Hey it’s the Salming Race R3 Junior. It’s the junior version of the Salming Race 1.
You can see more junior squash shoes here.
Here’s the Salming Race R3 3.0, which came out in 2015:
Image via sportsvirtuoso.com
This one is called the Salming Race R3 2.0:
Image via clutchsports.co ∞
Here’s another variety, the Salming Race R3 in the original blue color (I have the Race R1 version of this shoe and love it.)
Image via clutchsports.co
Salming Race R3 Reviews
I hadn’t heard about these shoes until a reader named K asked this question:
Hi Pierre, could you possibly find out about the Salming Race R3 shoes in detail? They look almost exactly like the R1s, with just different branding. They’re meant for juniors and only go up to size 7 US, whereas the regular R1s only go down to size 7.5 US. But I have tiny feet (7 US) and want to try Salming, so I’d like to have a general idea of how these are.
Derrick from floorballpro.com gave an awesome, detailed answer:
The R3 is modeled similarly to the R1 but in junior sizes. There is a difference in materials depending on the models being compared. The R3 2.0 in yellow compared to the R1 2.0 in yellow are very similar, the black exo-skeleton material has a more matte look on the R3, and the R1 has a grippy texture at the big toe which isn’t on the R3 2.0. Compared with the other colours of the R1 2.0, the R3 2.0 has a single-material throughout the sole of the shoe, and the LMS at the bottom of the shoe is made of the same foam material as the rest of the shoe’s cushioning whereas the R1 2.0’s LMS is made of a hard plastic.
Thanks K and Derrick!
StringfellowHawke says
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I actually got the same problem regarding small feet (US 7) and I have both the R3 2.0 and the original R3s. My experience was that the R3s have an inferior sole to the R1s, and indeed the R3 2.0s. It is much less grippy as it is more plastic-like rather than rubber-like.
The R3 2.0s are very good and I would strongly recommend them. Salming also has the Viper model in junior sizes which is also a very good shoe. I change between R3 2.0s and the Viper. The Viper certainly feels lighter, whilst R3 2.0s feel more stable.
I really don’t understand why Salming starts their senior sizes at US 7.5 / EUR 40 2/3. They should start at US 6 (or at least US 7 / EUR 40 / 25 cm).
On a side-note I would recommend checking out TruSox for squash (https://www.trusox.com/). Together with the Salming shoes, they have eliminated the blue big toe problem for me.
K says
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Wow, thanks Pierre! I actually got the R3s (the original ones) in the meantime, so I was able to get some court time with them. They feel a little more higher up from the floor than my Asics Gel Blade 4s, but there’s more cushioning and more support towards the heel. I still haven’t quite broken them in yet so they’re a little bit stiff, but hopefully that’ll go away as I use them more.