I read many reviews on the Salomon XA Pro 3D GTX shoes and just about all of them sounded great so I had to have a pair. I already bought a pair of the Salomon Ultra GTX boots so wanted a pair of low tops to have for backpacking with lighter loads.  I had read these XA Pro 3D shoes are actually somewhat stiffer than the Salomon X Ultra Mid GTX boots so I figured they would be a good fit in that role.

Upon receiving and inspecting these shoes, it was apparent that they were very well constructed as with nearly all Salomon footwear that I’ve owned.  Everything about them says abuse me!  I like the stiffer toe guard at the front of the shoe because it’s not uncommon for me to kick/stub my toes on rocks, tree roots and whatever else I can find.  The sole is very stiff as well and should help protect my feet from being beaten by the ground.

I’m still a little unsure about the lacing system because I generally like to overlap my laces a two or three times between the loops so that each overlap isolates the area before it and keeps pressure off the final knot.  This helps me keep my shoes and boots snug in some areas and loose in other areas where my feet might swell after a while.  But I tried the laces out a few times and they seem like they will stay tightened pretty well because of the small diameter shoe string being used.

One thing I will do before I take them out is change the insoles out because the stock insoles, although probably good for standard day hiking and trail running, probably aren’t up to the task of day after day backpacking or hiking.  My preferred insoles are Superfeet Insoles because they are just plain awesome.  The are solid so they tend to soak up less water than a lot of the other brands which helps when you have to cross creeks and you just can’t stop your shoes from getting wet inside.  They provide a lot of support and they also provide underfoot rock and root protection so your soles don’t get beat up from mile after mile of hiking.

Can’t wait to try them out on a good three-day backpack trip in some warmer weather and give my two cents about them because I know it should be good.