Article by Jérémy Marie
Rossignol Venosk ($140/ €140)
Introduction
Rossignol is a French brand that weathered a few storms in the 2020s, suffering from the general ski malaise of the COVID era, and suffering from a few unsuccessful strategic choices (takeovers and resales of Raidlight, Felt, Time...).
In France, the fear of seeing one of the sport's historic companies disappear was palpable, but in the end, things settled down with the resumption of winter activities, and better-judged investments (installation of R-Bikes beacons for amateur and pro mountain bikers, partnership with the Federation, development of technical fabrics...).
The brand hasn't stopped there, and at last year's UTMB presented the Vezor, a performance-oriented trail shoe (RTR Review), and now the Venosk, a reasonably priced all around option.
Presented as a light, stable, dynamic shoe, Rossignol positions it as a very versatile training shoe, which will be able to handle races up to the marathon trail distance with no worries.
Comparable shoes:
Saucony Peregrine
Salomon Genesis
Adidas Terrex Speed
Hoka Torrent
Pros:
- Very good fit, between performance and comfort
- 2nd insole to adjust for foot volume
- Low weight
- Stability, versatility
- Excellent outsole
- The price! $140
Cons:
- Some will find it slightly lacking in cushioning.
- At its price, nothing
Stats
Sample Weight: 278g / 9.8 oz (US10.5, EU44.5)
Stack: 28 mm heel/ 22 mm forefoot (6mm drop)
Index des tests RTR: ICI
First Impressions and Fit
First impression: the Venosk has style. The lines are resolutely sporty, and the choice of colors in this generally gray version is very tasteful.
Details such as the black outer heel cup, cut by a red border, or the gradient from gray to black on the front of the midsole bear witness to an experienced design team - we'd expect nothing less from Rossignol, who had already delivered an aesthetically pleasing Vezor.
The upper is made of highly breathable double-layer mesh, which I was able to confirm during the first warm spring days.
The general construction of the upper is similar to that of the Vezor: the heel is rather rigid at the base, and softer at the top, with a very flared construction at the top. Reinforced by an external insert, which is higher on the inside, this construction ensures excellent support without the slightest discomfort.
Moderately padded, the Venosk offers excellent comfort, but always with a rather sporty orientation: the Venosk doesn't fall into the category of trail "cruisers", such as the Saucony Xodus. We're more into firm, sporty comfort, something we find at...Salomon, with the Genesis for example. You can feel the "mountain" heritage of these brands.
Again with the aim of providing stability and support, we notice that the midsole rises slightly on the outside of the foot. It's slight but at least it won't get in the way or rub the lower ankle, as can happen with some models where this "bucket" rises a lot.
An interesting feature incorporated by Rossignol is the double insole. There's an insole, and another 3mm flat insole, which can be removed to add a bit of inner volume, or to refine the fit between one that's closer to the foot, or one that's looser, without the insole so as to accommodate different foot shapes.
The front stone guard is very classic, and gives a little structure to a forefoot that I found to be well fitted, within the norm. The front is less pointed than that of the more performance-oriented Vezor, so you shouldn't feel squeezed, even on longer runs.
The lacing is classic and efficient, with flat laces that slide nicely into the eyelet reinforcements and stay firmly in place once adjusted.
I like the possibility of enlarging the zone at the base of the metatarsals thanks to the 2 additional rows of eyelets, positioned further forward than usual (and as in the Vezor). Thus you can widen this area slightly, either to fit your morphology better, or to ensure a firmer, closer hold of the foot, if you're on technical terrain for example prioritizing precision and hold over comfort. Last, but not least, the tongue, which is quite thin, is made of a gusseted construction, which ensures good positioning and further enhances the fit.
Once on your feet, the Venosk's comfort is excellent. The shoe's fit is snug, the foot finds its position easily, with the lacing not requiring too much fiddling to get it right and ensure that the foot "locks" to the shoe.
It's clear that Rossignol has taken advantage of the fitting experience it has acquired with mountain and nordic and alpine ski boots to achieve this excellent result with the Venosk, which is both comfortable and very secure: the foot doesn't move, everything is held in place with simple but perfectly implemented solutions.
Midsole
The midsole is composed of injected EVA, and uses Rossignol's Sensor 3 technology, which already exists in...their ski boots. Simply put, injected EVA can be considered more "dynamic" than compressed EVA, with a slightly more dynamic reaction and slightly less density.
This Sensor 3 technology aims to improve stability by optimizing the function of the 3 key nerves in the foot that unconsciously maintain balance. Well, the explanation is a little...vague, but overall, this midsole is totally neutral, and the use of injected EVA means that it retains interesting rebound qualities and flexibility while keeping the weight down.
And indeed, there's no need to worry about stability, thanks to a platform that's just the right width, with no excessively narrow zones.
After fifteen kilometers or so, this foam has softened slightly and offers, in my opinion, an excellent compromise between comfort and dynamism.
Outsole
The outsole, or "Sensor Grip" as Rossignol calls it, uses an in-house rubber compound (the Vezor has a Michelin outsole) with a highly versatile lug pattern whose layout has been particularly well thought out.
Trapezoidal blocks are arranged in multiple directions, with different angulations for each block, and sometimes are grouped in pairs, always staggered , to obtain maximum traction whatever the slope or conditions. The lugs are about 4mm deep, and their spacing ensures excellent mud evacuation.
On the trail, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the result, both thanks to the rubber, which adheres very well to difficult surfaces (rock or damp wood), and to the design of the lugs, which perfectly fulfills the marketing promise of a grip covering the majority of cases.
Current weather conditions have enabled me to put the Venosk to the test in a variety of conditions, from dry terrain to greasy paths and wet stones, with flawless grip every time. What's more, this rubber doesn't slap on asphalt sections, unlike Vibram, for example, so asphalt segments don't become too unpleasant.
Ride and Conclusions
The Venosk proves highly versatile and comfortable, while offering appreciable dynamism, all at a decent weight and a very reasonable price. I was able to take it on long outings at a leisurely pace, as well as uphill and downhill sessions, and was pleasantly surprised every time by its behavior.
It quickly gives you confidence on descents, thanks to its excellent stability and foot stability. The shoe is agile, allowing you to "play" safely on descents, with grip and grip that never fail.
I've yet to see any signs of wear of the mesh or outsole, which bodes well for their durability, all at a reasonable price from a brand with a premium image.
Score: 9.5 / 10
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Comparaisons
Index to all RTR Reviews : HERE
Link to Rossignol Vezor review HERE
Salomon Genesis (RTR Review)
For me, the closest shoe to the Vezor. The Genesis is perhaps a little more cushioned, a little softer, but loses a little dynamism. The fit is comparable, secure and close to the foot. The Venosk's grip is superior, and it will be a little more stable and lively.
The Venosk is available at Rossignol HERE
T-Shirt Trail Sapa 75,00 €) et Short Trail Sapa (70,00 €)
In addition to the two Vezor and Venosk models, Rossignol is building a range of trail running apparel, to create a complete offer, and to be more visible.
For this purpose, they also sent me a pair of Sapa shorts (size M) and the tee-shirt from the same range, also in size M. The size M is perfect for my build (1m78/ 73 kgs), and the cut of the TS in particular is ideal: close to the body without being clingy (the fit is described as Slim by Rossignol).
I really liked the jersey, very light, soft and stretchy. It's made of 2 different materials: one that I'd call classic on the front, and at the back a very airy, mesh-like fabric, with excellent moisture dissipation.
The shorts are a little more classic, with integrated briefs. The construction is also very light, stretchy, with a very loose fit. With the split sides, they almost look like marathon shorts.
It has a single zipper pocket at the back. Although it looks narrow, it's actually quite large once you've opened it, allowing you to store a standard-sized phone (in my case, a standard iPhone) without issues.
The fabric of the pocket is stretchy, so you can "load it up" a bit without difficulty.
Jeremy MARIE, French, 44y/o. Running since 2013 and quickly transitioned to trails, focused on ultras since 2015 : TDS, Maxi-Race, “100 miles du Sud”, 90 kms du Mt Blanc, GRP 120 kms, Some shorter more mellow races (Saintelyon 45 kms, Ecotrail Paris 45 kms…) with always in the mix road and flat running, but not many road races. Also active cyclist and 70.3 Ironman. Recovery/easy runs ~4’45/km - 4’30/km. He has an un-official marathon PR of 2h54 (solo) and 10K PR of 36’25. He does few timed road races.
Jeremy's original French article was translated to English with the assistance of Deepl.com
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