Salomon Boot Guys
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: 'Ike'
13-Mar-19
What are you wearing and how have they held up for wear and tear, along with waterproofing?
From: Ucsdryder
13-Mar-19
I have a pair of the 4d’s. 2 years of hard elk hunting plus scouting and hiking. Still waterproof and in good shape.
From: BOWUNTR
13-Mar-19
I'm on my second pair of 4D's... very comfortable but not as durable as a leather boot. Ed F
From: Whocares
13-Mar-19
Breaking in a new pair of 4ds now. Really like them. Had a pair all broke in and was using them elk hunting last Fall and they started squeaking so loud I couldn't wear them to hunt. Still like new other than broke in. Called the customer service and they said had to be manufacturing defect. Had to send them a pic of the boots and wanted copy of receipt for proof of purchase. Kinda funny. Said I no longer had receipt and my proof of purchase was that I had them in my hand. She said ok that works. Gave me credit for the full amount and I ordered the same pair and had them in a couple days. Really like them. I've had and have Lowas, Kenetreks, and Vasque and like the Salomons as good or more.
From: Overland
13-Mar-19
I've put my Salomon 4D 2 GTXs through hell and they've held up better than any other boot I've owned or seen worn by friends.
Two years ago I did a significant backcountry trip in the Yukon/NWT with two friends. Both of their boots blew out and became liabilities, while my Salomons held up admirably. All boots were new/lightly broken in at the start of the expedition. I've attached a pic of one of my friend's boots. They actually got worse after this and we had to lash them together to keep them at all serviceable. The take-away is that what completely killed his high-dollar boots, the Salomons were largely unfazed by.
I've worn my Salomons for hundreds of miles, mostly off-trail, with no complaints. They're comfortable, light, and not bulky.
From: WapitiBob
13-Mar-19
4d’s are great for a soft sole dry weather hiker. They’ll work fine for your hunts, I don’t believe there is much rock in your Wyoming area.
From: Lost Arra
13-Mar-19
I've had two pairs. First pair went two Wyo seasons and unfortunately the second year was the great monsoon and the waterproofing gave up in a big way. Second pair is also two years old and doing fine. They have just enough "sneaker" feel to be a good stalker. (Mine are the 4D's)
From: Michael
13-Mar-19
I can echo what has already been said. The one thing I will add is keep them clean and conditioned with Nikwax.
From: Riplip
13-Mar-19
On my second pair of 4D's, I have tried almost all of the top hunting brands out there and for me they just plain fit better than anything I have tried. Great support, light weight and extremely versatile. About the only thing they don't work for really cold temps as they are not insulated.
Only thing I can't agree on is break-in, I have not found they require any break-in period at all, and have literally worn them out of the box on a week long elk hunt. I do replace the insoles with orange Superfeet.
From: Ucsdryder
13-Mar-19
Zero break in period for me. They fit like an old favorite pair of tennis shoes from day one. Still feel the same after 2 years and a few hundreds of miles!
From: DONK
13-Mar-19
On my third pair of the 4d, soon to be my fourth. The toe rand got a small tear on my pair of the new version. Salomon replaced them no questions asked. Just had to send a picture of the damage. It was done last year during elk season. I run them with them Sole insoles. I wear them a lot to work but not everyday. You can usually get about 3 seasons before they start to leak. (in my experience). I think they are perfect. Comfortable enough to wear all the time, but enough support deal with some off trail stuff.
From: Archer96161
13-Mar-19
If you like hunting in trail runners, check out the Salomon X alp Spry approach shoe. This is my favorite hunting shoe for warmer weather.
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
13-Mar-19
Excellent, thanks guys...Was going to be another question, if you were treating them with Nix or Revivex?
From: Forest bows
14-Mar-19
Love my 3ds 4ds Speed cross 4s are the best all purpose shoe. Looking at the 5s soon
From: brettpsu
14-Mar-19
I'll be giving the speed cross 4s a try in the elk woods this year. So far I really like them for moderate backpacking.
From: painless
14-Mar-19
Love them. On my 3rd pair. Still working in my first pair around the house but they're about to fall apart.
From: Lost Arra
14-Mar-19
Ike: I think external treatments can help but the loss of waterproofing in the 4D is when the membrane (Gore tex?) eventually fails inside the boot. External treatments might not affect that. I still apply some external stuff just to keep the outside from saturating. But when my first pair finally lost the waterproofing it went in a big way, like a dam broke. I still bought another pair.
From: Franklin
14-Mar-19
No offense guys but the "boots" with the blow out are closer to a gym shoe than a boot. That is a "light hiking shoe" at best.
From: ElkNut1
14-Mar-19
I wish the Salomon boots came in 10" high's! I buy them in a 2nd, I don't care for no ankle support type boots!
I just ordered the New Under Armour Infil Ops Gtx 10" boots, it will be interesting to see how they handle rougher terrain. I was intrigued by their stiff feel at only 19oz per boot! Fingers crossed!
ElkNut/Paul
From: YZF-88
14-Mar-19
I've had 2 pairs of ultra-mid boots. My wife one. They were all water resistant for about 100 yards of dew soaked vegetation. I really liked the flexibility but not their claims of water resistance. Wore out one pair eventually by just using them when I knew it wouldn't rain. Tossed the other pair. Have since switched to Crispi.
From: lv2bohunt
14-Mar-19
Solomon X-ALP Mountain GTX. Excellent over the ankle support and still fits right out of the box. No leaks and very durable.
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
14-Mar-19
Thanks LA, that's what I was wondering about...
From: SoDakSooner
14-Mar-19
2 years on my 4d's, no probs. Brother has 3 years on his. Still look reasonably new. That said, the last two years were not in really rocky terrain. The year before that destroyed my feet and boots, not Salomons. Held up just fine for my brother. As my feet were killing me at the end of each day, he had absolutely no issues. That is why I bought them.
From: ki-ke
14-Mar-19
I've had several pairs of the boots as well as the trail runner lows. Might be the most (for me) comfortable shoes ever and that is likely why they've sucked me back in, but I've never and never will wear them on a back country hunt. Longevity and durability are NOT their claim to fame. And they don't wear out gradually, they stop like...NOW! No warning. Not like a rod knock on a 73 Impala, where you knew ya could get another year out of the 350, but more like a 2004 Hyundai Elantra with 179,000 miles on it. Dead, now.
I'm amazed some of you guys are getting 2 years out of them. I'm at 3 months, max. I've yet to come close to wearing any of the treads close to flat before something blew out or a sole delaminated.
From: Whocares
14-Mar-19
Steve! You gotta quit walking like a Pollock! Sneak like an elk hunter!
From: ki-ke
14-Mar-19
Chuck! I do! But when I do, I do it wearing Lowas...LOL!!
From: Shaft
14-Mar-19
I have had 2 pairs of the 4d gtx. Best boot by far. I bought a high end Mendle boot in between these pairs and it lasted one year before falling apart. The first Salomon pair went 4 years strictly hunting the mountains in Idaho and Utah followed by 2 years of every day farm use on the tractor before I quit wearing them. The second pair is still in the hunting only phase. I do buy a cheap Dr. Scholls work insole as it supports my arch a little better but I really like the stiffness of the boot as well as how light it is. I find great support in the ankles which is a selling point for me in some of the steep terrain that I go through on my hunts. I have never waterproofed them but after year 4 is when I noticed some moisture entering when going through the wet grass in the mornings. I suppose had I waterproofed them they would have lasted longer in that regard. I love them
From: Amoebus
15-Mar-19
Tried the 4d for the last 2 years because they are one of the few that come in 13.5. Very comfortable. Worked well on all terrains.
From: Knothead
16-Mar-19
Bought my first pair of 4d's this past Sept. for an AZ elk hunt. I read quite a few reviews and the vast majority gave the boot high marks. I was looking for something that was lighter, water proof and offered exceptional ankle support. The area I hunted is generally flat but like everything in AZ, it is extremely rocky. September mornings in the mountains always seem to have dew on the grass and I hate walking around with wet feet. So, a good waterproof boot is a must for me. I found these boots to be everything I was looking for and the break-in was very minimal. The boots fit like a glove but I do recommend going a half size larger than what you normally wear. I will continue to use these as my warm weather boot and I sure hope I get at least 3 years out of them. I would guess I have between 80-100 miles on mine and they still look and feel like new. Very impressed with them so far.
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
16-Mar-19
Good to see...Watching for sales now! Lol
From: Highlander
21-Mar-19
I have had my 4D 2 GTX foe two archery seasons and two scouting season, along with some camping and hiking trips. They have help help perfectly and are super comfortable. Going to buy another pair just to have around.
From: LUNG$HOT
21-Mar-19
I second Ki-Ke on the Lowa’s! lol
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
22-Mar-19
Just ordered a pair of the 4D 3's...
From: Slam38
22-Mar-19
I have had 5 pairs of the 4d and loved them. I got the new ones and the arch hurts my foot now but I used to love that shoe
From: kota-man
22-Mar-19
I was not a fan of my 4D's, but I LOVE the Crispi Thor's for a boot fairly similar with a stiffer sole.
From: Slam38
22-Mar-19
I like mine to but I bought them too small I have to put a super thin insole in them . Hope to get the Colorado's when they come out for this year
