Salomon - X Ultra 3 GTX - Multisport shoes tested

PERFECT!!!

I have used the Salomon X Ultra GTX for a number of years now, and went through at least 3 pairs of them during this time. I use the trainers as all-rounder shoes when hillwalking, light hiking and casual walking around town. A typical pair lasts me around 400-500 km until the shoes fall apart (see below).

POSITIVES:
The shoes are very comfortable, mid-weight hiking/ trail running shoes that can be worn for longer walking or hiking trips. Marketed for trail running, I believe though that they are too heavy for this activity, and more suited for hiking and approaches, given the aggressive outsole. The shoes are reasonably waterproof, so walking in rain for a while will not get you wet feet. This requires constant Nikwaxing and waterproofing though. The upper material construction is reasonably durable. The visuals are good for these kind of shoes, so you can easily wear them in town. Depends on your taste though.

NEGATIVES:
The big MINUS of these shoes is their durability. As I mentioned above, a typical pair lasts me approx. 5-6 months or 400-500 km during regular usage (2-4 times a week). There are multiple points to consider: (1) The Contragrip outsole is by far not as good as Salomon advertise. In my experience Contragrip is quite a soft rubber compound and wears down extremely fast, unlike Vibram Masai outsoles for example. In my case, the aggressive Contragrip tread starts to wear down at approx. 120-150 km, serious wear and tear around 300-400 km, and the rubber disappearing and exposing the midsole at > 500km (see the photo for comparison of a worn and a new pair). Unlike the Vibram Masai, which stick like glue to wet rocks, the Contragrip outsole is very slippery on wet surfaces. (2) The inner fabric of the heels wears down very quickly leading to blisters as the skin/ socks rub against hard plastic. (3) Similarly, the outer material starts to develop holes on the flex areas of the toebox reasonably quickly. (4) Overall, the durability of these trainers is not very good if you use them on a regular basis. I read other comments of professional hikers commenting on the same durability issues, so this appears to be a common theme.

SUMMARY
These are good and reliable shoes for walking, hiking and approaches. However, the durability of the outsole and the outer material is a major point of concern. I can recommend the shoes for casual use in the mountains or around town, but the shoes do not stand up to regular usage and long-distances walks/ hikes.