It’s worth noting that Salomon’s Quest 4 provides even better protection for particularly technical and harsh terrain, but the majority of backpackers and hikers will find the X Ultra 3 to be plenty of boot—and especially those who stay on trail. We also found the toe box to have just the right width – not too narrow to make your feet scream after half an hour of hiking, but also not too wide to give you blisters. Make sure that the laces have no slack in them across the forefoot by starting at the front of the boot and working the slack backwards and to the top. You should just be able to squeeze theend sectionof your finger under the laces, not easily, but just about.

Thanks to the aforementioned ADV-C Chassis that delivers the rigidity in off-camber terrain and scrambling up steeper slopes where a solid platform is needed, the Salomon Quest 4 does exceptionally well in demanding situations where traction is critical. For comparison, we also took the Vasque Breeze LT Mid into the Grand Canyon, and the boot delaminated along the rand just a couple of days into the trip.

We found that these boots had virtually no break-in period thanks to the synthetic materials featured in the forefoot area. Supremely comfortable and offering the best ankle support of any boot we reviewed, this feature-laden model excels in all of our testing metrics. In my standard men’s size 9, the boot proved to be an ideal length to avoid dreaded toe bang on long descents, and the moderately narrow heel—combined with an excellent lacing system—held my foot in place nicely. Only reviews that feature the label "Verified Review" have been checked to ensure that the author actually used or purchased the product.

The lacing system wraps all the way up past the ankle and uses lace locks to independently customize the fit of both the foot and ankle. So, once you have received your chosen footwear please take the time to do these simple tests to check they are actually the right size and that they fit the rest of your foot correctly. The arrow lug pattern is designed to clasp on different terrains like wet rocks, muddy paths, and uneven surfaces, while the proprietary Descent Control Technology adds more support downhill.

The basis for stability in this boot comes down to the ADV-C 4D Chassis, which imparts structure to the boot. If you are new to Salomon, we would recommend purchasing half a size bigger than you would normally take. The Gore-Tex breathes as it is supposed to in most climates, but because the waterproof material extends so high, this is a pretty sweaty boot when worn in hot and dry environments like the desert. It’s probably the reason that the X Ultra 3 GTX isn’t as lightweight as other trail shoes, but these have a lot of padding. However they don’t want to be swimming around in acres of space either, this will cause friction blisters and stability problems when traversing hillsides.

This boot is suitable for day hikes and easier trails, though it really shines for the backpackers who want the best support and stability they can find for hiking in challenging terrain or when wearing a backpacking pack. As I touched on above, the only notable wear has been along the tread, but no lugs have chipped away or worn excessively—something we’ve consistently experienced with other hiking boots while traveling over abrasive granite in Washington state. We retain the right to refuse to refund or exchange if footwear shows any sign of being worn outside. One of Salomon's absolute classics, this best seller is the ideal shoe for lightweight country and hill walking thanks to it's lightweight design, soft feel underfoot and all-round durability. I’d love there to be a bit more thought to breathability and weight, but these are small things in comparison to what this shoe gets right.

The outer fabric was fairly water-logged after an especially rainy day on our trek, but the boots were completely dry by the time I put them on the next morning. This can be especially noticeable in hot and humid weather conditions or during high-intensity activities.