Water flowed over the sand and splashed throughout the toes of the Salmon X Extremely 5 Mid mountaineering boots. My legs pumped over the tender, moist sand within the morning mild.
Thousand-foot-high dunes shimmered under the vastly increased mountains of the Sangre de Cristo vary. Snowmelt ran throughout the sand, a short-lived river that behaves very like a landlocked seashore. It’s a wild, unforgiving place for footwear, with steep, sandy slopes, frigid snowmelt, cactus, and rocky trails.
These parts have been an ideal match for the Salmon X Extremely Mid 5, a lately refined version of a wildly fashionable mountaineering boot. So for 4 days, I walked, ran, hiked, and splashed via the park to see how these boots would maintain up. Spoiler: they’re wonderful.
In brief: The Salomon X Extremely Mid 5 ($185) is a light-weight mountaineering boot aimed squarely at day hikers and backpackers who will largely use the boots on established path techniques. It has grippy traction and water resistance for shallow streams or muddy trails. It provides barely extra help than a path operating shoe however continues to be rather more pliable than heavier mountaineering or looking boots. It’s among the many easiest light-weight mountaineering boots available on the market.
Examine the Salomon X Extremely Mid 5 with the perfect mountaineering boots and the perfect mountaineering boots for ladies.
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Light-weight -
Good traction -
Brief break-in interval
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Too pliable for steep side-hilling or step-kicking
Salomon X Extremely Mid 5 Evaluate
The Salomon X Extremely Mid 5 is without doubt one of the finest light-weight mountaineering boots available on the market. It provides shoe-like consolation, tractor-like traction, and a bit of extra help than a path operating shoe.
That’s the key sauce that has saved the Salomon X Extremely excessive on the mountaineering boot heap for years. Now, the fifth version, which dropped final month, brings a bit of extra toughness to the light-weight hiker recreation.
The fifth version of this boot weighs about 1 ounce per pair greater than the fourth. But it surely’s a bit of more durable within the higher, and seems to be a tad wider within the forefoot. Past that, it’s a really related boot.
For these accustomed to the X Extremely line, the Mid 5 will really feel very acquainted. They begin on the floor with a reasonably luggy, pliable Contragrip sole. Constructing upward, you encounter the “EnergyCell” high-performance EVA foam midsole, which I discovered responsive and delicate.
Subsequent, a molded chassis insert embedded within the outsole supplies lateral help and safety. To be clear, this isn’t practically the help you can find in heavier mountaineering boots. But it surely goes effectively past the nonsupportive higher of path trainers. So, it’s a pleasant compromise for individuals who desire a little bit of a Goldilocks hiker.
The higher is product of robust, abrasion-resistant “Matryx” textile with individually coated high-tenacity Kevlar and technical yarn. It’s each mild and breathable, but it feels extraordinarily sturdy. It wraps that with a tender inside and mesh that feels good in opposition to the ankle. So, whereas the boot can bash rocks and cactus spines with none harm, the within feels good in opposition to your physique.
The X Extremely line provides each low and mid-cut boots. I examined the mid model, which was only a bit increased than my ankle bones.
Mountain climbing Impressions
I wore the boots over a number of days this spring, together with 4 days at Sand Dunes Nationwide Park. My take a look at included laborious, rocky trails, tender sand, water crossings, and walks on pavement and garden.
The X Extremely Mid match nice proper out of the field. I put on a measurement 9.5, and so they ran true to measurement. On my first walks, I appreciated the match and really feel, however discovered one drawback. The boots made a wierd clicking sound from the higher as I rolled via my mountaineering gait.
That noise continued on and off for the primary few walks and even into my first day of mountaineering on the nationwide park. It solely affected the fitting boot and steadily disappeared after just a few miles of mountaineering within the boots.
But it surely was an odd sensation and annoying sound that felt prefer it got here from a speedy folding and unfolding of material materials. It was certainly not a deal breaker and appears to have resolved, nevertheless it was value noting.
Past the odd clicking noise, these boots have been wonderful from day one. I began with just a few brief hikes round my neighborhood whereas canine strolling, and the boots have been extraordinarily comfy. Subsequent, I took them on just a few brief hikes close to my house in Denver, up and down brief however steep slopes at parks simply outdoors of city.
These brief outings have been loads for me to acknowledge that the X Extremely Mid 5 actually wants no break-in; they’re comfy proper out of the field.
Subsequent got here adventures in Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park.
Salomon X Extremely Mid 5: A Day-Hiker’s Dream
Mountain climbing on the Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park was the right use case for the Salomon X Extremely 5.
The path from the Pinion Flats Campground climbs above the dunes via a mixture of pinions and ponderosa pines. It winds over rocky soil and sand, and dry gulches wash over it. Some deadfalls, remaining from the winter previous, require hikers to duck low as they cross.
The views that greet hikers are prime tier, with snowcapped mountains towering above undulating dunes within the distance. I walked alongside the path with blissful, mild footfalls. The X Extremely Mid 5 made simple work of this basic day hike, proof that they’re completely at house for the hikes many customers will pursue.
Finally, the path breaks out of the forest and crosses right into a rolling part of partially vegetated dunes. To hike there means slogging via tender sand. Then, a really shallow river crossing challenges any mountaineering boots earlier than the path disappears into the towering dunes.
I performed within the shallow stream, water dashing as much as my ankles, and reveled within the dryness contained in the boots. These actually have been waterproof. After a couple of minutes within the water, I hiked throughout the stream and up the facet of the primary dune. I used to be blown away at how rapidly the boots dried. Sand didn’t even follow the boots as I left the stream and plodded up the dry sand.
Finally, I headed again to the camp and arrived after about 3 hours of mountaineering. My toes have been actually blissful, if a bit of heat.
Who Ought to Take into account the X Extremely Mid 5
It is a mild boot. It’s extra supportive than a path operating shoe, and fewer supportive than a heavy-duty leather-based hiker or looking boot. And it lands in a spot that needs to be very fashionable.
It’s an ideal boot for individuals who need light-weight footwear — 15.5 ounces per boot shouldn’t be a lot heavier than a path operating shoe — however need help and a luggy, protecting outsole. Its waterproofness will hold morning dew and shallow stream crossings at bay. And the rubber entrance will shield from stubbed toes.
Day hikers and light-weight/quick backpackers ought to take into account the X Extremely Mid 5. The one weak point is in side-hilling or kicking steps on super-steep terrain, the place the softer sole gained’t carry out in addition to heavier mountaineering boots. They’re additionally not excellent for off-trail mountaineering and bushwhacking, the place a fantastic looking boot will supply a more durable instrument.
They will even be heat on highly regarded days. If the temperature is above about 80, a GORE-TEX boot shouldn’t be a fantastic alternative.
However for these aiming largely for path use, the X Extremely Mid 5 is a splendidly comfy, light-weight boot. It provides good traction, safety, and truthful help at an excellent value and, with rugged supplies, ought to final for a lot of pleasing miles.
