I have been backpacking for 15 years. I take 3-4 trips each year that are a week or longer in duration, as well as several weekend trips. I usually end up with a heavy daypack weighing 20 lb (9.1 kg) as I like to be over-prepared, but I'm learning to lighten my load through better gear selection. My hiking trips range from the mountains to the desert and flat lands. In addition, being from North Dakota I have a lot of experience with hiking and camping in snow and cold temperatures.

PRODUCT INFORMATION:

Manufacturer: Salomon Sports
Year of Manufacture: 2005 (Still currently produced)
URL: http://www.salomonoutdoor.com/
Listed weight: 2 lb 10 oz (1247 g) Mens size US 9 (Euro 42 2/3)
Actual tested weight: 3 lb 2 oz (1417 g) Mens size US 10.5 (Euro 44 2/3)
Membrane: Gore-Tex ®
Tongue: 3D fit gusseted
Upper Construction: Seamless
Height: Mid
Midsole: EVA and PU
Insoles: Ortholite
Width: Medium (D)
Warranty: 1 year
MSRP: $189.99 US

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

The Salomon Revo SCS GTX Hiking Boots are designed to be a light weight Gore-Tex hiking boot for use on moderate to rugged terrain. They employ a seamless construction on the uppers to keep weight down, a thermoplastic rand and toe cap for durability, Autofit memory foam, stitchless 3D Fit around the ankles for a more comfortable fit, and their popular Contagrip rubber outsoles for traction. They come with the typical packaging for boots, no accessories or freebies.

They fit pretty much true to size in my experience. I wear a size 10 street shoe and usually get my hiking boots a half size larger for hiking/liner socks. I would say the width is accurate as well, being a roomy medium. I have feet that border on wide width in some boots, but these were fine. I replaced the insoles with a custom moldable insole at the time of purchase. I have learned over the years no matter how much you spend on a pair of boots to replace the insoles, as the included insoles are usually inferior. I broke them in around town and on short local hikes before taking them on any longer trips. These were probably one of the fastest pairs of boots I've broke in.

FIELD USE:

I used these boots on many short local and weekend hikes, and even around town. They have gone on two extensive trips one being a 4 week long trip to the Southwest. During this trip these boots saw conditions that ranged from just below freezing at 13,000 ft (3962 m) in the Loveland Pass area of Colorado, to 110 F (61 C) in Snow Canyon State Park in Utah. I used them in the mountains, the desert, and everywhere in between. They survived the sharp basalt of Craters of the Moon, Idaho, and even a hike fully submerged in the Narrows in Zion National Park. The second trip was this fall in the little badlands of North Dakota where they were used for a week during a geology field course. During this time the temperatures ranged from 60 F (16 C) to 80 F (27 C) in dry conditions. The terrain consisted of a lot of up and downhill hiking over sometimes very rough and rocky terrain with a lot of cactus in the open areas. We did field mapping for the entire week so we were out hiking around for 10-12 hours a day.

On both trips the boots performed well. They never let water in (aside when submerged in the Narrows hike), none of the seams failed, the uppers and soles proved to be durable even though they saw a lot of use on sandstone that is notorious for chewing up boots. I was concerned that the new seamless construction would not hold up, but so far they have taken everything I've thrown at them. The boots were comfortable, breathed well, and I did not get any blisters while wearing them. I was also impressed with the laces. If you have laces that won't stay tight, it can be hard to maintain proper lacing tension without using special lacing techniques The laces are a narrow diameter round design made from a stiff tightly woven nylon. These laces performed great, they were durable and held their knots very well. There are four lower eyelets on the foot of the boot, followed by one pair of plastic eyelets, and a pair of hook eyelets at the top, for six total eyelets on each side. I would like to see them use hook style fasteners instead of eyelets for the last 2-3 lacing attachments. Hook style fasteners make it easier and faster to adjust your lacing tension at the foot/ankle interface of the boot. They have good ankle support for a lightweight mid-hiker and the soles had good grip on a variety of surfaces.

Their weight is one of their best attributes; they feel like having a pair of tennis shoes on my feet compared to a heavy duty backpacking boot. However, this is also my biggest complaint about these boots. It may be they sacrificed too much for the light weight. The sole in the forefoot is not nearly stiff enough. If you put your hand in the boot you can actually feel your thumb pushing on the bottom of the sole. If you are walking on rocks or uneven ground you can feel everything through the bottom of the boot. By the end of a hard days hike on uneven terrain this can make for a pair of very sore feet. They would in no way be stiff enough for use with a pack, and if I know there is a lot of rocky terrain I will be hiking on, I choose a different boot with a stiffer sole. I was also very nervous about cactus needles coming through the bottom of boot due to the extra soft sole. However, this never happened in the field.

SUMMARY:

The Salomon Revo SCS GTX Hiking Boots are durable, waterproof, and light weight boot. They require little break in time, and are a very comfortable hiking boot for light duty use. However, the sole is not stiff enough for long hikes on rocky or uneven surfaces, or with even light daypack loads.

PROS:

1. Durable
2. Light Weight
3. Comfortable

CONS:

1. Not stiff enough for rocky uneven surfaces, or pack loads
2. Poor quality insoles (though this is a common issue and easily replaced)
3. Eyelet lacing goes too high up the boot

Owner Review by Todd O. Morken

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