Considering the amount of hiking I do, I haven’t owned a decent pair of hiking boots for many years. Not since the days of Duke of Edinburgh, in fact, when my eager classmates made our routes through the Lake District far longer and more challenging that was required of us.
Since those school days, I’ve tried to include a few hikes in every trip overseas and my recent stint in South America was the perfect chance to see some incredible scenery. I climbed almost to the top of Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador, slogged it out in the heat and humidity to see the Lost City and the otherworldly wax palms of Salento in Colombia, fought off altitude sickness in the Cordillera Blanca on the Santa Cruz trek near Huaraz in Peru, followed in the Incas’ footsteps through the foothills near Machu Picchu, breathed in nothing but dust for a day in order to see the belly of the arid Colca Canyon, and experienced some of the most highly rated treks in the world at Fitz Roy and Puerto Natales in Patagonia.
It was on the W trek in Patagonia that my lightweight, but not particularly high-tech boots finally crumbled. The soles came away, allowing moisture from the grass to seep through and my feet were red raw by the time we returned. Despite their failure to perform, I felt a pang of sadness as I abandoned them in a hostel, my thoughts flickering through the countless adventures we’d shared.
Not having learned my lesson, I replaced my old pair with a discount brand in preparation for my trip to New Zealand and spent the entire six weeks with the insoles of both shoes continually shifting inside each shoe towards my heel, while ankle support was non-existent.
It was time to find a pair of decent hiking shoes that would be comfortable, weather-resistant and protective and, in the run up to my Outback Adventure in Australia’s Northern Territory, I was given the perfect opportunity to review some footwear for Millets. After browsing the extensive selection of hiking shoes on their website, I opted for the Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots because they were a trusted brand and the design looked sturdy and reliable.
INITIAL IMPRESSION
When I removed the boots from their packaging, I was initially very impressed. They looked the part and they felt strong yet light. Considering they’d been ordered over the internet, they were also incredibly comfortable. In fact, having now worn them multiple times for hiking on rough terrain, I’m amazed that they haven’t rubbed my feet at all.
Compared with some walking shoes, they are a little on the heavy side, but as good, supportive hiking footwear, they are remarkably lightweight and nimble. They also have a range of impressive features to bring you the best-quality for serious hiking.
MATERIALS
The Salomon Quest 4D GTX is made from lightweight, breathable and abrasion-resistant material, with Gore-Tex® technology to ensure that your feet stay dry, while allowing moisture vapour to escape.
There is also a specially designed sock liner made from durable OrthoLite® foam, which creates cool, dry cushioning underfoot and includes an antimicrobial treatment to deter odour. A heel cup also provides support and additional cushioning.
STRUCTURE
There are some great features to the design of these shoes, including careful construction to ensure that they remain waterproof. Notably, there is a padded gusseted tongue to prevent debris from entering the shoe and to relieve lace pressure.
The ‘4D advanced chassis’ is based on Salomon’s trail-running technology and incorporates thermoplastic urethane midsole supports, which help control flex, reduce ankle strain, enhance stability and protect your feet from rough terrain.
The result is a boot that’s fast and light, but robust enough to deal with tricky terrain and long hikes.
PROTECTION
There is a rubber cap in both the toe and the heel to provide protection from bumps and abrasion, and the boots have been designed with a high-cut profile and removable footbeds to support the ankles and the arches of your feet. Contagrip® rubber outsoles make it easy to move over rough surfaces, both wet and dry.
APPEARANCE
While the boots are available in a variety of colour combinations, none is too obtrusive. They have a clean, modern design, incorporating natural tones.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
These boots are compatible with strap-on crampons, which I love, because I’ve previously had to rent boots for this purpose, both for the Cotopaxi climb and glacier hiking on Franz Josef in New Zealand. Footwear can make or break a challenging hiking experience and if you can avoid having to borrow questionable gear from a tour company, you should do so.
The average weight for a pair of Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots is 2 lb, or 9.5 oz.
Men, fear not. There is a Salomon Quest 4D GTX for you too, and it looks just as great.
Having checked out other user reviews online, there appears to be overwhelming support for this product from people with a wide range of experiences, including those who have hiked through ankle-deep snow in the Himalayas to those who have conquered Kilimanjaro.
OVERALL VERDICT
To put it simply, this product is fantastic. Salomon has managed to design footwear that has a rigid design to protect against ankle strain, while ensuring comfort, regardless of the terrain or weather conditions.
The boots were breathable in the plus 40-degrees of the Australian Outback and remained dry on a recent hike through dripping vegetation and waterfalls in Sydney’s Blue Mountains.
They gripped well on slippery rocks and, despite my clumsy nature, I negotiated roots and crevices without tripping once – something that tends to happen to me when I wear bulkier footwear for the first time in weeks. It’s clear that they’re well made and durable, they look the part and they certainly perform.
There are just two minor negatives, both of which are only really an issue if you intend to take these shoes on an extended trip overseas. The first is that they are larger, less flexible and slightly heavier than some alternative styles of walking shoe, which might make them a bit of a pain to backpack with if you don’t wear them constantly when moving between accommodation. The second is that trying to team them up with the more fashionable clothing in your backpack doesn’t really work. They look great with professional hiking gear, but less good with a pair of flimsy beach shorts. Check out my review of Timberland’s Yellow Boot for a more stylish walking shoe.
If you need comfortable, casual everyday footwear that will suffice for the occasional walk, you might be better off with super lightweight walking shoes, but if you’re looking for a pair of hiking boots that really mean business, they don’t get much better than this. In my opinion, their strong design and comfortable, supportive structure means that you could take on just about any hike worldwide and the Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots would not let you down.
My beloved hiking boots which I had for five years are finally starting to fall apart too. Those ones look great. They look like they can give you a really good ankle support and also look really sturdy.
tammyonthemove recently posted..Can you learn Spanish in 9 months?
Five years is pretty good going! It’s sad when a product you rely on for so long literally crumbles from overuse! I can already tell that’s what it’ll be like with these boots – perhaps in 15 years time though! They’re just so comfortable and well made. I’d wear them to work if they’d let me! :)
A really good article. Your feedback has convinced me to get this shoe sooner than later. Hope to see you in Pakistan at the magnificent Himalayas and Karakoram. Cheers!
It’s great to hear I’ve convinced you to get them! I hope you like them as much as I do. And I would love to visit the Himalayas one day!
Hey Ari!
I’m heading to South America in Sept this year and will be doing the Inca trail etc. Would these boots be the way to go? Or Timberland?
Thanks!
Jess
Hi Jess! I wouldn’t use Timberlands for trekking. I’m sure they’d be up to the job, but I see them as more of an everyday shoe. I use mine for city breaks and meeting friends. They’re good footwear for staying really comfortable while also being fashionable.
For the Inca Trail and any other hikes in S America, I would recommend walking boots or trail shoes. The boots in this review are amazingly comfortable and especially good when the footpath is uneven or muddy. They have a great grip and good ankle support and they’re the most comfortable walking shoes I’ve ever owned. I just got back from a walk in the Yorkshire dales with them in fact, and my friend’s going to borrow them to trek in Nepal. The only negative I can think of is that they’re a bit bulky, so you might find it a pain backpacking with them and prefer a smaller shoe that squashes down in your pack. Having said that, I just spent three months in Central America with them tied to the outside of my pack and that didn’t bother me at all. If you don’t hike often, you could probably find something cheaper that still does the job, but if you see yourself using them more in the future, these boots are a really great investment.
Enjoy your trip and let me know how you get on!
Hi. I also have a pair of these, great boots and as you say, no discomfort at all no matter the environment. Currently out performing my friends meindl bhutan in every aspect, i get the impression he is regretting his choice.
Anyhow, you said these will take a c1, strapped crampon. Why do you say that?
Many shops are listing them as b0 boots. I have not used crampons yet, but i was recently gifted with some heirloom crampons and an ice axe with the strict instruction that they are to be used; so this winter i will be doing just that. I took the gamble on the quest gtx being compatible on the basis that the salomons x alp mtn gtx boots are c1 rated yet are actually more flexible.than the quests (they have a softer contragrip compound stuck to the same 4d chassis), so the quests by rights should take a c1.
I presumed the b0 rating was due to them either not being an insulated winter boot or compatible with the ‘cup’ style fittings on modern crampons. I am hoping that these steel, centrally hinged, 12 point strapped crampons (c1?) will be fine on the quests, if not ill pick up a pair of used boots specifically for snow/ice use. If anything i am more concerned i might damage the crampons than the boots.
Cheers.
Hi Stuart! Thanks for your comment. I’m a little confused, though, as I didn’t mention crampons in my review. I’ve only used these boots for hiking so far so I couldn’t comment on their compatibility with crampons. It would be great to hear how you get on though. It would be a shame if you end up needing to hire boots when these are so comfy!
Under the ‘resting my feet photo:
“Additional Information
These boots are compatible with strap-on crampons”
:)
It’s all good, i’ll see what happens.
Are you for real? “These boots are compatible with strap-on crampons, which I love,”
That would be mentioning crampons. And no, they’re officially not compatible. although you can strap crampons to any footwear – I know people who strap g10s to trail runners in winter.
How did the heirloom crampons work out?
I have a pair of Kahtoola microspikes that work well for an occasional snow or slush trek. They fit any hiking boot I’ve tried them with… but they’re ugly as sin!
Great write-up on these hiking boots! Didn’t realize it was an older post, still a goodie nonetheless!