OWNER REVIEW - Salomon Quest Hiking and Backpacking Boots

  SALOMON QUEST4D 2 GTX WWomen’sHiking and Backpacking Boots12/7/16 PersonalInformationName:  ElleBlackwell
Age:  53 (English and Metric)
Gender:  Female
Height:  5’5” (1.651 meters)
Weight:  118 lbs. (54 kg)
Email address:  elleblackwell(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location:  Winter Park, Colorado
Date:  12/7/16
Backpacking Background:  I moved to theRocky Mountains 17 years ago, where I hike and backpack 250+ miles (403 km) peryear.  I have hiked all of the local wellknown trails in my area, but now more frequently I travel off-trail.  The terrain is generally rugged where atypical trip may consists of wading through ice cold streams, climbing overboulders and fallen trees, and hiking across scree, wetlands, and tundra.  Beautiful blue sky days can change in minutesto freezing temperatures with sleet and snow and severe wind and thunder.  Having the right gear is what keeps me goingback on the trail (and off the trail).     Product Information Manufacturer: Salomon
Product:  Salomon Quest 4D 2GTX women’s hiking and backpacking boots
Year of Manufacture:  2015
Manufacturer Website:  www.salomon.com
MSRP:  $230.00 USDWeightListed:  1 lb. 2 oz. (510 g) each shoe
Size Tested:  Women's Size 8 1/2 US (40.6 EU)
Sizes Available:  5-11 (36.3-44 EU) – available in halfsizes
Color Tested :  Deep Blue 
Colors Available:  Deep Blue, Camel Gold Leather/Teal BlueGuarantee:2 years against manufacturing defectsCost: $230 US ProductDescriptionOver-the-ankle boot with split suedeleather and nylon mesh uppers provides structure and breathability.  Gore-Tex membrane keep feet dry.  Padded Gusseted tongue keeps debrisfrom entering the top of the boot and relieves lace pressure.  Contagrip soles grip wet, loose, hard,or dry surfaces  Rubber Toe and Heel Caps protect toesand heels from hitting hard surfacesLace Locker grips lace at ankle to keepfoot snug OrthoLite footbeds and EVA midsolesabsorb shock FieldInformationI mostly hike up… up… up… down… down…down… and wet… wet… wet.  I have hadenough purple toe nails, heel blisters, and cold soggy feet from ill-fittingboots to last a life time.  I wear my oldboots when going to try on new boots.  Ineed a comparison.  I test one foot withthe new boot and one with the old while I walk up and down the little fakeboulder on display at the shoe store. Back and forth, up and down, down and up, backward and forward; Bootafter boot after boot until I find the perfect fit.  When trying on boots and hiking, Iwear a single layer mid-weight wicking sock.  The SALOMON QUEST 4D 2 GTX W boot was adream boot from the start.  From theminute I laced it up, I knew I was hooked. The three selling features were the lace locker, padded gusseted tongue,and Contagrip soles.   
 The laces tighten in all the rightplaces without digging into the ankle.  Afterthe third set of lace loops, there is a lace locker that secures the lace sothat the heel doesn’t slip back and forth or up and down in the boot.  This keeps the ankle in place to prevent heelblisters and keeps the toes from hitting the front of the boot when hikingdownhill.  This also provides forexcellent ankle support.  There are twolace hooks above the lace locker for further ankle support.  
  When the laces are tied, the paddedgusseted tongue is soft and cushy and allows the ankle to bend withoutslipping.  There is no lace pressure atthe ankle. I like the Contragrip soles.  When hiking downhill on loose gravel, I don’tslip.  When hiking across wet rocks, Idon’t slip.   When scrambling over boulders, I don’t slip.  All the lugs are deep and the non-slipfeatures are in the right places to give me confidence to move nimbly whenneeded. 
 The boots have been worn on hikes as short as 3 miles(4.83 km) and as long as 14 miles (22.54 km), all in Colorado in mountainousterrain between 8500’ (2591 m) and 13,500’ (4115 m) in gravel, rock, snow, ice,water, grass, and wetland.  There was nevera boot break-in period or any hot spots anywhere on my feet.  They were comfortable from the first day Iused them.  My feet stay dry and comfortablewith no blisters, no purple toe nails, no slips, and I only have minimal footfatigue after long hikes.     Another plus is when I walk through water above the topof the boots and water seeps inside, the boots are not wet for long.  There is a wicking polyester lining thatabsorbs and disperses the water.  No moreshriveled up cold damp feet.   On the con side, these boots are not true to size.  I wear a size 7 ½ US (39.6 EU) and these arean 8 ½ (40.6 EU).  When I tried them onat the store, the sales person told me they ran small and he was correct.  I would guess they are about a ½ size off asI tend to buy hiking boots with a little extra room in the toe box to avoid thedreaded black toenails from those long steep descents. The boots now have a couple of hundred miles (322 km) onthem.   They have held up well with nosigns of unusual wear.   I believe I’lleasily get another couple hundred miles out of them. Side note:  One dayI got blisters from a pair of casual shoes and dreaded putting on the SALOMONQUEST 4D GTX W boot for a hike the following day.  With the hiking boots, I felt only minor heelblister discomfort and hiked the following day too.  SummaryThe SALOMON QUEST 4D 2 GTX W boots areby far the best hiking boots I have owned. They are comfortable, keep my feet secure, keep my feet dry, are made ofhigh quality materials and workmanship, and have excellent traction. ThingsI LikeLace LockPadded Gusseted TongueContragrip SolesWaterproof and BreathableFast Wicking/DryingLightweight ThingsI Don’t LikeNot true to size.  The price.  Although the price is in line with otherboots in this same category, $230 is a lot of money to pay for boots.  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]