![]() The cushioning is good against rocks and roots on the trails. They have great support and stability for the foot/ankle. They are very light, way lighter than my last pair of hiking shoes that were a different brand. They fit great out of the box, no need to break them in. I took these out for the first time today for a day hike in the AB Rockies. I first tried the Ultra 4 shoes, but returned them as they have an issue with digging into my ankles (appears to be a common issue with many other reviewers), so I tried the Ultra 4 Mid's to see if the higher ankle would eliminate that issue. Luckily, the Ultra 4's do not fit narrow and have more of a regular width. I expect if you have that same problem, exchange the boot immediately, as it could be a manufacturing defect.Īmazing Hiking Boots! I have normal to slightly wide feet, so the Ultra 3's were a no go as they run quite narrow. I of course returned them, but was worried these would develop the same problem. Before these, I bought a pair of the X 3 Ultra Mids, and they developed a highly annoying "pop" feel and sound somewhere in the front half of the boot, on both the left and right boots. One final note in response to another review I read. Since the toe box is so accommodating, I'm going to try and add a half insert under the insole to increase padding and decrease the forward pressure. The heavier drop (11mm) exaggerates this problem by putting more weight on the front of the foot. On harder terrain, I find the front of my feet tend to get sore and tired out. My second issue is with the forefoot, which has almost no cushion to speak of. It's been a long time since a shoe has chewed up the base of my foot like this, but I'm trying to ride through it in hopes I soften the shoe back there or callous up my feet, because this is otherwise a magnificent shoe. ![]() For one, the heel is too large, with a barely-there heel cup and rough edges/material at the base. This shoe took care of that problem, and I actually found it to be the roomiest Salomon in the toe box of any of their shoes (great for me, but maybe not for others). The 3 Ultra Mid was a touch shorter, but my biggest problem with that boot was the cramped foot box (both in width and in box height). For those reviewers that found the boot too large, perhaps they're used to shoe brands that run too small (as some of the other Salomons I tried did). I'm glad I didn't go the recommended route. Oddly, I tried their shoe fit guide and it recommended a 12.5 for me, which positively would never ever work, and nor would a 13. The fit is pretty great, I usually wear a size 14 (13.5 would be perfect, but it's not a focus of shoe manufactures), and this boot is the perfect length (just enough room past the toe to avoid front pressure on downhills). Even compared to the X Ultra 3, these are lighter, more comfortable, and just as supportive. ![]() Despite the high heel in this boot, it was by far the best fit for me over all their other products. These are some of the highest I've tried, but I won't knock Salomon for that, it's an industry standard practice, and Salomon is great about listing the drop on all their shoes. My only main condition, outside of fit, was that the heel stack not be too high. I've tried most variants of trail runners to boots, from mesh to gore-tex. Great boot, right on par for the size I have tried a LOT of shoes over the last couple of years in search for the perfect backpacker. ![]()
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