Salomon Quest 4 Gtx Hiking Boots

Salomon Quest 4d Gtx How Have They Held Up

I wore my pair of boots over the course of the last 3 years for everything from duty assignments to overnight hikes in the mountains. I took them to the Arctic circle of Finland in the winter and the Italian Dolomites in the summer.

First, of I have to talk about the Gore-Tex liner in these boots because its pretty much nonexistent at this point, Im not sure if my pair of boots was defective but all of the waterproofing is gone. I did subject them to lots of snow and mud but I would have thought they could have stayed waterproof. Its even stranger because I have a friend who bought the non Gore-Tex version and after a 15-mile hike in Germany in the fall, my boots were relatively wet while his were still dry. Im assuming its just my pair of boots and this is not a widespread issue as I have not seen anyone else have this issue.

I have included an image of the treads from a brand new pair and then my pair of gen 1s . The tread pattern is different on the gen 2s vs the gen 1s. I tend to wear my footwear out on the interior sole because I walk like a duck everywhere I go but you can see a significant wear pattern when comparing the two images. The tread is definitely still serviceable but I would estimate it to only last another 200 miles at this point.

Overall, the stitching on the boots has held up incredibly well with very few frays.

The chassis of the boots also look to still be in pretty good condition while attaching crampons multiple times for icier conditions.

Why You Should Trust Us

For the first iteration of this guide, which we published in 2018, writer Ebony Roberts spent 25 hours researching popular boots and working to understand how foot shape and hiking style might affect your boot choice. She interviewed experts including Beth Henkes, who at the time of the interview was the sales lead for footwear at the REI store in Alderwood, Washington and residency-trained podiatrist and former Wirecutter writer Jim McDannald. She also chatted with Mike Armstrong, head of operations for Outward Bound Hong Kong at the time of the interview.

In 2020, writer Jenni Gritters scoured the scene for new boots. Jenni has worked as a journalist for nearly a decade and has edited dozens of Wirecutter guides for the outdoor, travel, sleep, and babies/kids sections. She has also written for the New York Times, Outside, and Gear Patrol. She spent dozens of hours reading through editorial boot reviews from sites like GearLab and Outside Online, as well as reviews on REIs site, after which she tested a set of new boots in the Pacific Northwest. In 2021, Jenni updated this guide again after extensive research this time around, she took updated boots to the high deserts of Utah and Oregon. She has also been long-term testing several of our picks throughout the fall, winter, and spring months while carrying a 30-pound kid on her back.

Toe And Ankle Protection

Salomon didnt make many changes to the toe and cushioning with the latest Quest, and thats good news from a protection standpoint. The rubber toe cap, padded and burly upper construction, and moderately thick cushioning around the ankles mean you get a lot security on the trail and when wedging your feet in between cracks. I also have a tendency to kick the occasional rock on the trail as the miles add up , but even the most direct hits didnt lead to any pain or soreness.

You May Like: Caterpillar Steel Toe Boots Men

Salomonmen’s Quest 4d 4 Gore

Members Price£166.50

Move forward with fluidity in these Quest-worthy hiking boots with a new and improved articulated and supportive chassis.

The leather material is naturally water resistant, but is further backed by a waterproof GORE-TEX membrane that keeps your feet dry from the outside to the inside.

Designed for challenging expeditions and arduous conditions, the resilient Men’s Quest 4D 4 GTX Hiking Boot from Salomon gets a thumbs up from us for grip on rock-strewn terrain.

The tongue is connected to the upper on both sides, preventing debris from entering the shoe, and keeping the tongue centred. The Ortholite® insole is shaped closely to the inner shoe to make your journey from the bottom to the top of the hill as stress-free as possible whilst making your foot sweat less.

Furthermore, the mudguard does what is says on the tin by shielding the lateral and medial sides of the foot from mud and debris.

SensiFit on these Salomon hiking shoes looks out for your feet, nursing the feet whilst they work hard on the hill.

This product qualifies for the following delivery methods

Salomon Quest 4d Gtx Wrap Up

Overall, I have been really impressed with the Salomon Quest 4D GTX aside from how they lost their waterproofing. I recommend these boots to all of my fronds who are looking for good hikers that can also be worn for duty use. They are a bit expensive coming in at $240, but I have certainly gotten my moneys worth out of them and would even go as far as to say they offer decent value. At the time of this article, Salomon does not offer resoling of any of their boots but you can go through your local cobbler for mixed results. Im still going to wear mine until the soles are worn out and then Im going to buy another pair because to date these have been one of the best pairs of boots I have ever worn.

Also Check: Where Can I Buy K Swiss Shoes

Satisfied Or Money Back

As a company that prides itself on merchandise and service excellence, we strive to deliver products of superior quality on time. With this in mind, I would like to draw your attention to our return procedure. In the event of a return query, the following steps must be adhered to:

If you are not satisfied with your purchase in order to obtain a refund to the rand value of the purchased items being returned, the product being returned must be sent back to Salomon within 7 days, in its original condition and provided they have not been washed or worn and bear their original labels.

Please ensure the items are returned in the exact condition they were received in, and in their original packaging complete with all swing tags with labels attached.

The product/products must have been purchased on the Salomon online store.

Please note that no hand returns / exchanges are possible to the address below. Only verified couriers are accepted.

How to proceed?

1.Contact our customer services team via email : or Tel: 031 003 8898 \ Ext. 2641

2.You must provide your order number, your personal contact information and specify the product/products you wish to return.

3.Please specify on your packaging slip and on your contact form, which product you are returning, and place your packaging slip inside the parcel.

4.Send the package to our returns address using a courier of your choice. Please note that you are required to cover the cost of shipping.

Build Quality And Durability

As Salomons top-end hiking boot, it came as no surprise that the Quest is well made. The design is fairly busy, with a mixture of leather and a tough synthetic covering the upper, but as with my prior versions of the boot, its all holding up extremely well. The leather has taken on a darker color after the backpacking tripeven after I cleaned all the mud offbut otherwise the boot looks like new. The laces and accompanying hardware are all intact, and the outsole is wearing evenly and very lightly. All told, I expect the Quest to have a very long lifespan

Don’t Miss: What Is So Good About Brooks Shoes

Why We Like The Salomon Quest 4 Gtx Boot

We rarely start a backcountry trek without the Salomon Quest 4 GTX Hiking Boot. Our feet welcome the support of the Advanced Chassis midsole, which helps control flex, reduce ankle strain, enhance stability, and protect our feet from the roughest of terrain. The durable leather and nylon upper is coupled with a seam-sealed GORE-TEX membrane that is fully waterproof and breathable to keep us moving in dry comfort.

Flaws But Not Dealbreakers

These boots have a few downsides: Most important, as we noted previously, the Quests are the heaviest of our picks they may be too much boot for shorter hikes. Their rigid build and heavy weight make them slow to break in, with about double the mileage required compared with most of the other boots we testedit took 10 miles, while most boots we tested felt broken in by 5 miles. Additionally, the laces on the updated Quest 4 pair are sheathed with a material thats supposed to make them more secure, but in our experience it only made them difficult to tie, because they were quite rigid. Even when we double-knotted the laces, they came untied or loosened as we walked to get a more secure fit, we opted to replace them with another pair of laces we had at home.

Recommended Reading: What Kind Of Socks To Wear With Boat Shoes

How And Where We Tested

In 2018, we tested 26 pairs of boots. In 2020, we tested 10 more, and in 2021, we tested seven additional pairs plus an update of our runner-up pick. To get multiple opinions, we handed them out to 26 testers, both male and female, plus the guide authors. We asked each of our testers to hike at least 30 miles totaland they went for it, hiking in 13 states and three provinces. They tackled loose gravel, groomed trails, and brush. They schlepped through mud, splashed in water, scampered up steep inclines, slid on snow, and even wore the boots into town and around the block. They hiked during the spring, summer, fall, and winter months.

Our testers hiked for over 1,200 miles, taking more than 2 million steps across 13 states, three provinces, and four countries.

And while they hiked, they tracked their steps and distance using fitness trackers. They also recorded information about the hike and the weight of their packs. And they took notes about the terrain and climate, in addition to recording their thoughts on the boots and the break-in time required for each pair. Some hiked with kids, while pregnant, and with dogs and friends. In the end, during 2018, 2020, and 2021, our testers hiked for over 1,200 miles, taking more than 2 million steps.

How To Find Your Best

Foot shape and gait are unique to each person, so a shoe that fits one person might not fit another. Our picks in this guide offer certain featuresincluding expertly designed lacing systems and wider toe boxesthat will be comfortable for you whether your foot is wide or narrow. Still, theres no replacement for trying on a boot to see exactly how it fits your foot.

If you buy your boots online, we recommend that you order several different boots or several sizes of one boot from a retailer that provides free shipping on returns. When ordering online, always order your boots true to size or a half size upbut never a half size down. Generally speaking, I tend to size everyone up a half size, said REIs Beth Henkes. For example, if I measure someone, and they are dead on an 8, in most boots I am going to grab them an 8½ and at least start there.

Better yet, go to an outdoor-gear store, ideally at the end of the day. Feet can swell and change sizes, so its important to buy the boots when our feet are their largest, said residency-trained podiatrist and former Wirecutter writer Jim McDannald.

You should do the following things at home or in a store to test whether your new boots fit you well:

Also Check: How To Buy Shoes On Goat

Budget Pick: Merrell Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots

Weve been recommending the Merrell Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots to hikers for four years now. These boots are a much-loved standby among both backpackers and hikers, who prize them for their versatility, lower price, and decent grip. The Moab 2 boots come in both wide and medium-width sizes, which our testers with wider feet appreciated.

In 2018, the Moab model got a redesignand we think these boots have lost nothing in the process. Although the Moab 2 boots are the least expensive of our picks, theyre still sturdy and waterproof, fairly breathable, designed to offer decent underfoot protection, and capable of handling a 5-mile day hike. That said, we found their comfort and traction lacking on steep, wet, and rocky treks of more than 5 miles.

The Moab 2 boots weigh a middle-of-the-road 2 pounds 4 ounces per pair, and they offer relatively good grip on varied terrains. They also have a quick break-in distance: We thought they felt broken in after just a mile of walking on a well-groomed path. The Moab 2 boots are also waterproof, but while our feet stayed fairly dry through multiple creek crossings, the suede leather sections on the boots themselves got soaked. We doubt that in rainy, wet climates these boots will be able to hold the water out for long.

Our Pick: Salomon Quest 4 Gore

The Quest 3D boots were our top pick when we first tested hiking boots in 2018, and again in 2020. In 2021, the fourth iteration of these boots still stood up well against the competition. Theyre versatile, well-tractioned, supportive, waterproof, and accommodating to many foot shapes. That said, the newest iteration is a bit clunkier than past models if you prefer a lightweight boot, check out our also great pick, the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX.

Over the past few years, weve tested 10 pairs of three versions of the Quest. Our testers have crossed glaciers, braved tough trails, and climbed rocky terrain, and theyve waded through streams, navigated late-spring snow, and slopped through knee-deep mud. So we can promise you this because weve tried nearly everything: Whether youre scrambling, climbing, or walking down a paved sidewalk, these boots can handle it. In addition, they have a wide toe box thats likely to fit many different foot shapes. We also appreciate that the Quests strike that ideal balance of being both breathable and waterproof, a combination that can be tough to find. And these boots fit true to size .

After a long, challenging hike, these boots left our feet feeling far less sore than most of the other boots we tested.

Don’t Miss: How Often Do I Need New Running Shoes

Free Shipping For S/plus Members New Members Get 10% Off Next Purchase + 50pts

Ground delivery is free for S/Plus members.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate PO, FPO, or APO boxes at this time.

Ref. :

Be notified when this size comes back into stock

Get ready, we will notify you once this product is back in stock

Check other products available in your size:

Also Great: La Sportiva Ultra Raptor Ii Gtx

May be out of stock

While not an exact update, La Sportivas Ultra Raptor II boots replace our former top pick, the La Sportiva Sabers, and carry over many of the same qualities we loved in those boots: The Raptors are lightweight, flexible, versatile, and well-tractioned. Unlike our other picks, these are designed on trail running mids and outsoles, rather than on the mold of a standard hiking boot, for a lighter fit. Like our top pick, they also strike that ideal balance of waterproof and breathable, which can be tough to come by. And compared with our other picks, they have more support around the toes for protection. However, they require some break-in time before theyre truly comfortable. And compared with our top pick, the Salomons, the Raptors offer a narrow fit that is less likely to fit all foot shapes.

The Raptor boots biggest win is their weight: A pair of the mens boots weighs about 2 pounds, while a pair of womens boots weighs 1 pound 7 ounces. This makes them some of the lightest of the boots we tested and provides significant advantages on the trail, especially if you want to move quickly. We noticed that our legs were less fatigued after a hike in these boots than with our top pick, and it was easier to drive in the Raptors because theyre much more flexible in the mid-foot than your average hiking boots.

You May Like: What Is The Best Comfortable Walking Shoes

Other Good Hiking Boots

If youre looking for a stylish, all-leather boot that molds to your foot after a long-ish break-in period: Consider the Danner Mountain 600 Hiking Boots , which are comfortable and stylish. Some of our testers found them to be too wide, but others loved the slightly bulkier fit if you do find these boots attractive, we recommend trying them on before you buy, as well as ordering in your street-shoe size rather than sizing up. The Mountain 600 boots have a longer break-in time than some of the others we tested because theyre made with suede leather. But once theyre broken in, theyre more likely to mold to your feet. The underfoot protection kept our feet happy during a 6-mile hike through fairly easy terrain, and theyre unexpectedly lightweight at 2 pounds 5 ounces theyre lighter than the Salomon Quests and similar to our budget pick, the Merrell Moab 2 pair. But on wet days, we didnt feel secure on wet rocks, and our feet got hot quickly since leather isnt very breathable. In addition, these boots arent likely to be waterproof for long, considering their suede materials, nor are they a good option for mountaineering or even advanced backpacking trips. But for day hikes on moderate terrain, they should do just fine.