toolguy1963's Full Review: Salomon Elios Mid Goretex Boot for Men
My old Raichle’s had pretty much given up on supporting my feet and were headed for the waste bin. Weeks of searching for something light, comfortable and waterproof turned up these Salomon Elios boots. I had probably tried on 20 pairs of boots before deciding on them.
I’ll cover the negative aspects of this boot first. For experienced hardcore hikers these may not be the best boot to buy. For multi-day outings you’ll find the gore-tex lining does not breath sufficiently for fast wicking and quick drying. For heavy pack carriers (thirty pounds or more) the sole is much too pliable and will not give good weight bearing support. Also the narrow cleat tread will not provide sufficient traction on the worst grade or slipperiest of surfaces.
That’s about all of the negatives I can find with this boot and the positives outweigh the negatives for 90 percent of outdoor enthusiasts.
I have been using this boot for walking, hiking, light packing (8-15 pound pack) rappelling, short climbs, and other outdoor activity. Although I’m not normally a fan of gore-tex lined walkers, these boots have a nice balance in weight between the gore-tex inner and nubuck leather exterior. I don’t get overheated with them and have found that I can drop back to a lightweight wool blend sock instead of a mid or heavyweight sock and still be comfortable. The materials used also make for a very light in weight boot that doesn’t feel much heavier than my running shoes. This is a big positive for all day wear.
The sole is very compliant which is a big negative when carrying heavy packs, but I’ve found that I can move more quickly not only on flat surfaces but on trails, while climbing and on unstable surfaces. I get better feedback through the sole so am less likely to misstep. In particular I like being able to multi task with this boot. It’s a very good boot for rappelling. No more Frankenstein walk when not loaded down!
The narrow cleat under the boot has a good tractor grip tread and is not intrusive to normal walking, driving, or other activity. The grip itself if good for most activity, but can get a little slippery on mossy surfaces, really wet rock or greasy mud. Again its good for about 90 percent of the use it will get.
Internally the Elios is like an orgy den for your feet. There was no real break in required as they felt like slippers when I first pulled them on. The removable sponge ortho insert has a lot to do with that. It’s very supportive, compliant and cushions well between foot and sole. Being removable it speeds dry time and keeps the boots fresh. The 3-D fit tongue padding is also a huge asset to comfort in this boot. It provides more than just good fit too. It gives great impact protection and combined with the extended padding around the ankle, gives very good support.
There is no fighting to get this boot on or off. With the top two quick lace’s undone, your foot will slide right in or out. The quick lace clips are positive engagement type and will hold the laces where you put them. A pull on loop at the heel also helps with getting the boots on should you be bulked up with socks. Most of the time you can simply slide into them. The nubuck leather is top of the line and although soft and pliable is extremely durable. It is suggested that a wax-based treatment be used with this leather but I’ve taken the lazy way out and have used nothing more than some spray on waterproof. So far the treatment seems to be working well allowing good breathability and water repellency.
I was surprised to find that the Salomon runs a full size larger than it’s U.S. designation. In other words if you would normally wear a size 10 dress shoe/U.S.A. made Red Wing boot/combat boot, you can expect to jump to a size 11 in the Salomon. This I expect from Asian made sneakers, but from a quality outdoor wear and boot company, it is wrong. Therefore I would probably not suggest buying them online. You’ll want to try them on in person.
Overall I have been very satisfied with this boot. If made in just leather with a bit more stiffness in the sole, it would make an outstanding long pack shoe. For multi tasking it’s a really good shoe and should be seen for what it is. I’ve been using it in the lower ranges this year but will take it with me when we get into the Alps next spring and probably into Kashmir next summer.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.