salomon revealed at the beginning of May. This incorporates two full-length carbon plates and a PEBA-based supercritical foam midsole, designed to increase energy return and decrease strike energy.
That part of the design is borrowed from road running, but Salomon says the sole’s tread pattern is inspired by gravel bike tyres with shallow 1.5mm lugs, which the two brands say offer grip on gravel but also speed on tarmac – very gravel cycling.
There’s a built-in short gaiter to keep stones and debris out of the shoes, which use Salomon’s updated Quicklace Neo system rather than conventional laces. The shoes have a 262g per shoe claimed weight and are priced at a cycling shoe-like £230. They’re available in sizes from 37⅓ to 49⅓.
It’s not only about tech, though.
According to PNS’s creative director, Karl-Oskar Olsen: “The colour palette visualises the elements of a dusty, sandy hybrid surface, contrasted by the yellow of the sun and the blue of the sky.
"As a counterpoint to the tactile, DIY-inspired aesthetic, the collection is branded with a silver-grey reflective heat transfer, supporting a more subtle, yet still highly functional expression.”
So now you know.
There’s also a hydration vest for runners, priced at £160. The Race Skin 2 can carry up to two litres of fluids, split between a hydration bladder at the rear and two bottles in the straps at the front.
Once again, Salomon has applied its Quicklace system for adjustability, while PNS has ported its gravel cycling colour palette, described as Sweet Pea/Deep Lichen Green/Dark Earth.
The PNS/Salomon GRVL Concept shoes are available immediately and the hydration vest will be on sale from 27 May, if you want to ditch your bike on your next gravel adventure.
