The New Ultra Running Range by Francois D'Haene
The right equipment is so important in an ultra race, no matter how fast you are going. With direct input from the French ultra-running champion François D'haene, Salomon has created technical footwear, apparel and gear specifically for ultra-trail races.
The goal of the new ULTRA range of ultra-running footwear, apparel and gear is to equip ultra-runners with the best products for racing and everyday training, all with direct input from one of the best ultra-runners of all-time and longtime Salomon athlete Francois D’Haene. The Salomon ULTRA range will be available at select retailers and on Salomon.com in August of 2023. The products—designed with more neutral colors and a slightly more generous fit than traditional ultra-running apparel—are intended to be trustworthy and built for the long haul, not necessarily for speed alone. The ULTRA range consists of a full race kit—shoes, running vest, shirt, shorts, socks, calf sleeves, and a Quiver to hold trekking poles. More pieces will be added in during the next season, including a jacket/pant combo and long sleeve seamless T-shirt.
“You can say this material is perfect or this is interesting or waterproof, but then you have to use it on terrain and during the race where you prove it works. We always have people on the development team with me at a race or on an ultra-running project, and we have learned so much over 10 years. Now we know what products and what materials are needed. It’s not like we decided to create this range two years ago and it’s not just two years of collaboration; it’s the result of 12 years of collaboration. ”
François D'haene
Ultra-trail runner
“Creating this range means a lot to me because I’ve worked with Salomon for more than 10 years on products and I’m very passionate about having a range dedicated to ultra-running,” D’Haene says. “Of course, it’s a big commitment of time and energy, but I don’t think of it as work; it’s pulling our ideas together and making a range we are proud of. For me, it was very important to create a range that is not just for athletes, but for all people participating in ultras so that they can use the same products that I use while working with the Service-2-Athletes team at Salomon.”
Make no mistake: the ULTRA range is not simply a case of Francois D’Haene attaching his name to some footwear, apparel and gear. The four-time UTMB© champion spent countless hours poring over materials, testing products on trails near his home, and researching with Salomon designers who he has worked with for more than a decade, specifically product developers Félix Dejey (footwear) and Serge Chapuis (apparel).
“This is the result of years of collaboration because you can say this material is perfect or this is interesting or waterproof, but then you have to use it on terrain and during the race where you prove it works,” D’Haene says. “With Salomon, we always have people on the development team with me at a race or on an ultra-running project, and we have learned so much over 10 years. Now we know what product and what materials are needed, and this made a huge difference in the development. It’s not like we decided to create this range two years ago and it’s not just two years of collaboration; it’s the result of 12 years of collaboration.”
“You need cushioning, but it needs to be dynamic, too. So that in the race, you cannot feel the rock… but you still feel the rock, if that makes sense. And with the help of all the expert people in Salomon Footwear, we created a shoe that we are very proud of. We can’t wait to see it on other people and have their feedback! ”
Ultra-trail runner
The S/LAB Ultra shoe, for example, is the model that carried D’Haene to victory at the 2021 Hardrock 100 and 2021 UTMB® when it was merely a prototype. This version has a small logo with space to write your goal or the number of hours you’ve run in the shoe. Like each product in the range, the shoe is adorned with the words: “Born from a decade of shared vision. Francois x Salomon.”
The S/LAB ULTRA 10 vest ticks all the ultra-running boxes. It features a friction-reducing design, a snug and stable fit, and storage solutions for every ultra-running essential.
“A good ultra-running vest for me is something you actually forget, because it’s so light and efficient. It needs to be one with your body and easy to use. That was the goal here.”
Inspiration for the range was drawn from Ultra Spirit, an ultra-running event with an environmental mindset that was started last year by Francois and his wife Carline near their home in the Beaufortain region of the French Alps. D’Haene was adamant that those values be incorporated into the collaborative creation process of the new FDH ULTRA range.
To that end, the inaugural FDH range will be used to create a carbon footprint benchmark for the next edition, with careful measurements taken of each product. For this first release, the team eliminated extra printing on the shoeboxes and hangtags (using only raw materials) and also replaced plastic on hangtags with strings. The apparel is made from materials sourced in Europe and assembled in Portugal.
“Of course, it’s a big commitment of time and energy, but I don’t think of it as work; it’s pulling our ideas together and making a range we are proud of. For me, it was very important to create a range that is not just for athletes, but for all people participating in ultras so that they can use the same products that I use while working with the Service-2-Athletes team at Salomon. ”
François D'haene
Ultra-trail runner