Salomon  Outback 500 GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

First off, Hallelujah! My feet are happy again! I was intrigued by the weight spec and decided to purchase Salomon boots again after trying several other brands looking for something with a bit less weight than my old Quest 4D's (and also sub $ 250 price point). I had specifically been looking for a boot for a 12 day wilderness trek in Northern New Mexico. I had tried the Oboz Tamarack, Danner Crag Rat (very heavy), Vasque Breeze 3 and Vasque St. Elias but all of them fell short on comfort and or support after 3-5 miles on day hikes or daily use at work. ...and while I love my Altra Lone Peak 3.0 mids I figured I may want a little more substantial boot for my multi day trek. I had worn out a pair of Salomon Quest 4D boots and really did not want the overkill look and bulkiness/extra weight. The Outback 500 feels lighter than its spec weight. I am also impressed with the appearance and out of the box comfort despite the advanced chassis rigidity . I have not worn these for more than 6 miles at a time yet but these are so comfortable and decent looking for bumming around town I have a hard time not wearing them everyday. On the limited hikes I have taken so far I have tested the abrasive resistance of the Cordura. They pass scraping on rocks and mucking through thick brush and such. The signature Salomon advanced chassis stiffness/support mated with Energyfoam midsole seems to be a recipe for happy feet. Some folks may want to add an orthotic insole but the factory Ortholite is in fact "super light" but it is amazingly supportive as part of the Salomon fit. If you read this far you know I am geeked about these boots. I find them to be the best value in the $ 200 range. I plan to get a second pair in the desert tan color.

I purchased these to replace my 7 year old Salewa Alp trainers that eventually lost their waterproofing capabilities. I was looking for a simple looking boot primarily for backpacking & hiking but boots I could wear on snow days or shoveling my driveway in. These boots fit my aesthetic, I think Solomon made a great looking boot. Clean lines. Looks good with a pair of jeans. All the tech hidden underneath the upper and doesn’t scream “techy-hiking-boot”. INITIAL THOUGHTS Wearing them indoors I immediately noticed they are VERY LIGHT on my feet, much lighter than any other hiking boot I’ve owned. Solomons Contagrip is nice, maybe too soft to wear daily around town/city but will grip well on wet rocks and trails. I have long, low volume feet with normal arches and I can feel a modest amount of arch support (I may have to invest in inserts). With the boots laced tightly, my heel also feels locked down. The toe box feels snug but not tight, comparable to other Solomon boots IMO. Again, putting the on the trail will be the ultimate test of fit and last but out of the box these Solomon Outbacks feel great. 3/5 stars based only on looks and feel. durability and feel on the trail will affect this rating later on.