Salomon Men's XA PRO 3D Hiking Shoe Review

So this is what running on clouds must feel like!I'm a short, stocky guy. 5'10" 225lbs to be exact. I weight lift 6 days a week, and run the trails near my home in Virginia every other day. I absolutely love running outside. I don't like the treadmill at the gym, for some reason I feel like a hamster when I'm on it. For my size the Brooks Beast has been my go to shoe for a better part of a decade.My fiancé bought me these Solomon's because my Brooks had seen better days and were pretty much falling apart. She had heard great things about the Solomon XA Pro 3D Trail Running Shoe. I, however, was skeptical. Plus, in the past when I have deviated away from my trusty Brooks my Plantar Faciitis would come back. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to trying these shoes. When you see the shoe for the fort time it looks heavy and it seems to not have enough cushion for a heavier runner. Man was I wrong!The Ortholite Insole is amazing. You can't take the insoles out but you don't need to, they're absolutely fabulous. They are true to size and true to width. I do recommend, however, if you want to add some other insoles for extra cushion go a half size up. The reason is because since you can't take out the Ortholite Insoles, by adding another pair of insoles your toes will hit the protective toe cap and your toes won't feel good after a few miles on the trail.The shoe is sturdy and well built. Like I said, the cushion is top notch. The quick lace system is awesome. Disputes the look, they are not heavy. They're actually feel lighter than my Brooks. They're responsive in the trail and protect the foot from all types of terrain.This has become my new go to shoe. I love you Brooks but Solomon has stolen me away from you. Simply awesome. I loved my Solomon's so much I bought a pair for my fiancé and she has replaced her Asics Kayano's for the Solomon's Women's XA Pro 3D in Pink.I didn't receive these shoes for free for my "unbiased" opinion. I just wanted to share my thoughts on these shoes because they're JUST THAT GOOD!!!

Last year I got the mid-height, Gore-Tex version of these shoes. I like them so much that I recently bought the ankle height, non-waterproof version to use as all-around outdoor shoes. On the spectrum from running shoe to hiking shoe that most "trail runners" exist on, this shoe is definitely more on the hiking shoe end of things. You could run in it, but it's noticeably more heavy and stiff than a lot of trail runners. But the payoff is that this shoe is also more rugged, durable, and stable. The toe cap and bottom perimeter of the upper is lined with rubber making it very robust for trail use. The "3D Chassis" feature actually works - you can feel the lateral support, but it still allows the shoe to flex at the toe joint as it should. A lifetime of sprains have left me with a tendency to twisted ankles. The heel counters, collar height, and heel fit (nice and snug) of these shoes work really well for my feet though and my ankles feel very well supported and stable. I've always liked the Salomon quick lacing system; it's quick, effective, and the laces are way stronger than they look. The rubber used for the outsole is soft, which helps it grip better but wears fairly quickly, which is my only knock on this shoe.Here's a Pro Tip: If you're a hiker/backbacker, buy a spare Salomon Quicklace kit *before* you break a lace. Then keep it in your pack. The laces are actually quite durable, and if and when you do get a failure, it will most likely be the plastic cam buckle, not the laces themselves. If the buckle fails, you can probably cut the laces at the top, remove the broken buckle, and then tie the laces like you normally would. But it'll be tedious and difficult because the laces are short. That's fine if you just trying to make it through the rest of a day hike or something, but if you're on a multi-day trip, it will be a giant pain in the rear end. So carry a spare. (And before you think that's a disadvantage to the Quicklace system, remember that you should pack a spare for regular laces too, for exactly the same reason.)

I purchased my first pair of Solomon's about 12 years ago and liked them so much I will always own a pair. This is my 3rd pair of similar style. I also had the Gortex versions which were water proof but a little heavier. These breath very nicely, are lightweight, and very robust. These are not made for long-distance pavement running, but provide much more ankle support than a running shoe. They have less cushion on the sole than a running shoe, so provide a lower center of gravity for better lateral support. The stitching and rubber stays in place with no appearance of wear. These have amazing grip and fit to my foot like a glove. I can't tell I have shoes on when I'm walking through the woods or running a trail, which is kind of the point for me. You can trail run with full confidence and with great traction. I wear them everywhere: rivers, mountains, trails, woods, around town, etc. Once they start to wear out, which takes about 5 years, I convert them to lawn mowing shoes. The very strong no-stretch laces are the lynchpin for me. I've looked everywhere, and no one else uses these laces. I also own Solomon snowboarding boots and the laces for the inside "footy" are the same. I like how the laces tuck snugly into the tongue and stay in place like a champ. Everyone asks about these shoes because they are very unique, and when I find another Solomon shoe fan we share similar stories which is fun.