Good boots: Salomon X-Ultra 5 Trail Shoes

After more than 10 years, it’s finally the end of the trail for my Salomon X-Ultra 5 hiking boots. They go to their reward having safely delivered me across the deserts of Utah, the mountains of the Yukon, and the mossy cliffs of the Faroe Islands, among many other places.

They were good boots because they were both sturdy and lightweight, and provided a good balance between support and flexibility. Almost every time I wear my mid-rise equivalents, which come up past the ankle, I wish I was wearing these instead. However, the tread has worn off in places and there are holes at several flex points now, so it’s time.

I was wary at first of the Quicklace™ system, where the lace is a closed loop that you tighten with a cleat. After all, if the proprietary shoelace breaks out in the middle of nowhere, that could be a long hobble back, and replacement would be more involved. However, I’ve come around because I’ve never had such a problem in a decade of steady wear, and it’s so much faster and more convenient than traditional shoelaces that I think it’s worth the tradeoff.

I intend to replace them with the contemporary equivalent, and I hope to cover just as much ground in them.