Salomon Women's X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Walking Shoe

I just returned from hiking in the Pisgah State Forest outside of Asheville ,NC. I am not a "hiker". I usually run, but we went hiking on this last trip. The longest I spent in these boots was 8 hours and they were super comfortable. I have an almost flat foot with a history of bad plantar fascitis. Everyone thinks that a flat foot needs a strong arch support, but it's not always true. My feet are flat but strong, and easily aggravated by things bunching under the arch. I didn't give these boots any break in time and for my flat foot, the orthotic included, irritated my foot and felt like a big ball on the wrong spot on my foot. So I swapped out the included orthotic and put in one that I use in my running shoes. My first short hike, I got a little scared because I wasn't used to a foot being really supported. As I walked, I realized that the muscles in my feet were working a bit differently but there was no impact under the arch and therefore the underside of my foot never got fascitis. The next hike, my feet were much more ready and that's when I really started enjoying the feel of these boots.I'd read reviews that said the boots were not waterproof so I was really scared when I started going through puddles of melted frost. I don't know what the deepest puddle was, but my feet remained dry. Honestly I tried to avoid a lot of wet, but I wore them while it rained lightly and my feet were dry.As for traction, they really do have great grip. There were many parts of the trails where it was a steep incline covered with wet leaves. The boots really gripped on both the ascent and descent. I was worried they'd slip, but I definitely felt a confidence with how firmly my foot felt on the ground.The boots are very lightweight as well. I am always a size 6 and I ordered a size 6 and there was room for 2 pairs of socks. It was a bit tight to begin with in 2 socks, but the toe length was perfect (I have a normal width foot but square-ish foot shape) and the toes really had a lot of room.As others have said, the laces are very slippy at first and they came loose twice on my first hike. After that, I took the laces and kind of scuffed them up. Once the laces lost that brand new, shiny coating, they gripped very well and did not loosen on steep inclines. I def recommend scuffing up the laces first. The temp outside was 40 deg down to about 28-32 and my feet were warm in 2 pairs of socks. Because my feet didn't really sweat in that cold temps (cold for me, I'm from Florida), I can't say how they'd do in hot weather although I wouldn't hesitate for the next time I am out in hot temps.The boot was very attractive on my foot and I received compliments on them from tour guides. They are definitely worth the money.Back to the flat foot/arch issue. After 3 hikes, I put back in the orthotic that came with the boots. My feet were now used to the boot and the arch no longer felt like a ball was under it. Next time I go hiking, I will leave the orthotic in. So bottom line, if you have flat feet/or get plantar fascitis, you really should take some walks in these boots first so your feet can get used to the feel and not freak out in the middle of a hike. I didn't do that because I 'just wanna go' but if you have any impulse control, take a few break in walks before the real hike.

I initially purchased the Keen Terradora boot in hopes that they would hold up like I was looking for, but they were an utter failure. I have always had a hard time finding a Salomon that fit the width of my foot, I'm not necessarily wide, but Salomon seems to make their shoes a little too narrow for me; however, these boots were perfect! I did size up to a 7 which I typically wear any wear from a 6.5 to a 7.5. The 7 fits closer to a 7.5 which is ok with me because it allows my foot the room to expand during the hike and as my foot swells. It also allows for enough room to wear a heavy sock without having slipping issues when I'm in a thinner sock. I really like the spot where the boot hits on the ankle bone and the material that is around the ankle. It doesn't run or cause any discomfort. The laces are a little more spaced out, but I haven't had any issues with them being too lose. The boot isn't heavy or bulky by any means and the tread is very prominent and does a great job at gripping to a mixture of surfaces. They don't take a lot to break in. I wore them for the first time, brand new, on an 8 mile hike and had no issues which was perfect! They aren't still and 'broke in' within the first couple of miles which was perfect! The only down side for me is that they aren't completely water proof. They say they are, but it seems like you could walk through a small puddle, stream or creek, that only is about 2-3 deep and be ok, but any prolong walks through wet grass or water will seep through the top surface. It's kind of a downer for me because we often travel through different terrain in one hike. In the end, I am very please with the boot though. We do quite a bit of difficult hiking in the mountains on non marked trails and will be doing mountaineering this fall, so I am looking forward to having a great supportive shoe for our adventures. Updates to come the more I wear them. Happy Shopping!

These boots were comfortable right out of the box. Little to no break in needed. Super light weight just like a tennis shoe. I hiked Cheaha Mountain on rugged rocks and these boots had great grip. I never felt as I was slipping. Walked in the streams and my feet stayed completely dry. I felt my ankles were supported but I did have to double knot my laces to keep the ankle support more tight. They fit true to size. I wear size 6 in my tennis shoes and I ordered a size 6 in these Salomon Hiking boots. These had great toe box room compared to the Keens I had tried on. My mom (with plantar fasciitis) has a pair of Salomon hikers and she loves hers as well. Highly recommend if you are on the fence. They are a great hiking boot👍🏼👍🏼

I purchased these boots for our trip to Acadia National Forest-Bar Harbor, Maine. We did quite a bit of hiking and daily walking, and these boots felt great. Like others had stated, no break in period required. They felt good right out of the box. I was skeptical about ordering the wide width as I generally wear medium, but these worked out great. Plenty of toe room without being too much. I do not believe I could have worn them in a medium width. Very good ankle support and I could feel the support on descends. I don't mind paying a bit of money for a good product. These are well worth it. Lightweight and comfortable. Now to the down-side, they just did arrive on time. My shipping confirmation showed shipping USPS, but they never arrived. As I went in to cancel the order, I noticed my shipping information had changed to UPS. So I gave it a few more days and sure enough they arrived. Just in time for my trip. 5 star product, delivery, ehhh. But great boots!