Salomon’s Red Ashes Collection Brings Desert-Inspired Finishes to Trail Running Staples

Few brands have made the jump from iconic outdoor gear specialist to streetwear staple as notably as Salomon. Blending technical construction with needle-moving designs, the French firm has debuted plenty of variants intended to wow on the sidewalk. But with its latest pack, featuring the likes of the XT-Whisper, ACS Pro, and XA Pro 3D, Salomon nudgingly reminds us that these sneakers are first and foremost meant for the trail… or in this case, the desert.

Back From the Archive

Originally launched in 2009 as a lighter, more refined counterpart to the XT-Hawk, the XT-Whisper was Salomon’s answer for women looking for a serious performance trail shoe without defaulting to whatever the men’s lineup had to offer. It carried all the hallmarks of the XT family, like Quicklace, Contragrip, a supportive chassis, just with a slimmer silhouette and a more fluid aesthetic. Fast forward to late 2024, and Salomon brought it back in unisex sizing, repositioning it as a Y2K-adjacent trail sneaker that slots right in alongside the XT-4 and XT-6 as crossover footwear.

The Red Ashes colorway adds a scuffed leather effect that mimics sand-worn surfaces, with snakeskin-like detailing at the toe, heel, and tongue to round things out. This silhouette has the most use of gold of all three Red Ashes sneakers, zig-zagged on the side of the mesh. Like the standard XT-Whisper, the sensiFIT cradle and OrthoLite diecut sockliner give the shoe a performance edge, and the Mud contaGRIP outsole with deep chevron lugs is red to match the upper. All three sneakers in this pack sport Salomon’s superb quickLACE lacing system for fine-tuning your fit on-the-go.

The OG Gets Dusty

If the XT-Whisper is the comeback kid of the pack, the XA Pro 3D is its anchor. Launched in 2002 as Salomon’s flagship adventure-race shoe, the XA Pro 3D was built around a rigid 3D chassis running heel-to-toe that combined forefoot flex with serious rearfoot and lateral support. It became a benchmark for technical trail footwear, spending years as a trusted companion on thru-hikes like the JMT and TMB before finding a second life among gorpcore enthusiasts.

The Red Ashes treatment gives it the same sand-worn leather effect as its packmates, though a bit more monochromatic. Plus, at 14oz it’s the heaviest of the three. This is a tradeoff for the 3D Advanced Chassis to keeps things stable underfoot. The All Terrain contaGRIP outsole handles the widest range of surfaces in the pack.

The Cage That Started It All

The ACS Pro carries the most interesting origin story of the three. Its lineage runs back to the late-’90s GCS trail shoe, a design by Christian Tresser (yes, the same designer behind the Air Max 97) that was ahead of its time in terms of construction and breathability. A more premium version arrived around 2005 before Adidas ultimately sold Salomon to Amer Sports, making it one of the final expressions of that early high-performance era. Salomon revived the silhouette in 2022 under its ADVANCED line, keeping the signature ventilated cage structure and upgrading it with a modern Agile Chassis System.

Like the previous two, the Red Ashes version is all over this sneaker, but in a way that allows the open cage design to take center stage. It’s the priciest of the pack at $200 in part thanks to its more complex construction and namesake Agile Chassis System to give you more support. It’s a big part of why we chose this silhouette for our guide to the best walking shoes. Of the three Red Ashes models, this one decidedly nails the crossover vibe the best, solidified with Salomon’s choice to go with a brown outsole rather than red like the other two.

Pricing & Availability

The Red Ashes Pack drops on March 6 exclusively through Salomon. The XT-Whisper is priced at $145, the XA Pro 3D at $150, and the ACS Pro at $200. All three are available in unisex sizing in the red/brown colorway.

Recap

Salomon Red Ashes Pack

Salomon’s Red Ashes Pack brings three of its most storied trail silhouettes — the XT-Whisper, XA Pro 3D, and ACS Pro — together under a desert-inspired colorway that balances real performance tech with serious street appeal. Prices run from $145 to $200, with all three dropping on March 6 exclusively through Salomon.

Learn More: Salomon