Salomon Men's XA PRO 3D Trail Runner, Black, 11.5 M US

interior

With other shoes I've had a lot of problems with inside of the shoe wearing away, especially around the heel and ankle, which makes the shoe unwearable due to the discomfort.

For me, if I really cinch the laces down, that last lacing loop on the inside of the shoe puts some pressure on the top of my foot just behind my big toe.

After using the ICETrekkers, I found some small tears in the mesh on both shoes near the inside toe.

uncomfortable

stretchy strap

They proved less than satisfactory:  they did not provide either the level of shock absorption or the level of stability that the Lafuma Skyrace shoes had provided, and, after having been spoiled by the Lafuma dual speed-lacing system, loosening and tying the conventional laces of the North Face Double-Tracks seemed like an unnecessary chore.

stretchy

small-size

trail running

but I couldn't be happier with the switch to trail runners.

My feet are less sore and less prone to blisters over long distances in the trail runners.

Another thing I really like about these trail runners (the non-GTX model) is the breathable mesh fabric they use.

My feet don't get hot or sweaty in these trail runners.

A good prescription for those of us with bad knees
Up front, let us make two points clear: *  This review is not about how well the Salomon XA Pro 3D performs in running on trails; and *  This review is about how well the Salomon XA Pro 3D shoe cushions shocks to the foot and knee when Salomon's OrthoLite insole is replaced with
I purchased these specific shoes because, over time and heavy use, I have completely worn down the meniscus in both knees, and no longer have the cushion that once I had, causing pain every time I take a step when I undertake certain activities, especially going down stairs or walking down a steep slope.

boots


Salomon first impressed me with their hill boots.

Glad I made the switch from hiking boots to these shoes.

My feet are way more comfortable in the Salomon's than they ever were in hiking boots.

sole

but the only wear issues I've had on the shoes is on the sole and even then it's just grips being worn down - no cracking so far.

The grip on the soles of the shoes seem good in wet conditions and the soles show very little wear so far.

For our purpose, they were simply perfect:  a very high level of shock absorption in the sole, a firm grip around the heel combined with a very stable platform to prevent the slight ankle turns that require me to make slight corrections with my knees to retain balance, and a wonderful dual  speed-lacing system that is unmatched by any other speed-lacing system.

Like the Lafuma Skyrace, the Salomon XA Pro 3D shoe has a superior level of shock absorption in the sole and a snug fitting heel combined with a very stable geometry to restrain the foot and ankle from rolling.

The OrthoLite insoles, which Salomon touts in its literature, are actually above-average insoles for shock absorption, and I did not throw them out.

They are performing good service as supplemental insoles in a pair of Sebago penny-loafer style deck shoes that I wear on occasions when I want something a bit dressier than running shoes on my feet.

With the condition of my knees, the almost completely uncushioned Sebagos are pretty brutal for me to walk in, and the transplanted OrthoLite insoles from the Salomons help a lot in their new application.

But the even more shock absorbing Sorbothane UltraSoles are a distinct upgrade to the OrtthoLite insoles in the Salomons.

Together, the Salomon XA Pro 3D shoes with the substituted Sorbothane UltraSoles provide an excellent level of shock absorption, at least as good shock absorption as I enjoyed with the Lafuma Skyrace shoes (into which I had substituted an earlier generation of Sorbothane insoles).

salomon

but first and foremost the Salomon shoes are extremely comfortable although I'd say its wise with any kind of walking shoe or boot to go for a larger size than normal, toe banging over 20 miles is not advised!

The 2014 Salomon XA Pro 3D trail running shoes are a worthy "successor" to our beloved Lafuma Skyrace.

And like the Lafuma, the Salomon has a speed-lacing system to save me the chore of stooping for the loosening and lacing up.

comfortable

So they are comfortable, durable and the lacing system is great - what are the downsides?

Overall, I'd say these are comfortable and reasonably durable shoes.

Merrell Women's Moab Flight Hiking Shoe

Weird fit, insoles disintegrated within one month of use
I bought these for going to Glacier and Hawaii to take to the trails.

Unfortunately the insoles literally disintegrated after getting wet a couple times.


Not for me, I found theses Merrell Moab Flight Women's shoes too floppy and not a great fit for me.

Additionally the arch support fits weirdly, not supporting my foot arch.

damage

width

but it has a rather wide platform and you lose proprioception (feel, touch) from all the cushioning.

so comfortable
went on a backpacking trip with a pair of OBOZ boots & a pair of the Merrell Moab Flight.Alot of rain & switched from the boot to the trail runner & they worked perfectly.

This shoe is very comfortable and cushiony

Comfy and supportive
Great for working on my feet!

vacation

I will say that I also purchased the Brooks Cascade shoes so that I would have a pair to alternate with on my trips and they have held up nicely.

asics

Will stick with my asics which seem to agree with my feet, sturdy backs and an all round better fit.

Salomon Men's XA PRO 3D Trail Runner, Black, 11.5 M US

$ 154.58 - $ 154.58

Mar, 26, 2015

Mar, 26, 2015

Merrell Women's Moab Flight Hiking Shoe

$ 71 - $ 90.38

May, 26, 2022