Our Award: Best Overall Men’s
The X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking Shoes are a great option from well-known brand Salomon. They’ve made great use of their running shoe roots to bring the X Ultra 4, which is light, dynamic, durable, and quick and excellently waterproofed for a robust and dependable shoe.
Great news: This shoe is also available in a women’s fit.
Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Very durable with excellent waterproofing
- Great traction makes light work of a variety of terrains
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- Fast lacing system won’t be to everyone’s taste
- If you’re used to really flexible hiking shoes, you may find these rigid
See the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX in more detail:
Editor’s note: This article is part of our guide to the best hiking shoes, be sure to check out the rest of this guide for our top buying tips:
We’ve been extremely impressed with the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking Shoes. If you find yourself hiking in rocky areas that can be slippery, trail running in very rugged terrain, in the alpine or in wet areas then we think you’ll really love them too. Salomon have used their roots as a running shoe brand well in the creation of this hiking shoe, creating something that is aerodynamic, quick and moves elegantly through even the toughest of circumstances.
The Gore-Tex waterproofing on these hiking shoes performed well too, and is a great addition if you know the conditions you’ll be hiking in will be changeable. The fit is second to none too, making use of ADV-C chassis target articulations on the outer sides of the feet to enable moveability whilst keeping foot positioning strong. These are by far some of the best hiking shoes out there right now.
Compare to Similar Products:
Salomon Men's X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking | Columbia Facet 75 Outdry | Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 GTX | KEEN Targhee 3 Waterproof | Hoka Men's Anacapa Aero Low | La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX Hiking Boots | Nike Pegasus Trail 3 | Danner Panorama Mid | Black Diamond Mens Mission Leather Low Waterproof Approach Shoes | Lowa Renegade GTX LO | Regatta Vendeavour Pro | Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Hiking Shoe | La Sportiva Mens TX Hike GTX Hiking Shoes | The North Face Men's Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight Track Shoe | Vasque Men's Juxt Hiking Shoe | |
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Our Ratings | Best Overall Men's | Best Budget | Most Versatile | Most Comfortable | Best for Summer | Best for Technical Trails | Best Appearance | ||||||||
Pros | Robust whilst feeling light and aerodynamic, excellent traction | Great value. Breathable and water resistant | Striking Design. Makes use of recycled material | Comfortable. Very durable | Light weight. Extremely comfortable and quick to bed in | Relatively lightweight. Good support | Very lightweight. Very comfortable | Rugged build. Clean, minimal sytling | Very low weight. They look great! | short break in, comofrtable, tread grip is substantial | Bargain price. Well made | Reputaton for comfort. Resaonably priced | Relatively light weight. They Look Good | Very comfortable. Low weight | Durable build. Extremely comfortable |
Cons | Fast lacing system won't be for everyone | Not the lightest. They might look a little plain for some | Pricey. Sole material can look tatty with time | Dated design. Pricey | Not as water resistant as some competitors. Divisive Styling | Styling may not be to eveyone's taste. Pricey | Not as durable as some competitors. Not suitable for very cold or wet conditions | Took a little while to break in. We wish there was a little more ankle support | Pricey. Soft rubber sole may wear quickly | Limited range of colors. Long term durability concerns | Limited Color choices. Not the Lightest | No the lightest design and color choices may seem dated to some | Slightly vague sustainability credentials. Sizing guidance is confusing | Limited choice of colors. Potential long-term durability issues | No waterproofing. Limited color choice |
Traction | Very good | Good | Continental outsole with medium/deep thread pattern | Full rubber outsole with deep thread pattern | Very Good | Full rubber outsole with medium/deep thread pattern | Very Good | Full rubber sole with medium/deep thread pattern | Rubber outsole with deep thread pattern. Uses 'Black Label' Sticky rubber for better grip. | Vibram outsole with medium/deep thread pattern. | Full rubber outsole with medium/deep thread pattern | Vibram outsole with medium/deep thread pattern. | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good |
Breathability | Very good | Good | Fine mesh upper with Gore-Tex membrane | Mesh sections on upper backed with waterproof membrane | Very Good | Breathable mesh upper with Gore-Tex | Very good | Minimal use of mesh, and unvented leather in main body of shoe but there is a Gore-tex membrane the boot is not insulated. | Breathable 'BD.dry' waterproof lining with some mesh sections. However unperforated leather will limit breathability. | Mesh lining backed with Gore Tex membrande | Breathable mesh upper with 'Isotex' waterproof membrane. | Breathable mesh upper with waterproof membrane | Good | Good | Very Good |
Ankle Support | Minimal but feels supported | Minimal | Medium - Mid height boot. Support can be adjusted via lacing | Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support | Minimal | Good - Mid height design with adjustable tensioning via laces | Minimal | Medium - Mid height boot. Support can be adjusted via lacing | Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support | Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support | Good - Mid-height design with ankle collar adjustment via laces. | Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal |
Arch support | Regular | Regular | Gently moulded arch support in insoles | Subtle arch support | Very good | Subtle arch support | Regular | Subtly shaped inner section offers gentle arch support | Subtle arch support | Subtle arch support | Moulded nylon arch shank | Regular | Regular, but rocker-style sole may help comfort for some wearers | Regular | |
Fit | Fits true to size - regular | Regular - can run slightly large | Available in sizes from US 6/UK 5.5/ EU 38.6 up to US 15/UK 14.5/EU 50.6. Suitable for normal to wide feet. Runs small, so recommended to buy a slightly larger than normal size. | Meant to be very comfortable for a slighhtly wider foot - with lots of toe room. Available in sizes from US 7/uk 6/EU 39.5 up to US 16/UK 16/EU 49 | Regular | Availalble in standard and wide versions. Available in sizes from US 5.5/UK 5 /EU 38 up to US 14/UK 13.5/ EU 49.5 | Regular | Available in standard and wide fit. Standard is good for narrow/normal width feet. Available in sizes from US 7/ UK 6.5/EU 40 up to US 15/UK 14.5/ EU 50.6 | Typically suitable for normal width feet. Some reports indicate it's wise to size up a little. Availalble in sizes from US 6/UK 5/EU 38 to US 14/ UK 13/ EU 48.5 | Santadard - nothing to note, can be good for wide feet and standard feet may be a bit wide for narrow feet. Available in sizes from US7.5/UK 6.5/EU40 to US 16/UK 15/ EU 51 | Suitable for normal to wide feet. Available in sizes from US6.5/UK 6/EU 39.3 to US 12.5/UK 12/EU 48 | Suitable for normal width feet - have a reputation for out-of-the-box comfort. Also available in a wide version. Available in sizes from US 7/UK 6.5/ EU 40 up to US 16/ UK 15/EU 51 | Regular - can run a little small | Regular to narrow fit | Regular and Wide versions available |
Materials | Synthetic | Fully synthetic | Fully synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane. Minimum of 50% recycled material used in upper. High density foam sole can degrade with time. | Nubuck Leather and synthetic upper with Waterproof Membrane | Synthetic and nubuck leather | Fully synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane | Fully synthetic | Suede and synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane | Nubuck leather and synthetic | Nubuck Leather and synthetic upper with Gore-Tex Membrane | Fully synthetic with waterproof Isotex membrane | Pig suede and synthetic. Mesh lining, laces and webbing are made from 100% recycled materials. | Fully synthetic | Fully Synthetic | Suede leather and synthetic |
Appearance | Modern, grippy hiking shoe | Modern hiking shoe | Ultra-contemporary style with a wide range of colour ways - many are quite vivid | Slightly dated styling compared some newer designs | Modern hiking shoe with oversized sole | Contemporary styling. Available in a number of colour ways ranging from neutral to very striking. | Modern running shoe | The sytling is reminiscent of a hi-top basketball boot, but with with a clear modern interpretation. | Contemporary styling referencing classic sports shoe. Available in two colour ways | Design inspired by traditional hiking shoes. Limited color choices | Unintrusive styling. Available in a range of colours - some with vivid colour accents. | Unintrusive styling. Available in a range of colour options - mostly muted, 'earthy' colours. | Modern hiking shoe | Modern hiking shoe with oversized sole | Modern hiking shoe in earthy colors |
Durability | Very good | Good | Medium to high | High | Good | Medium to high | Good | High | High | Medium to high | Medium to high | Medium to high | Very good | Good | Excellent |
Weight (pair) | 800g/1lb 11.2oz (pair) | 833g/1lb 14oz (pair) | 910g/2lb | 861g/1lb.14.8oz | 706g/1lb 9oz (pair) | 940g/2lb 1oz | 642.8g/1lb 7oz (pair) | 1048g/2lb 5oz | 666g/1lb 7oz | 950g/2lb 1.5oz | 1080g/2lb 6oz | 900g/2lb | 790g/1lb 12oz (pair) | 646g/1lb 7oz | 822g/1lb 13oz (pair) |
Insoles | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole | Removable insoles | Removable, dual-density EVA footbeds cushion your stride | Padded removable insole | Removable insoles | Padded removable insole | Removable three-layer cushioned insoles | Removable insoles | Removable insoles | Removable foam insoles | Removable insoles | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole |
Break-in Period | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Straight away | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Medium | Minimal | Meant to be able to wear straight out the box | Minimal to medium | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal |
Lacing system | Quick lacing system | Regular laces | Standard laces | Standard laces | Regular laces | Multizone lacing system allows control over fit | Regular laces | Standard laces | Standard laces | Standard laces | Multizone lacing system allows for precise fit control | Standard Laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces |
Toe Protection | Reinforced rubber rand on toe | Reinforced rubber cap on toe | Hardened rubber toe cap and thin but full boot rand. | Hardened rubber toe cap | Reinforced rubber cap on toe | Hardened rubber toe cap | Reinforced rubber cap on toe | Hardened rubber toe cap and full boot rand. | Hardened rubber toe cap | Hardened rubber toe cap | Hardened rubber toe cap and rand on front section | Hardened rubber toe cap and rand on front section | Reinforced rubber rand at front | Reinforced rubber cap on toe | Reinforced rubber rand and toe cap |
Analysis and Test Results
Salomon are well known in the outdoor footwear scene – in fact in the footwear scene full stop. Their roots are in running shoes, but they have made a name for themselves in hiking shoes and boots. The X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking Shoes come up extremely well in our tests as being a really robust option. They made use of Gore-Tex for their waterproofing and have come to be a really dependable pair of hiking shoes that you will reach for again and again. At 800g/1lb 11.2oz for a pair, they are certainly not the lightest shoes in our reviews, but they are well away from being the heaviest either. With their chunky outsole and robust system for keeping your feet in place and well protected even in the most rugged of circumstances, they may not be for everyone, though. If you are used to ultralight hiking shoes or trail runners, you may find these a bit on the rigid side to start with as they have very little flex and give in the foot. However, spend some time with them and we think you will be very impressed and won’t look back.
Performance Comparison
Traction
The Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes make use of a Contagrip® MA outsole which, in testing held uneven terrain extremely well. We tested in a variety of circumstances where we’d expect them to be tested to their limits (slippery rocks etc.) and they had a feeling of effortlessness. This was great for confidence building, and they felt comfortable even on very steep, rocky descents. In fact, these were some of the most grippy hiking shoes we tested outside of approach shoes. They’re perfect for alpine adventures and everything in-between.
Breathability
Thankfully, the Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes use a Gore-Tex membrane for their waterproofing, meaning that even though you’ve got a tough shoe on your hands, it’s also breathable. With the correct socks (we like to use merino or similar), we tested these shoes for miles and miles, in both extremely wet circumstances and warmer temperatures too. They keep the feet exceptionally well ventilated with only a normal amount of sweat that you’d expect with any shoe. This meant that even from the start, we didn’t experience any causes for concerns with blisters or discomfort on the trail.
Ankle Support
As with all low hiking shoes, the ankle support offered is never going to be the same as mid or high hiking shoes or boots. However, one thing we did notice, and love about the X Ultra 4 was the rigid feel of the shoe. Combine this with the cushioning around the ankle and the fine-tuned quick lacing system, it felt like the foot didn’t move and therefore kept the ankle in place. The outsole actually helped here too – with its nimble feel, your movements are quicker and chances or rolled ankles seemed to be less.
Arch Support
The arch support provided in the X Ultra 4 hiking shoes is what we would class as ‘normal’. That said, we didn’t have any specific concerns about the support provided. The brand claim they make use of an active support ‘mobile wing’, which keeps the foot in place and secure to prevent any slippage. We did feel like the whole shoe kept the foot well positioned and in place and through our tests, we didn’t experience any fatigue of discomfort in the arch.
Fit
These shoes from Salomon are offered in a standard fit and a wide fit, and they’re offered in a ‘men’s’ and ‘women’s’ version. The men’s fit is slightly wider throughout the shoe, whereas the women’s fit is narrower at the ankle and back of the foot and wider in the toe box. Our tester has slightly wider feet and found these shoes to be exceptionally comfortable. They may not be the best suited to hikers with a narrower foot, but with their lacing system and fine-tuning adjustment pattern, they can also be adjusted to offer a very individual fit. We love how they feel airy and light and without any sense of being blocky or clumpy.
Materials
The X Ultra 4 uses fully synthetic textiles for the shoe’s construction with rubber being used for the heel, toe box and sole. This is great for breathability and keeping the weight down.
Appearance
We really like the way the X Ultra 4’s look – they’re a smart hiking shoe that feels nimble and doesn’t look chunky in any way even though it makes use of a very robust and grippy sole. These shoes are offered in a limited range of colors, which gives a muted and understated feel – they don’t ‘stick out’ from the rest of your outfit. They have the appearance of a running shoe shape, combined with the grip of an approach shoe. We also love how the quick lacing system toggles can be tucked into the tongue of the shoe, making for an even more minimal, and sleek feel to the overall aesthetic.
Durability
Some customers have had durability concerns when it comes to the soles – some have experienced them becoming very worn within a few months. However, from personal experience we can’t attest to this, and they have stood up extremely well to all of our tests and wear. It is important to keep in mind that all hiking shoes that make use of rubber soles are slightly softer than those designed for use on paved surfaces and as such, can wear down faster due to this.
Over time, the synthetic materials used on these hiking shoes seems to stand up really well – there seems to be no areas which feel worn or loose and the lacing system has stood up extremely well too. We’d always recommend loosening the laces before tightening on the foot, to prolong the back heel.
Sustainability
Salomon doesn’t make any notes in their information as to whether these particular hiking shoes make use of recycled materials, but Salomon make a big point on their website of talking about how they are committed to sustainability in their production and have some fairly big commitments to meet by 2030 – which is good to see. You can read more about this here.
Water Resistance
These shoes are classed as fully waterproof and use Gore-Tex technology for their waterproofing. A hiking shoe that is classed as waterproof is never going to be as waterproof as a waterproof hiking boot with a gaiter system, but then it also depends on where you will be hiking the most and what you’ll be wearing.
Weight
The Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX weigh in at 800g/1lb 11.2oz per pair. This isn’t the lightest of hiking shoes in our reviews, but they certainly aren’t the heaviest. We’d say they weigh in about average when put up against the rest of the shoes in our reviews and their weight did not cause us any concern. These shoes felt effortlessly light on the trail, and given their robust outsole and grippy feel, we were surprised that they didn’t weigh more. If you’re looking for a shoe that gets the combination between lightweight and rigidity, these shoes will serve you very well.
Insoles
These hiking shoes come with a standard insole. For most hikers, this will be fine, and you won’t think about this whilst wearing. However, if you feel you do need some extra protection, you could look at buying some specific insoles for your concern. There are many out on the market now that offer a relatively inexpensive addition to your shoes to allow you to get a perfect, comfortable fit.
Break-in Period
The Salomon X Ultra 4 Hiking shoes have a relatively short break in period. They are comfortable straight out of the box, but we did experience a little rubbing around the toes for the first few tests. After wearing them for a few shorter test hikes, they felt ready to go for a longer period, and any rubbing was negated by adjusting the lacing system to allow for a little extra space. Even though these hiking shoes feel rigid, they are also extremely comfortable and well cushioned on the interior.
Lacing System
These hiking shoes use a specialist quick lacing system. Whilst there have been durability concerns about this kind of lacing system in the past, a lot has been done across the board to make it a much more sustainable solution and we really liked it on the X Ultra 4’s. It uses a elasticated, soft hold system that holds tension in different areas, so you can pull to the left and right for more tension on each side. It also holds well with the plastic toggle, and we didn’t find we had to keep readjusting through the day.
We love the built-in pocket for the lace ends in the tongue of the shoe too, which means there is no chance of them pulling on debris on the trail and just makes them look more streamlined and cleaner overall. The lacing system was really easy to use even with gloves or colder hands too, and in many ways, was even easier than traditional laces in these circumstances.
Toe Protection
You’ll benefit from the rubberized protected toe on these hiking shoes, and this just adds even more to the robust nature of the Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes. We’ve said throughout this review that it feels very much like Salomon have created a hybrid approach and running shoe, and this is even more evidenced with the toe protection offered. We found the toe box to be extremely hardy and handled bumps and knocks very well – especially as these turns into a rand around the side of the shoe for added protection on all sides. If you’re a little ‘trail clumsy’ you will likely appreciate the protection offered on the toe in these hiking shoes.
Conclusion
The Salomon X Ultra 4 hiking shoes is just a good all round hiking shoe – it gets the balance pretty much perfect between being lightweight, nimble and gliding and robust and hard wearing. This is a great shoe for taking on a whole variety of terrain and it fairs especially well in rocky locations and alpine conditions. It’s grippy nature makes light work of challenging ascents and descents and gives a great level of protection on both the sole and the toe. When you add the fact that this shoe is fully waterproofed using Gore-Tex technology, we think you’ve got a shoe you’ll be reaching for time and time again.
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