For an all around outdoor purpose shoe I decided to buy a pair of the XA 3D Ultra Pro shoes from Salomon. After putting them through some serious abuse over the last year I am stoked to say that I have found the one shoe I need for most outdoor excursions. Whether you're trail running in the mountains, scrambling boulders in Joshua Tree or hiking in Big Sur the XA Pros can do just about all of it.
Specifically, Salomon's gore-tex waterproof style is my personal favorite because I can hike in mud, through creeks and in the snow without watering my socks and feeling cold. The gore-tex membrane layer also performs quite well in the winter by not letting the shoe breathe as much and keeps in some of the heat. This shoe is the only shoe I wore over the month I was on the road from Texas to the east coast of South Carolina then North Carolina and Tennessee and finally Colorado. During my r
ecent off season in April I spent 15 days traveling the west. The XA Pros got me in and out of the Grand Canyon, through Big Sur, Yosemite and Zion National Park.
ecent off season in April I spent 15 days traveling the west. The XA Pros got me in and out of the Grand Canyon, through Big Sur, Yosemite and Zion National Park.
First impressions say it all and thats what I got with this shoe. As soon as you put it on you immediately feel the solid arch support and your heel lock into the EVA molded heel cup for stability. Salomon's quicklace system is essential and really a convenient lacing system to use. Most customers who try on a Salomon for the first time are a bit skeptical to use this lacing system but as soon as you show them how easy it is to loosen or tighten the shoe and tuck away the excess lace they quickly change their mind. Granted, if your laces bust on the trail in the middle of nowhere you're pretty much out of luck unless you have a back up but that should rarely happen because the laces are made of kevlar. That's right..they're bullet proof.
What helps make the shoe perfect for all terrain is a combination of a built-in chassis for stability and the company's proprietary outsole rubber called Contragrip. The advanced chassis system is a molded layer in between the midsole and outsole that holds on to your foot all the way through your stride. The rubber outsole works incredibly well too. I've been in a couple situations where I'm in a toe-hold position and the only thing keeping me from slipping off a rock or cliff face is the serious gripping power of the Contragrip.
The shoe also comes with a rubber toe guard and it's perfect for these same conditions. Loose rock, scrambling, serious hikes and casual wear is what makes this shoe such a great all around component to your outdoor gear cache.
The top three things I get from this shoe are comfort, versatility and durability. For such a versatile and durable shoe the XA is lightweight but for the ultralight trail runner this shoe might not be for you.
pros: versatile, quicklace systems, great for hiking all terrain, durable and supportive
cons: a little heavy for trail runners
