OptiFoam Explained
In brief: OptiFoam is Salomon's lightweight EVA-based cushioning foam. Standard OptiFoam provides balanced cushioning, OptiFoam+ blends EVA with PEBA for enhanced energy return, and OptiFoam squared delivers premium energy absorption. With a firmness of around 19 to 23 Shore A, it offers moderate firmness for ground feel with impact protection, and features across Salomon's trail and road collections.
What is OptiFoam?
OptiFoam is Salomon's lightweight EVA-based cushioning foam, the midsole material the brand uses across its running line. Built on ethylene-vinyl acetate, the most widely used midsole foam in footwear, OptiFoam is engineered to keep weight low while delivering reliable shock absorption. What makes it notable is that Salomon offers it in a tiered family rather than a single recipe, so the same foam philosophy can be tuned for very different shoes. From firm, fast trail racers to plush, protective daily trainers, OptiFoam adapts to the job, and it appears throughout Salomon's trail and road collections as the brand's go-to cushioning platform.
The OptiFoam tiers
OptiFoam comes in three distinct grades. Standard OptiFoam provides balanced cushioning, a versatile all-rounder suited to everyday running and a wide range of conditions. OptiFoam+ steps things up by blending EVA with PEBA, the high-rebound foam behind modern super shoes, to add enhanced energy return for runners who want a livelier, more responsive ride. At the top, OptiFoam squared delivers premium energy absorption for the most demanding applications. This tiered structure lets Salomon match the foam to the shoe's purpose, putting balanced cushioning in versatile models and the more responsive blends in performance-focused designs.
How the foam feels underfoot
OptiFoam is tuned to a firmness of around 19 to 23 Shore A, placing it in a moderate range that balances two competing demands. Firm enough to preserve ground feel, the connection and feedback runners value on technical terrain, yet cushioned enough to protect against repeated impact, it aims for the middle ground that works across both road and trail. That moderate firmness is a deliberate choice: very soft foams can feel unstable on rough ground, while very firm ones punish the legs over distance. By targeting this window, OptiFoam offers stability and control without sacrificing comfort, which is exactly what off-road running often demands.
Where the responsive blends shine
The PEBA-blended OptiFoam+ is reserved for shoes where responsiveness matters most, such as the S/Lab Phantasm, a fast, performance-oriented model. Adding PEBA to the EVA base injects extra rebound, returning more energy with each stride for a quicker, more propulsive feel. This is the same principle that drives premium running foams elsewhere, applied within Salomon's own platform. For runners chasing pace on the road or in racing, the OptiFoam+ blend offers a noticeable lift over standard cushioning, while the everyday models stick with balanced OptiFoam for durability and all-round comfort. The result is a coherent range where the foam grade signals the shoe's intent.
Choosing the right OptiFoam shoe
Picking the right OptiFoam shoe comes down to how you run. If you want a dependable, protective trainer for daily miles on road or trail, standard OptiFoam delivers balanced cushioning that lasts. If you prize energy return and a faster feel, look to the OptiFoam+ or OptiFoam squared models, where the responsive blends come into their own. Consider your terrain too: the moderate firmness suits technical ground where stability matters, while road runners may lean towards the livelier tiers. Whatever your priority, the OptiFoam family gives Salomon a way to offer the right cushioning character for each category of shoe.
OptiFoam at OD's Designer Clothing
OptiFoam cushioning features across the Salomon footwear we stock at OD's Designer Clothing, tuned for each shoe category from firm trail racers to plush daily trainers. We carry Salomon alongside other leading running and outdoor brands, and our team can explain the differences between standard OptiFoam, the PEBA-blended OptiFoam+ and OptiFoam squared so you choose the right ride. Order online with next-day delivery and free click and collect, or visit our St Helens store to try Salomon's road and trail models on and feel the cushioning underfoot. Ask us which OptiFoam grade suits your running.