Robyn from our Webstore team was lucky enough to take the Salomon X Ultra 5s out while conquering the coastal path with her family!
When offered the opportunity to test the Salomon Women’s X Ultra 5 shoes, I was very keen to do so, having loved my X Ultra 4 Mid hiking shoes for the past few years – to the point where they’re now falling apart!
As with many families, having four children (and a dog) means we don’t often get a lot of time for long-distance treks. However, the X Ultra 5s are much better suited to our weekend walks on the hills or at the coast, sticking to distances more suitable for little legs.
Tech Specs
The ‘all-terrain’ Contagrip® outsole boasts durability and confidence on wet, dry, hard, and loose surfaces – which pretty much covers everything I’m likely to put them through. This is the same as I’m used to with the X Ultra 4 Mid, which I’ve found to offer stable grip in a lot of different conditions.
The upper uses Matryx® high-performance textile (made by the French Chamatex group), which is marketed as being ultra-light and ultra-breathable, with reduced risk of abrasion due to being woven with individually coated high-tenacity yarns.
Although I wasn’t previously familiar with Matryx®, it is used across many trail running and other sports shoes and is made from recycled materials to aid in the development of more sustainable products – always a plus.
The shoes are very light at just 320 grams, so they won’t weigh you down while still being able to stand up to some tough terrain.
First Look
The shoes are comfortable straight out of the box, with reassuring heel cup support whilst not being narrow. I have a wider forefoot but was able to order my usual size (UK 6) without any problems on the width. There’s a good level of flexibility in the upper without losing the sturdiness of the soles; they also don’t sit too high on the ankles, allowing plenty of movement.
For the X Ultra 5, Salomon have opted to use the Quicklace® system, which I have little experience of, and I look forward to seeing how these compare to the standard laces I’m familiar with.
The styling across the men’s and women’s ranges is quite similar, and this particular colour combination is subtle with only a very slight peach accent.
Usage
The Quicklace system has its drawbacks in that the user is less able to tailor the lacing to their own foot shape and gait. Whilst I can see the appeal when you’re looking for more freedom of movement, personally I found it tricky to get the balance between being tight enough that my foot wasn’t moving around too much and so tight that the wider parts of my foot felt restricted. That being said, not having to worry about untied laces was definitely useful. I am sure that with a little practice this becomes much easier.
Having found other GTX shoes I’ve owned in the past to struggle with breathability, I was eager to see how the X Ultra 5s would compare. Testing the reliability of the PFC-free GORE-TEX while paddling in the river Barle on a walk at Tarr Steps in the beautiful Exmoor National Park, I found that there wasn’t any ingress to the upper (making sure not to allow water over the cuff at the ankle). I was pleased by the water beading and even more pleased that I didn’t have wet socks for the rest of the walk!
To get a good impression of other types of terrain, I also took them along several short stretches of the South West Coast Path in Cornwall, some of which were fairly steep, and found that I didn’t struggle at all; my feet felt well-supported on the ascents and there were no nerve-wracking slips on the slopes back down.
After taking the X Ultra 5s out on a few walks now (around 20 miles over a few weeks), I have found them to be very comfortable without needing to break them in, with good cushioning and support around the ankle without being restrictive. The grip on loose stones over dry ground was good and I didn’t feel at risk of losing my footing.
Pros:
- Good levels of waterproofing.
- Abrasion resistive upper means far less likelihood of snags and tears.
- Secure support to the heel and ankle.
- Lightweight but still durable.
Cons:
- Less breathability due to the GTX – expect hot feet on warmer days!
- Quicklace system takes some getting used to.
Overall conclusion
I very much like the Salomon X Ultra 5. I feel they fit the brief of being a good everyday walking shoe that can handle weekend hikes in varying weather conditions and over various types of terrain. Although slightly more expensive than some alternatives, from my experience Salomon have more than proven the X Ultra 5 to be worth the money, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy these over some of their competitors.
Although I tend to prefer mid-height hiking boots, if any were going to sway my preference, it would be these!
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