Squash Source

21 responses to “Salming Viper”

1. Jay

   January 29, 2019

   I got a pair of Viper 2’s in gecko green for Christmas and am loving them after a month of use! They are light and comfortable to suit a quick, lighter player like myself (72 kg). After a month playing 2-3x a week, the durability and grip are great aside from the toe drag areas which are just a little scuffed up at this point.

   Being my first pair of Salmings, it’ll be hard for me to not continue using them again even though they are pricier than other shoes (Is there another comparable shoe?). They look awesome and perform well. I’ll put up follow up comments in a few months after the winter season ends.

   Reply
   1. Jay

      March 20, 2020

      I thought I would post some follow up comments after 14 months of use (better late than never!). I’ve really enjoyed these shoes for the fit, comfort and looks – I don’t think I could go back to Asics. They’ve held up pretty well aside from your typical wear and tear from squash (i.e. toe drag areas, sole). I’m probably close to retiring them as the left shoe is pretty scuffed up and the soles are worn down. I was fortunate enough to find a pair of the white/navy ones in nearly new condition on Kijiji for well-below retail price. So I’ll be set for a little while longer 🙂

      Reply
2. B

   February 29, 2016

   How is the sizing compared to other salming shoes (race r2)?

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   1. Pierre Bastien

      February 29, 2016

      I feel like the Viper is a LITTLE smaller in the toe box than the R2 but they are pretty much the same.

      Reply
3. Alex Esquibel

   September 29, 2015

   I’ve found these to be amazing shoes after two weeks of play three times a week. Not much to break in-slightly stiff, high comfort level and premium control on court surfaces (good looking too). I don’t think anyone has mentioned the bonus of the suction-cup action at the rear part of the sole on the court – it’s a unique sensation hopefully with functional benefits. If I were to change anything to the design, it would be to add more padding at the ankle area (don’t get me wrong, it’s better than most). Truth be told, I became so accustom to the Prince NFS II‘s that I miss it. Regarding the fit, it is true to size if you are using the Brannock Device to measure your foot. I wear 11.5 US / 29.5 cm and they are spot on. All manufactures use their own templates (or “last”) to pattern the shoe’s shape, so it’s no surprise when it comes to differences between them. Performance and comfort wise, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better shoe. Durability? I’ll let you know in few months. Brilliant shoe otherwise.

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   1. Pierre Bastien

      September 29, 2015

      Thanks Alex

      Reply
4. Manuel Febles

   May 8, 2015

   I have this shoes for 2 months now.
   First of all I have to say that they fit bigger than Asics. My previous pair of Asics Domain 2 were a size 12.5 and these Salming are 12s and I probably could wear a pair of 11.5s…
   They as comfortable as the Asics, usually Asics are more comfortable than other brands like Hi Tec but Salming can match up with Asics.
   About durability, I had some concerns about their durability since I heard some players complaining about this. So far they are holding up. Just a little wear and tear in the insoles and the outer right side its getting detached from the sole but I think a little bit of glue will fix it.
   Overall they are great shoes the only CON I can find is their price… $190CAD per a pair of shoes seems excessive.
   If money is not a concern for you then I would recommend these shoes if you are looking for something cheaper go for the Asics Domain 2 (DON’T BUY THE DOMAIN 3, THEY ARE TERRIBLE!!!).
   Cheers,

   Reply
5. David

   March 2, 2015

   Picked a pair of these up as replacements for my asics jel blast 4’s. While the shoes perform fantastically they are NOT DURABLE. I drag the upper inner portion of the shoes on deep lunges, and after TWO WEEKS of having these shoes I wore a hole almost completely through the shoe. As a comparison, my pair of jel blast 4’s lasted a year and a half.

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   1. Jon Catuccio

      June 22, 2016

      Yes, after about 10 days, with 2 pairs in rotation:

      https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipN2h47wX2g9JR1yv8ycXCtxp1ILFoT6LYwKc9cF

      Reply
6. Harry

   February 5, 2015

   I’ve had the vipers since they came out. I was looking for a lightweight shoe so tried these. The fit is really secure with tons of good old fashioned grip. The forefoot does have a minimal padding but i’ve always like this as the shoe feels more stable for it. Whilst a few people have voiced concerns about durability mine are lasting extremely well and I play around three times a week so they’ve had a decent amount of play and still going strong. The best court shoes I’ve tried by far.

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7. Pierre Bastien

   February 2, 2015

   From YouTube:

   I bought the Salming Viper now, and i really like how light they are. The mesh also provides good ventilation and keeps your feet cool. But they already show a lot of wear. I don´t think they´ll hold as long as my Hi-Tec shoes did. They are also quite stiff, and give my Achilles tendon some stress I have not experienced from other shoes before. Will get used to hopefully.

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8. Denis R Charron

   October 17, 2014

   I’ve been using these shoes for 3 months.
   I love them, they are very stable on court and have a lot of amortization.
   Highly recommended

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   1. Zsolt

      October 18, 2014

      Thank you :d. Had Mizuno wave stealth II’s before, and while they are really good, it turned out it’s not for me. They are to “high off” from the ground and I just don’t find the feeling good for my personal style.
      What i have found about the Viper that it has no special cushioning in the front. But i don’t need much, just wondered how they feel (for example is the front cushioning at least on the level of a low level asics shoe like the Rocket 6/7 ?)
      Sorry for pestering with questions, but I don’t want to buy another shoe that will turn out to be not right for me, especially considering the price of the Viper.
      I’m looking for a shoe that has good grip, that locks down your foot inside and a low feeling with some cushioning. Up until now i have considered the Asics Gel blade 4, Nike kobe 9 and this.
      If anyone has played in one of these please give me some feedback.
      Would appreciate it. Thanks!

      Reply
      1. Denis R Charron

         October 18, 2014

         Here’s some specification that make these shoes so good on court

         Drop 7mm
         The heel to toe drop of 7° sets up a natural posture, allowing a correct lean throughout the stride.

         LMS+
         Fast lateral stops expose the foot to the risk to roll over outwards, causing injuries. LMS+ (Lateral Movement Stabilizer Plus) is a unique design with a positive angle of 11° that prevents the foot from rolling over outwards.

         3 Layer Construction
         A first layer of mesh material adds comfort, while the middle stabilizes lateral movements and reduces pressure on the foot.
         The exterior thin net mesh encapsulates and wraps up the front in a neat fashion, adding durability to the shoe.

         LMS™
         Lateral Movement Stabilizer – an especially designed light weight integrated dual torsion unit that supports the foot during fast and irregular lateral movements.

         For more reference
         http://www.salmingsquash.com/shoes/viper/viper-men/#section-tech

         Reply
      2. Jonathan Catuccio

         May 17, 2016

         Great term, “Locks down your foot”. Sadly, I bought my size in the new Viper they do run a little large. This may be due to the style/design they used in the forefoot area. IMHO that space is too big, and it does not lock down on your foot with the resulting effect of sliding around a bit in the shoe. Or they just run large. I may have to try a 1/2 size smaller.

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         1. rod foster

            May 18, 2016

            you could try the TruSox located here ….i’d think they’d be perfect for a shoe that is a half size too big!!!!

            try it!

            Reply
9. Zsolt

   October 17, 2014

   Did anyone try out these shoes? Couldn’t find any consumer review or opinion on it. Can someone tell me how they are? Would really appreciate it

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10. kyle

    March 25, 2014

    yes your correct… Just saw Adrian wearing these at Canary ! Nice !

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    1. Pierre Bastien

       March 26, 2014

       Ah nice, thanks for the tip. Just posted a photo.

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11. kyle

    March 24, 2014

    are these court or running shoes Pierrie ?

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    1. Pierre Bastien

       March 25, 2014

       Hi Kyle I believe these are going to be court shoes (though, Salming is also coming out with some running shoes in the summer).

       Reply