Click Here to order the Women’s X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Hiking boots.
Bottom Line: Very comfortable, stable and dry boot
Rating: Overall 4/5, Quality 5/5, Performance 4/5, Comfort 3/5, Value 4/5
Pros: Waterproofing material, durable rubber, stable and secure
Cons: fit is a little odd and cushioning wears out
Pro Tip: Women’s Dr. Scholls Shoe Inserts – Adds extra cushioning for a more comfortable feel.
Features:
- Weight: 1 lb 10 oz. per pair
- Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable material
- Women focused shape
- Exoskeletons secures your foot when tighenting laces
- Mid-cut profile adding stability and breathability
- Gussets between tongues and shoe preventing debries from getting inside the shoes
- Mug guards and durable toe caps
- EVA midsoles for cushioning
- OrthoLite sockliners and foams for added support
- Contagrip rubber outsoles for traction
Activities: Hiking, backpacking, light trail running, winter hiking, snow shoeing, and casual.
Familiarity: Over 1 year of intense use. Daily casual day hikes of less than 5 miles in dry and wet conditions, intense day hikes of 10+ miles with mixed trail running, overnight backpacking, used with snowshoes and crampons in winter conditions.
Personal Fit: True to size
Size Bought: 9 ½ Women’s
Personal Sizes: 9½ – 10 Women’s shoe (wider foot due to bunions)
Personal Weight: 125lbs.
I would recommend this product.
Fit – Needed to stretch these out a little since I have a bit of a wider foot due to bunions. The cushioning did wear after a while, but adding the Dr. Scholl’s Inserts really makes a difference in countering a loss in comfort. Overall, these shoe fit well and I never got any blisters while wearing them.
Durability – The Contagrip rubber is very durable and even after a year of intense and casual use the sole has plenty of tread. When I first got these, I was unimpressed with the traction of the rubber. They slipped much more often than my trail running sneakers. Then one day we went backpacking and what a world of a difference they felt with an additional +20lbs. The mudguards and toe cap shield held up very well with no rips or tears.
Contragrip Rubber – The Contagrip rubber is a longer lasting rubber than some other brands and due to this is best for backpacking. In my experience these boots perform best while wearing a large pack. If you are only planning on using boots for short day hikes and weigh less than 145 lbs I suggest a boot with a different kind of rubber.
Waterproofing – Not much is truly waterproof but these held up through some seriously wet rainy conditions on Cadillac Mountain, ME and deep muddy steps on Mount Marcy, NY without my feet getting wet.
Stable & Secure – The higher mid-cut level and exoskeleton that tightens with the laces keep my feet feeling stable and secure. The added cushion around the ankle and tongue gives comfort and mobility while still adding support to my ankle on loose rocks.
Click here to learn more about the Women’s X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Hiking boots on Salomon’s website.