Salming OT Comps is a jeep of a shoe.
I knew that the first time they dug into the moist dirt on my backwoods trail. The grip was solid and I easily maneuvered up a hill where I had just watched a couple of others reduced to awkward slipping. Like a jeep, they aren’t the softest cushiest ride, but you don’t buy a jeep for comfort. You buy it for its ability to get you in and out of tough terrain and the OT Comps do just that.
I wanted to put several miles on the Comps before I wrote this review, so they now have approximately 25 miles spread across 4 different training runs. They fit me so naturally that during my first outing, I settled into the run oblivious that I was wearing a new shoe. I have worn them in rainy, sloppy mud. I have worn them on moist and damp trails. I have worn them on sunny, packed dirt. I have worn them on climbs, on descents, on grass and gravel. They work…..
I’m a huge fan of Salmings and my current go-to shoes for obstacle racing and trail running are Salming Elements and Salming Trail T5 respectively. I have been trying to figure out exactly where the OT Comps fit in the lineup. Would I wear them in obstacle races or in trail races or both or neither…? I still choose the Elements and Trail T5s, but this shoe is still a good choice and the ideal environment is one in which you need to dig into terrain without slipping and sliding. Those slightly muddy hills….perfect for the Comps. I anticipate that they are going to be my primary training shoe for everything off-road. Considering that I only do off-road races, then that means I’ll be wearing them a lot.
The Comps are relatively light at 9 ounces with a 4 mm drop. Like all the other Salmings they are well constructed. The uniqueness is in the sole. From the Salming website. “…Salming teamed up with technical soles authority Michelin in order to create a lightweight agile self-cleaning shoe with excellent traction that cater to the needs of orienteering, OCR and Swimrun athletes – meaning traction and adaptability combined!
The lug design of the outsole is inspired by a mix of Michelin’s critically acclaimed mountain bike and motorbike tires; Wild Mud and Starcross 5. The lugs are constructed for maximum penetration in mud when searching for harder ground and grip. The small difference in height, built into the lugs itself, allows for excellent penetration. At the arch there’s a tread design for stability, control and traction on obstacles.”
While these are not my favorite Salmings, I still favor them over a lot of other shoes. You can’t go wrong with the OT Comps.
Disclaimer: Salming provided a pair of OT Comps to me for review, but there was no obligation of a favorable review. I will not endorse any product that I don’t like or wear myself and I will be wearing these a lot!
On My Way To Sparta 
What is a “self cleaning shoe”?
One that sheds mud and dirt from the lugs while you run. Perhaps you need some self cleaning shoes… 🙂