Great Boot, Few Downsides
Pros: Stiff, warm, comfy as heck.
Cons: High/tight calf, a little heel slip (a problem with my foot, obviously)
Amazing boot. I tried it on at the start of the season and have been thinking about it since then. REI finally put it on sale (329 right now, so jump on it if you're in the market. It's a steal at nearly 50% off).
I upgraded from the old Salomon X-Wave 9. That boot was perfect except it wasn't quite stiff enough for me. This one is.
The boot lining is super comfortable, construction is spot on and the only complaint I have is that the calf housing feels a little tight. I dropped the rear spoiler thing down all the way (it comes a half inch above it's lowest setting) and that resolved the issue a little. Probably part of it has to do with break in time - it's been years since I've had a new pair of boots.
What put be over the top on this boot was the replaceable heel/toe pieces. They are about 32 bucks a pair from Salomon. But given that the only reason I had to get ride of my X-waves is because of worn heels and toes from hiking so much that's a small price to pay. Good boots last a LONG time.
If you want an awesome boot that isn't as stiff check out the Shogun. Similar build, only two buckles (very cool design), and just as comfy. No replaceable heel/toe though.
I have a narrow/low-volume foot as well, which probably accounts for the slight heel-slippage I feel. An insert would probably resolve this. Otherwise the fit is great for a lower volume foot.
I upgraded from the old Salomon X-Wave 9. That boot was perfect except it wasn't quite stiff enough for me. This one is.
The boot lining is super comfortable, construction is spot on and the only complaint I have is that the calf housing feels a little tight. I dropped the rear spoiler thing down all the way (it comes a half inch above it's lowest setting) and that resolved the issue a little. Probably part of it has to do with break in time - it's been years since I've had a new pair of boots.
What put be over the top on this boot was the replaceable heel/toe pieces. They are about 32 bucks a pair from Salomon. But given that the only reason I had to get ride of my X-waves is because of worn heels and toes from hiking so much that's a small price to pay. Good boots last a LONG time.
If you want an awesome boot that isn't as stiff check out the Shogun. Similar build, only two buckles (very cool design), and just as comfy. No replaceable heel/toe though.
I have a narrow/low-volume foot as well, which probably accounts for the slight heel-slippage I feel. An insert would probably resolve this. Otherwise the fit is great for a lower volume foot.
