Speedland launches a high-stack trail shoe
The company that created the super-expensive SL:PDX for trail runners has a new, slightly less expensive, model
The Portland, Ore. company that launched the Speedland SL:PDX has created a new trail shoe that looks more like a road shoe, but with a lugged outsole. The GS:TAM, named for northern California’s Mount Tamalpais, has a similar upper to the SL:PDX (including the dual-BOA closure), but with a thicker midsole designed for running on mountain roads and trails.
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The GS:TAM’s upper looks almost identical to the upper of the previous models, but the blocky, 37-inch Pebax-elastomer midsole is more like that of a road shoe, and is more suited to the drier terrain of Marin County, near San Francisco. It has a slightly higher drop (7 mm) and is very slightly heavier than the SL:PDX, weighing in at a still very reasonable 303 g (10.7 oz.).
When they started up Speedland, co-founders Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon wanted to create a truly excellent shoe, with no compromises in quality dictated by mass production–a shoe that would deliver unrivalled performance while also being environmentally sustainable. They put all of their considerable resources into producing the limited-edition trainer, creating 1,200 pairs of the SL:PDX, which came out in June 2021.
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Designed for the often wet terrain around Portland, the SL:PDX boasted a light, durable upper, with two BOA closures to dial-in the perfect fit. This was sewn to a recyclable Pebax-elastomer midsole with a removable carbon-fibre plate and a practically indestructible Michelin-rubber outsole with 7 mm lugs that could be trimmed to suit the terrain. It came with a hefty price tag: about CAD $477, but trail runners raved about it, mainly because of the wide toebox and customizable fit, thanks to the BOA system, which allows micro adjustments on the fly.
The brand followed up the SL:PDX with the SL:HSV, inspired by the trails of Huntsville, Ala. This second model had gaiter attachments and updates to the BOA dials, outsole compound and carbon plate. Both models have a 5 mm heel drop. In January 2022, the brand partnered with 2021 Hardrock 100 second-place finisher Dylan Bowman, who has been involved in the design of the later models.
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Here’s something other brands don’t offer: purchasers are invited to request a return label when their shoes wore out, so they can be returned to the brand at no cost, to be taken apart and recycled.
At US$275, or about C$365 (or another $47 if you want the removable carbon-fibre plate, which is sold separately), the new shoe is slightly less expensive than the original model.
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