Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX boots > Owner Review by Elle Blackwell

SALOMON QUEST 4D 2 GTX WOMEN'S HIKING AND BACKPACKING BOOTS
BY ELLE BLACKWELL
OWNER REVIEW
December 07, 2016

TESTER INFORMATION

I moved to the Rocky Mountains 17 years ago, where I hike and backpack 250+ miles (400+ km) per year. I have hiked all of the local well known trails in my area, but now more frequently I travel off-trail. The terrain is generally rugged where a typical trip consists of wading through ice-cold streams, climbing over boulders and fallen trees, and hiking across scree, wetlands, and tundra. Beautiful blue-sky days can change in minutes to freezing temperatures with sleet, snow, severe wind, and thunder. The right gear makes the difference between a good and bad day.

PRODUCT INFORMATION AND DESCRIPTION

Product Information
Manufacturer: Salomon
Product: Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX women's hiking and backpacking boots
Year of Manufacture: 2015
Manufacturer Website: http://www.salomon.com
MSRP: $230.00 USD
Weight Listed: 1 lb 2 oz (510 g) each shoe
Weight Measured: 1 lb 4 oz (566 g) each shoe
Size Reviewed: Women's Size 8 1/2 US (41 EU)
Sizes Available: US Women's Sizes 5-12 (36 - 44 EU) - available in half sizes
Color Reviewed: Deep Blue
Colors Available: Deep Blue, Camel Gold Leather/Teal Blue
Guarantee: 2 years against manufacturing defects

Product Description
Over-the-ankle boot with split suede leather and nylon mesh uppers provides structure and breathability.
Gore-Tex membrane keeps feet dry.
Padded gusseted tongue keeps debris from entering the top of the boot and relieves lace pressure.
Contagrip soles grip wet, loose, hard, or dry surfaces
Rubber toe and heel caps protect toes and heels from hitting hard surfaces
Lace locker grips lace at ankle to keep foot snug
OrthoLite footbeds and EVA midsoles absorb shock

FIELD USE

I mostly hike up ... up ... up ... down ... down ... down ... and wet ... wet ... wet. I have had enough purple toenails, heel blisters, and cold soggy feet from ill-fitting boots to last a lifetime. I wear my old boots when going to try on new boots. I need a comparison. I judge one foot with the new boot and one with the old while I walk up and down the little fake boulder on display at the shoe store. Back and forth, up and down, down and up, backward and forward; boot after boot after boot until I find the perfect fit. When trying on boots and hiking, I wear a single layer mid-weight wicking sock.

The boots have been worn on hikes as short as 3 miles (5 km) and as long as 14 miles (23 km), all in Colorado in mountainous terrain between 8500' (2600 m) and 13,500' (4100 m). The boots have been worn in all four seasons and in varying temperatures from sunny 75 F (24 C) days to frigid 10 F (-12 C) days. A typical day wearing the boots is an off-trail hike. I usually start on a gravel or dirt trail, but soon cut off into a drainage to reach a hidden lake or vista. The terrain in the drainages is very uneven consisting of grass, talus, fallen trees, rocks, scree, boulders, marsh, and creeks. Being that there is no trail, traversing across steep hillsides puts my ankles in compromising angles, frequently with one foot higher than the other (like a mountain goat) for long stretches. As the elevation increases, the ground becomes rockier and sometimes snowier. The boots were worn on many hikes with 2000' (600 m) elevation gain, typically encountering all the above terrain in a single day.

EVALUATION

There was never a boot break-in period nor were there any hot spots on my feet. The boots were comfortable from the first day I used them. My feet stayed dry and comfortable with no blisters, no purple toe nails, no slips, and I only had minimal foot fatigue after long hikes.

The SALOMON QUEST 4D 2 GTX W boot was a dream boot from the start. From the minute I laced them up, I knew I was hooked. The three selling features were the lace locker, padded gusseted tongue, and Contagrip soles.



The laces tighten in all the right places without digging into the ankle. After the third set of lace loops, there is a lace locker that secures the lace so that the heel doesn't slip back and forth or up and down in the boot. This keeps the ankle in place to prevent heel blisters and keeps the toes from hitting the front of the boot when hiking downhill. This also provides for excellent ankle support. There are two lace hooks above the lace locker for further ankle support.



When the laces are tied, the padded gusseted tongue is soft and cushy and allows the ankle to bend without slipping. There is no lace pressure at the ankle.

I like the Contragrip soles. When hiking downhill on loose gravel, I don't slip. When hiking across wet rocks, I don't slip. When hiking across snow, I don't slip. When scrambling over boulders, I don't slip. All the lugs are deep and the non-slip features are in the right places to give me confidence to move nimbly when needed.



Another plus is when I walk through water above the top of the boots and water seeps inside, the boots are not wet for long. There is a wicking polyester lining that absorbs and disperses the water. No more shriveled up cold damp feet.

On the con side, these boots are not true to size. I wear a size 7 1/2 US (40 EU) and these are an 8 1/2 (41 EU). When I tried them on at the store, the sales person told me they ran small and he was correct. For me they are about a 1/2 size off as I tend to buy hiking boots with a little extra room in the toe box to avoid the dreaded black toenails from those long steep descents.

The boots now have a couple of hundred miles (300+ km) on them. They have held up well with no signs of unusual wear. I believe I'll easily get another couple hundred miles out of them.

Side note: One day I got blisters from a pair of casual shoes and dreaded putting on the SALOMON QUEST 4D GTX W boot for a hike the following day. With the hiking boots, I felt only minor heel blister discomfort and hiked the following day too.

SUMMARY

The SALOMON QUEST 4D 2 GTX W boots are by far the best hiking boots I have owned. They are comfortable, keep my feet secure, keep my feet dry, are made of high quality materials and workmanship, and have excellent traction.

THINGS I LIKE

Lace lock
Padded gusseted tongue
Contragrip soles
Waterproof and breathable
Fast wicking/drying
Lightweight

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

Not true to size.
The price. Although the price is in line with other boots in this same category, $230 USD is a lot of money to pay for boots.

SIGNATURE

Elle Blackwell

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX boots > Owner Review by Elle Blackwell