Get ready to power through uphills and descents with this wide-fit and mid-cut GORE-TEX version of the X-ULTRA 4. It is as agile as a trail-running shoe but with all the stability, grip and waterproof protection you need to tackle technical terrain. Equipped with a new chassis, the shoe is even better at protecting sensitive articulations without compromising freedom of movement. Suitable for both men's and women's use.
Get ready to power through uphills and descents with this wide-fit and mid-cut GORE-TEX version of the X-ULTRA 4. It is as agile as a trail-running shoe but with all the stability, grip and waterproof protection you need to tackle technical terrain. Equipped with a new chassis, the shoe is even better at protecting sensitive articulations without compromising freedom of movement. Suitable for both men's and women's use.
Get ready to power through uphills and descents with this wide-fit and mid-cut GORE-TEX version of the X-ULTRA 4. It is as agile as a trail-running shoe but with all the stability, grip and waterproof protection you need to tackle technical terrain. Equipped with a new chassis, the shoe is even better at protecting sensitive articulations without compromising freedom of movement. Suitable for both men's and women's use.
Get ready to power through uphills and descents with this wide-fit and mid-cut GORE-TEX version of the X-ULTRA 4. It is as agile as a trail-running shoe but with all the stability, grip and waterproof protection you need to tackle technical terrain. Equipped with a new chassis, the shoe is even better at protecting sensitive articulations without compromising freedom of movement. Suitable for both men's and women's use.
Last updated at 02/14/2026 21:06:20
Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid Wide Gtx shoes 412946 black
Delivery $28.71
Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid Wide Gtx shoes 412946 black
Delivery $28.71
originally posted on REI
When I purchased these, I had already owned the MID version of these hikers (same size 12) for about a year and love them, so I thought these would be a slam dunk. I was wrong. Although they look very similar, the lacing system and uppers are different. The idea of the speed laces is nothing new, but if you need to adjust the tension between say, the forefoot area and tongue area, forget about it. This particular system is so "slippery", that even if you hand-adjust one area and then snug it up to keep one section a bit more slack, they will eventually be too loose everywhere. I bought the wide size (which fit well in the MID version), but they are not quite as wide in this low shoe, hence why I need to keep the forward area a little less tight.More concerning ... MoreWhen I purchased these, I had already owned the MID version of these hikers (same size 12) for about a year and love them, so I thought these would be a slam dunk. I was wrong. Although they look very similar, the lacing system and uppers are different. The idea of the speed laces is nothing new, but if you need to adjust the tension between say, the forefoot area and tongue area, forget about it. This particular system is so "slippery", that even if you hand-adjust one area and then snug it up to keep one section a bit more slack, they will eventually be too loose everywhere. I bought the wide size (which fit well in the MID version), but they are not quite as wide in this low shoe, hence why I need to keep the forward area a little less tight.More concerning though, is the way the shoe breaks right at the bend point behind the toes. The V-shaped component on the outside that is part of the speed lacing system is a stiffer and harder material that the rest of the upper. When the shoe breaks, the forward edge of that component digs into the top of my foot toward the outside and creates a very uncomfortable pressure point. I thought that perhaps this would lessen after break-in, but not so far at least. Since the lacing system doesn't allow proper adjustment fore and aft, my "remedy" was to get rid of the speed laces altogether. This was no small feat in itself, as the plastic inserts that act as eyelets required removal just to be able to swap in a slightly bigger diameter traditional boot lace. Not ideal, but at least I can now adjust the laces to my preference. The issue of the pressure point has not totally been eliminated, though (30+ miles later), so I guess I'm stuck.As great as the soles are, I'll have to relegate these to easier terrain because of the lacing situation. Since I can't get the uppers just right comfort-wise, they have to be too loose to do things like bouldering or rocky trails. Disappointing, given that I wore the MID version shoes almost the entire winter without issue.
originally posted on salomon.com
As a longtime Salomon customer, my recent purchase of the Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes left me with mixed feelings and, to be frank, a significant dose of disappointment.At first glance, the X Ultra 4 seemed promising, thanks to its lightweight design that hinted at comfort and agility during hikes. However, the luster quickly faded as I discovered a glaring issue – the durability, or rather the lack thereof.After just 11 weekends of moderate-difficulty day hikes on established trails, I was confronted with the disheartening sight of one of the outsoles wearing down to the inner material. It's worth noting that I've owned other hiking shoes that have withstood much harsher conditions and lasted significantly longer without such rapid deterioration.Even more ... MoreAs a longtime Salomon customer, my recent purchase of the Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes left me with mixed feelings and, to be frank, a significant dose of disappointment.At first glance, the X Ultra 4 seemed promising, thanks to its lightweight design that hinted at comfort and agility during hikes. However, the luster quickly faded as I discovered a glaring issue – the durability, or rather the lack thereof.After just 11 weekends of moderate-difficulty day hikes on established trails, I was confronted with the disheartening sight of one of the outsoles wearing down to the inner material. It's worth noting that I've owned other hiking shoes that have withstood much harsher conditions and lasted significantly longer without such rapid deterioration.Even more disappointing was Salomon's response when I reached out to their customer support. Instead of acknowledging the problem, they brushed it off as "normal wear." To me, this level of wear and tear in such a short timeframe should not be considered "normal" for a hiking shoe, especially one from a reputable brand like Salomon.In summary, while the Salomon X Ultra 4 does offer a lightweight design for comfortable hiking, its lackluster durability overshadows its positive aspects. For a brand known for quality, this was a significant letdown, and it has left me questioning whether Salomon is still the reliable choice it once was for hiking footwear. I'll be exploring alternative hiking shoe brands moving forward, as my experience with Salomon has been dispointing.
originally posted on salomon.com
Salomon has been my go-to for hiking footwear for the past 10 years and with how things are trending, I might begin to look elsewhere. Of all of my Salomon shoes, the X Ultra 4 GTX have been the most disappointing of the lot. I wouldn't go as far to give this a 1-Star like many others are as they're still a functional shoe but for the price tag, there's a lot left to be desired with this design.I have small feet but even for me the footbed feels very narrow which just feels a bit constricting. My feet sit high in the shoe which, combined with the narrow footbed, makes the shoe feel unusually unstable - it's like I feel at risk of rolling my ankle at any point in time. The default sole insert is straight up garbage, I recommend replacing it immediately however the ... MoreSalomon has been my go-to for hiking footwear for the past 10 years and with how things are trending, I might begin to look elsewhere. Of all of my Salomon shoes, the X Ultra 4 GTX have been the most disappointing of the lot. I wouldn't go as far to give this a 1-Star like many others are as they're still a functional shoe but for the price tag, there's a lot left to be desired with this design.I have small feet but even for me the footbed feels very narrow which just feels a bit constricting. My feet sit high in the shoe which, combined with the narrow footbed, makes the shoe feel unusually unstable - it's like I feel at risk of rolling my ankle at any point in time. The default sole insert is straight up garbage, I recommend replacing it immediately however the narrow footbed means replacement soles don't really fit it very well. Frustrating.The visual design is sharp and I love the colours. It's not often I get compliments on my shoes but these ones have drawn a few already. I've put the GTX to the test and it's held up well. I also haven't found my feet being overly sweaty in them as long as temperatures aren't too high.Functionally, there are a few weird things about the design. The upwards protruding part by the heel is an annoyance. It just doesn't need to exist and serves no purpose. All it does is catch my pant legs from time to time. The tongue is a bit funky too with the kangaroo pouch for the laces being a bit too far forward so tucking the laces in is unnecessarily finnicky.Quality-wise, I haven't had any issues yet but they're only a month old and have only around 50km on them. No serious concerns on this front despite many other reviews stating the opposite. We'll see how they handle after a year.Overall a step down from previous versions and with such a premium price tag, I will expand my search next time to other brands to see what they have to offer.
Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid Wide Gtx shoes 412946 black
Delivery $28.71
Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid Wide Gtx shoes 412946 black
Delivery $28.71
When I purchased these, I had already owned the MID version of these hikers (same size 12) for about a year and love them, so I thought these would be a slam dunk. I was wrong. Although they look very similar, the lacing system and uppers are different. The idea of the speed laces is nothing new, but if you need to adjust the tension between say, the forefoot area and tongue area, forget about it. This particular system is so "slippery", that even if you hand-adjust one area and then snug it up to keep one section a bit more slack, they will eventually be too loose everywhere. I bought the wide size (which fit well in the MID version), but they are not quite as wide in this low shoe, hence why I need to keep the forward area a little less tight.More concerning ... MoreWhen I purchased these, I had already owned the MID version of these hikers (same size 12) for about a year and love them, so I thought these would be a slam dunk. I was wrong. Although they look very similar, the lacing system and uppers are different. The idea of the speed laces is nothing new, but if you need to adjust the tension between say, the forefoot area and tongue area, forget about it. This particular system is so "slippery", that even if you hand-adjust one area and then snug it up to keep one section a bit more slack, they will eventually be too loose everywhere. I bought the wide size (which fit well in the MID version), but they are not quite as wide in this low shoe, hence why I need to keep the forward area a little less tight.More concerning though, is the way the shoe breaks right at the bend point behind the toes. The V-shaped component on the outside that is part of the speed lacing system is a stiffer and harder material that the rest of the upper. When the shoe breaks, the forward edge of that component digs into the top of my foot toward the outside and creates a very uncomfortable pressure point. I thought that perhaps this would lessen after break-in, but not so far at least. Since the lacing system doesn't allow proper adjustment fore and aft, my "remedy" was to get rid of the speed laces altogether. This was no small feat in itself, as the plastic inserts that act as eyelets required removal just to be able to swap in a slightly bigger diameter traditional boot lace. Not ideal, but at least I can now adjust the laces to my preference. The issue of the pressure point has not totally been eliminated, though (30+ miles later), so I guess I'm stuck.As great as the soles are, I'll have to relegate these to easier terrain because of the lacing situation. Since I can't get the uppers just right comfort-wise, they have to be too loose to do things like bouldering or rocky trails. Disappointing, given that I wore the MID version shoes almost the entire winter without issue.
As a longtime Salomon customer, my recent purchase of the Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes left me with mixed feelings and, to be frank, a significant dose of disappointment.At first glance, the X Ultra 4 seemed promising, thanks to its lightweight design that hinted at comfort and agility during hikes. However, the luster quickly faded as I discovered a glaring issue – the durability, or rather the lack thereof.After just 11 weekends of moderate-difficulty day hikes on established trails, I was confronted with the disheartening sight of one of the outsoles wearing down to the inner material. It's worth noting that I've owned other hiking shoes that have withstood much harsher conditions and lasted significantly longer without such rapid deterioration.Even more ... MoreAs a longtime Salomon customer, my recent purchase of the Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes left me with mixed feelings and, to be frank, a significant dose of disappointment.At first glance, the X Ultra 4 seemed promising, thanks to its lightweight design that hinted at comfort and agility during hikes. However, the luster quickly faded as I discovered a glaring issue – the durability, or rather the lack thereof.After just 11 weekends of moderate-difficulty day hikes on established trails, I was confronted with the disheartening sight of one of the outsoles wearing down to the inner material. It's worth noting that I've owned other hiking shoes that have withstood much harsher conditions and lasted significantly longer without such rapid deterioration.Even more disappointing was Salomon's response when I reached out to their customer support. Instead of acknowledging the problem, they brushed it off as "normal wear." To me, this level of wear and tear in such a short timeframe should not be considered "normal" for a hiking shoe, especially one from a reputable brand like Salomon.In summary, while the Salomon X Ultra 4 does offer a lightweight design for comfortable hiking, its lackluster durability overshadows its positive aspects. For a brand known for quality, this was a significant letdown, and it has left me questioning whether Salomon is still the reliable choice it once was for hiking footwear. I'll be exploring alternative hiking shoe brands moving forward, as my experience with Salomon has been dispointing.
Salomon has been my go-to for hiking footwear for the past 10 years and with how things are trending, I might begin to look elsewhere. Of all of my Salomon shoes, the X Ultra 4 GTX have been the most disappointing of the lot. I wouldn't go as far to give this a 1-Star like many others are as they're still a functional shoe but for the price tag, there's a lot left to be desired with this design.I have small feet but even for me the footbed feels very narrow which just feels a bit constricting. My feet sit high in the shoe which, combined with the narrow footbed, makes the shoe feel unusually unstable - it's like I feel at risk of rolling my ankle at any point in time. The default sole insert is straight up garbage, I recommend replacing it immediately however the ... MoreSalomon has been my go-to for hiking footwear for the past 10 years and with how things are trending, I might begin to look elsewhere. Of all of my Salomon shoes, the X Ultra 4 GTX have been the most disappointing of the lot. I wouldn't go as far to give this a 1-Star like many others are as they're still a functional shoe but for the price tag, there's a lot left to be desired with this design.I have small feet but even for me the footbed feels very narrow which just feels a bit constricting. My feet sit high in the shoe which, combined with the narrow footbed, makes the shoe feel unusually unstable - it's like I feel at risk of rolling my ankle at any point in time. The default sole insert is straight up garbage, I recommend replacing it immediately however the narrow footbed means replacement soles don't really fit it very well. Frustrating.The visual design is sharp and I love the colours. It's not often I get compliments on my shoes but these ones have drawn a few already. I've put the GTX to the test and it's held up well. I also haven't found my feet being overly sweaty in them as long as temperatures aren't too high.Functionally, there are a few weird things about the design. The upwards protruding part by the heel is an annoyance. It just doesn't need to exist and serves no purpose. All it does is catch my pant legs from time to time. The tongue is a bit funky too with the kangaroo pouch for the laces being a bit too far forward so tucking the laces in is unnecessarily finnicky.Quality-wise, I haven't had any issues yet but they're only a month old and have only around 50km on them. No serious concerns on this front despite many other reviews stating the opposite. We'll see how they handle after a year.Overall a step down from previous versions and with such a premium price tag, I will expand my search next time to other brands to see what they have to offer.
I have heard great things about Salomon products, so I purchased an X Ultra Mid Gore-Tex earlier this year at REI. It was lightly discounted as it had been returned but only tried on - however, this meant I was unable to return it for a refund. I got this shoe in my true size and it seemed to fit well upon trying on. I was super excited to get my hands on a pair, but the poor quality of the hiking shoes made me regret the purchase even after the discount.Long story short, the lace loop on the right shoe ripped out of the shoe as I was tightening my laces in the middle of an 8 mile hike up a mountain. I was not using an abnormal amount of force compared to how you would normally give laces a tug to tighten them. This essentially left me stranded with no proper ... MoreI have heard great things about Salomon products, so I purchased an X Ultra Mid Gore-Tex earlier this year at REI. It was lightly discounted as it had been returned but only tried on - however, this meant I was unable to return it for a refund. I got this shoe in my true size and it seemed to fit well upon trying on. I was super excited to get my hands on a pair, but the poor quality of the hiking shoes made me regret the purchase even after the discount.Long story short, the lace loop on the right shoe ripped out of the shoe as I was tightening my laces in the middle of an 8 mile hike up a mountain. I was not using an abnormal amount of force compared to how you would normally give laces a tug to tighten them. This essentially left me stranded with no proper support. I had no choice but to hike four miles back without being able to properly lace my shoes. My feet became so blistered and bloody after only a mile that I had to stop. I had to use my keys punch a hole in the side of the shoes where the lace loop had ripped out which took a lot of time. Finally, after jerry-rigging a new lace hole, I was able to somewhat fully lace up the shoes so I could make it back to my car. Imagine if I was backpacking several days of walking from civilization? (Something I did this summer wearing a different brand, fortunately.) A flaw like this is no joke- this could seriously strand someone with no proper footwear.I’ve attached the picture of the left vs right shoes to back up my story. Again, this happened on only the third hike these shoes were taken on, and is a major defect on a $175 product. I was crushed after hearing how great this brand was and couldn’t believe it. To make matters worse, they were ineligible for a refund since I bought them “used” (tried on). I took what I thought was a minimal risk on a known brand and my trust with Salomon is justifiably damaged.I made the mistake of throwing out these shoes while moving last month- they were faulty and hurt my feet, so of course I would. I was unaware of their warranty and figured I was out of luck- and I doubt they would honor it for shoes I bought barely used through REI based on how they responded. However, I was still frustrated by the experience as of a few days ago and decided to contact customer support. I sent the same details I did above and was deeply disappointed by their response. They took several days to respond, and when they did it was a generic message requesting more pictures of the shoes to see if I qualified for their “warranty.” They clearly did not take the time to read my message and handle the situation with the severity it requires. Frankly, I didn't want the shoes to be fixed based on how low quality they are to begin with, I want Salomon to do right by the pain this put me through and at the least send a different model of shoe if they actually have higher-quality products. However, since I got rid of their faulty product and only took pictures of the damaged area from one angle, which should be plenty of proof to back up my story, there is apparently nothing I can do.I am looking elsewhere for my next pair of hiking shoes and I feel obligated to warn others about the risk you face when depending on these shoes.
Salomon has been my "go to" hiking shoe and backpacking boot company for decades, so it is with regret that I am writing a less than positive review about the Ultra 4 GTX. This review is based on about 50 miles of trails in the mountains of Santa Barbara (in an attempt to break them in), followed by another 300 miles on the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago, so it can't be said that I didn't try my best to like them. That said... every foot is different, you may love them, but my review shares some common themes with others.1. Although the quick lacing system is nice for slipping them on/off, you can't do any custom lacing such as having the toe box tighter/looser than the heel/ankle, a real drawback for experienced hikers who use this technique to ... MoreSalomon has been my "go to" hiking shoe and backpacking boot company for decades, so it is with regret that I am writing a less than positive review about the Ultra 4 GTX. This review is based on about 50 miles of trails in the mountains of Santa Barbara (in an attempt to break them in), followed by another 300 miles on the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago, so it can't be said that I didn't try my best to like them. That said... every foot is different, you may love them, but my review shares some common themes with others.1. Although the quick lacing system is nice for slipping them on/off, you can't do any custom lacing such as having the toe box tighter/looser than the heel/ankle, a real drawback for experienced hikers who use this technique to accommodate differences in terrain or slope, or foot condition over the course of a long day(s).2. Salomon's "Advanced Chassis" claims to "target articulations on the outer foot for optimum stability...", and that's true, it's a wonderfully stable shoe, but the chassis transfers a disproportional amount of load/pressure to the outside edge of your foot, and at the end of a 20 mile day with a 25 lb. load, I had bruising on the outer part of both feet, something I'd never experienced before with Salomon or any other shoe for that matter.3. The heel/ankle box has what I believe is a wire, running horizontally about an 1.25" above the sole and the padding over that wire at the back of the ankle is thin to begin with and wears out fast, leaving the wire to rub the back of your ankle. Normally this can be at least partially remedied by varying lacing tightness, either snugging up the ankle so it doesn't move as much, or loosening it to provide more room, but you can't do that without adjusting the fit of the entire shoe (see #1 above).4. In the pursuit of lightness (which it is), Salomon appears to have sacrificed padding, everywhere, but most notably in the sole. It's not a huge problem for days under 10 miles, but if you're pushing above 10 you can expect to feel that lack of padding in a profound way.In summary, I've had just about every Salomon predecessor of this shoe and I used to love them, but the following sums up what I believe has happened more and more with each new iteration ... a) lightweight, b) ruggedness, c) comfort... pick any TWO because you can't have all three. The older Salomon low hikers used to be comfortable and rugged, but albeit a little on the heavy side. These Ultra 4's are lighter than their predecessors and are still very rugged, but comfort and adjustability was sacrificed to an unacceptable degree (in my opinion).I still love the Salomon Qwest series backpacking boot because it's not trying to be something else... it's rugged and comfortable, and unapologetic about its weight.The Ultra 4 is in my opinion is a day hiker, or low mileage multi-day shoe.I'm pulling for you Salomon... you can do better.
I've used Merrill, Oboz and Keen in the past. I have wide feet with incipient bunions so the wider toebox on Oboz and Keen is great. However their soles wear out way to fast! With Merrill it's the opposite, I found that the uppers wear out first (they use Vibram soles, much better). Also Merrill's have a "normal" width, so a little on the narrow side for me. These Salomon's are definitely snug, but are slowly loosening up - I prefer to buy on the snug side as boots always loosen after a few hikes, and I really don't like my feet floating around in the boot. These are very comfortable and pass my main test - that they "disappear" while hiking, ie I forget about them and just enjoy the hike! Too many boots don't fit quite right and call attention to themselves, ... MoreI've used Merrill, Oboz and Keen in the past. I have wide feet with incipient bunions so the wider toebox on Oboz and Keen is great. However their soles wear out way to fast! With Merrill it's the opposite, I found that the uppers wear out first (they use Vibram soles, much better). Also Merrill's have a "normal" width, so a little on the narrow side for me. These Salomon's are definitely snug, but are slowly loosening up - I prefer to buy on the snug side as boots always loosen after a few hikes, and I really don't like my feet floating around in the boot. These are very comfortable and pass my main test - that they "disappear" while hiking, ie I forget about them and just enjoy the hike! Too many boots don't fit quite right and call attention to themselves, distractingly. These seem well made and give good support with nice stiff soles, but don't have that "flippy" feeling as you walk. Meaning that they roll from heel to toe rather than flipping down with a jerk. The forefoot and lace construction allows you to adjust how tight the boots are on your foot very well, so you can have them a bit loose on level ground or uphill, but tighten them for downhills to keep you toes from hitting the end. I've only had them a short while so no comment on their durability yet! Here in AZ if you hike regularly, boots do well if you get 2 years out of them.
Got these as they were the lightest on offer in the shop in my size and I had good experiences with Salomon using several pairs in the past. Initially very comfortable with no break in. I did one long hike and a few short ones totally not more than 30-50km then one of the eyelets broke.FIT/COMFORT: runs a nit narrow around the ball of the foot but otherwise comfortable, good shock absorption, I didn't find they pinched as others have mentioned, heel drop is a bit high for my liking.LACING: I really dislike the speed lacing systems (not just bc it broke) they offer no advantage over conventional laces, they need to be constantly tightened, hassle to tuck into the tongue, the little rubber grip that covers where the two ends are joined also came loose make them ... MoreGot these as they were the lightest on offer in the shop in my size and I had good experiences with Salomon using several pairs in the past. Initially very comfortable with no break in. I did one long hike and a few short ones totally not more than 30-50km then one of the eyelets broke.FIT/COMFORT: runs a nit narrow around the ball of the foot but otherwise comfortable, good shock absorption, I didn't find they pinched as others have mentioned, heel drop is a bit high for my liking.LACING: I really dislike the speed lacing systems (not just bc it broke) they offer no advantage over conventional laces, they need to be constantly tightened, hassle to tuck into the tongue, the little rubber grip that covers where the two ends are joined also came loose make them even more awkward.GRIP: I'm not sure why Salomon/Contragrip are obsessed with this small arrowhead tread design? It's really lackluster. Fine if on a packed dirt path or in some mud but on mixed terrain and wet rock/stone they are poor, no lateral grip at all. A far cry from Vibram in terms of performance. There is just too much space between treads so there is not enough contact with the terrain.H2O: Gortex works well, have submerged them in streams right up to the brim and still dry.STYLING: a nice looking shoe without the blinding colours competitors haveOverall an OK shoe for easy well maintained trails or urban paths but it's not a hiking shoe, it's a trail runner. The grip/treads are not aggressive enough, and obviously in my case they were not durable at all after little use revealed a defect.That said Salomon customer service was excellent! Very fast no hassle response to my warranty claim, which is commendable! I got credit for another pair and have been waiting for new stock as I don't want to replace with same model. The Elixir look promising (same arrowhead treads though).
I have been buying the X Ultra since V1. Out of the box, they have always been comfortable, rugged, and I am a fan of the lacing system. For the record, I have naturally flat and narrow feet.While aesthetically, V4 is a little more appealing to me, the overall comfort and design has gone downhill. Others have noted this as well, and I hesitated a long time before making this purchase, but I got to the point that I needed new hiking shoes, and I didn't want to stray from Salomon.Right out of the box, I notice some discomfort around foot arches, both on the medial and lateral side of my foot. I'm not sure if it's due to the lacing and/or material, but the material near the arches of the midsole folds in a way that it creates uncomfortable friction with my foot ... MoreI have been buying the X Ultra since V1. Out of the box, they have always been comfortable, rugged, and I am a fan of the lacing system. For the record, I have naturally flat and narrow feet.While aesthetically, V4 is a little more appealing to me, the overall comfort and design has gone downhill. Others have noted this as well, and I hesitated a long time before making this purchase, but I got to the point that I needed new hiking shoes, and I didn't want to stray from Salomon.Right out of the box, I notice some discomfort around foot arches, both on the medial and lateral side of my foot. I'm not sure if it's due to the lacing and/or material, but the material near the arches of the midsole folds in a way that it creates uncomfortable friction with my foot while walking. This is my main complaint, as over the course of wearing these shoes daily over the last month, this feature has not improved much. The footbed has broken in a bit better, but I don't remember having such a break in period with my Salomons in the past.I was tempted to return or trade in these shoes for another style due to them not being as comfortable as the previous versions, but I had already put too many outdoor miles into this pair, so I guess I'll stick with them for now.These shoes, and Salomons in general, have been my go to brand for hiking shoes/boots over the last decade. The fact that they are still producing this shoe that has so many negative reviews has me seriously considering what other brands might offer my feet more comfort.
I have owned dozens of pairs of the OLDER model of this shoe (X Ultra Gore-Tex). It is the only shoe I have wore for 12 years. The only problems I have had is occasionally one of the eyelets would tear after some use. I have purchased 2 pairs of the new version (X Ultra 4 Gore-Tex). The first pair in size 13 which I always wore in the previous model. The heal was slipping and the fabric wore out and pealed on the inside heal causing blisters after 2 weeks and could not wear them any more. I thought Salomon changed the sizing so I bought a second pair in 12 1/2 hoping this would resolve the issue. Same problem heal slipping causing blisters. Material in heal has not worn or pealed but can’t wear the shoe. 2 basically new pairs of shoes I can’t wear. Salomon should ... MoreI have owned dozens of pairs of the OLDER model of this shoe (X Ultra Gore-Tex). It is the only shoe I have wore for 12 years. The only problems I have had is occasionally one of the eyelets would tear after some use. I have purchased 2 pairs of the new version (X Ultra 4 Gore-Tex). The first pair in size 13 which I always wore in the previous model. The heal was slipping and the fabric wore out and pealed on the inside heal causing blisters after 2 weeks and could not wear them any more. I thought Salomon changed the sizing so I bought a second pair in 12 1/2 hoping this would resolve the issue. Same problem heal slipping causing blisters. Material in heal has not worn or pealed but can’t wear the shoe. 2 basically new pairs of shoes I can’t wear. Salomon should have not made modifications to this shoe. I ended up purchasing the Salomon X Ultra Pioneer Water proof in size 13 which uses Salomon’s membrane version of Gore - Tex. They are basically the same as the older model X Ultra Gore Tex but with a traditional lacing system. Not sure at this point if Salomon’s waterproof membrane will be as good as Gore-Tex. It’s To bad too, as I liked the quick pull lace system. Further, Salomon online sizing recommendations are wrong I measured my foot as they direct said I was a 10 1/2. I’ve always worn a 13 in their shoes. The X Ultra 4 they suggest you order a size up from your regular Salomon fit. I personally would suggest the opposite. I am a letter carrier for the post and do allot of walking in all conditions. Currently I remain loyal to Salomon however I wish they would not continue to make all the small changes to their shoes as in my case they were not improvements. At this point I have not tried to make a warranty claim with Salomon. See photographs attached.
I have had these for a month or so… clocked some long days in them in muddy, wet hiking conditions in Scotland. I used them side-by-side with a hoka speedgoat gtx mid (which I viewed as a direct competitor).I had read some negative reviews about this boot on Reddit and I was skeptical when I bought them, but they exceeded my expectations and will stay in the stable of hikers I use regularly. The headline says it all. This is a decent, lightweight hiker you can depend on. It felt stable, dry, and warm. The sole had more grip than I was anticipating—a pleasant surprise. The sole/shank seemingly had more support and stability than the hoka, but less cushion.There are three things I might flag as a potential issue: first, I wish there was an extra speed hook at the ... MoreI have had these for a month or so… clocked some long days in them in muddy, wet hiking conditions in Scotland. I used them side-by-side with a hoka speedgoat gtx mid (which I viewed as a direct competitor).I had read some negative reviews about this boot on Reddit and I was skeptical when I bought them, but they exceeded my expectations and will stay in the stable of hikers I use regularly. The headline says it all. This is a decent, lightweight hiker you can depend on. It felt stable, dry, and warm. The sole had more grip than I was anticipating—a pleasant surprise. The sole/shank seemingly had more support and stability than the hoka, but less cushion.There are three things I might flag as a potential issue: first, I wish there was an extra speed hook at the top, which might provide an option for more ankle stability. Second, I will likely add a different insole for just a touch more cushion. The Hoka SGs I alternated these with, started outpacing these (in terms of comfort) around mile 10+. Third, because of the waterproofing, they are warm—I will take warm dry any day but for some that may be an issue. These weren’t any less breathable or more warm than any (of the many) competitors with similar specs that I have worn.Bottom line, I would recommend it for shorter mileage days on tough terrain.
