The collars of my US size 13 boots stood nine inches from the floor and are taller than any hiking boot I’ve worn. I immediately noticed the height of the boot’s collar - they’re tall. My feet felt snug and secure and encountered no pinches or constrictions. Salomon also built in an OrthoLite Sockliner to reduce potential points of friction (and blisters) by minimizing internal stitching and seams. The Quest 4D uses the same SensiFit™ system as the X Ultras that cradles the foot from the midsole to the lacing system. The boots fit true to size and my heels felt locked into place atop the cushioned insoles while leaving my toes enough room to move around. From the moment I laced up the Quest 4D 3 GTXs, I realized out-of-the-box comfort. I tested them on dirt, rock, snow, and ice carrying 25- to 45-pound loads over rugged terrain and evaluated them based on the following criteria:įit, comfort, and support. Once we landed, I spent the next 10 days either wearing these boots on mid-distance hikes below and above the treeline in the Mount Baker area (check out Heliotrope Ridge and the Heather Maple Pass Loop) and during training and our approach hike to Camp Muir on Mount Rainier. I did most of my training for this trip in the lighter-weight Salomon X Ultra Mid GTX boots and only wore the Quest 4d 3 GTX boots a few times on local hikes before we flew out to Seattle. How we tested the Salomon Quest 4D 3 Gore-Tex boots HIking with the Salomon Quest 4D 3 Gore-Tex boots (Joe Plenzler) It also signed the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in 2018 and has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030. It’s worth noting that Salomon has been part of Bluesign since 2013 - an apparel and gear industry effort committed to sustainable textile production and eliminating harmful substances from the beginning of the manufacturing process. The top of the box was emblazoned with their corporate motto: ‘Time to play.’ I appreciated the understated delivery, lack of plastics, and recycled products. The Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX boots arrived in a standard no-frills recycled cardboard box with minimal packaging. Here’s what you need to know before you lace them up for your next backcountry adventure.

Among top-performing hiking boots, I found the Quest 4D 3 GTX delivers a tremendous amount of performance and value at a premium $230 price point. Salomon specifically designed the Quest 4D 3 GTX boots for carrying heavy packs over rugged terrain for long distances, so I was excited to try them out in the big hills. I’ve always been a fan of Scarpa and LaSportiva hiking and climbing boots and shoes, but recently I heard a lot of hype about Salomon’s hiking boots, so my editor sent out a pair of their X Ultra 3 Mid Gore-Tex and Quest 4D 3 Gore-Tex boots for me to demo before and during our trip. And others must be super rigid to accept crampons (big sharp metal spikes) to kick step after step after endless step in steep snow and ice and prevent you from falling straight off the mountain.Įditors note: the Salomon Quest 4D 3 Gore-Tex boots also made Task & Purpose’s guide to the best hiking boots of the year. Others excel at moving up and down over rock. Some shoes are made to go light and fast. It’s important to use the right tools for the right activities, and footwear is no different. For these activities, we needed an array of footwear ranging from trail runners to mid-weight hiking boots to heavy-duty mountaineering boots. My partner in crime, Kate, and I recently spent 10 days in the Pacific Northwest hiking in the Northern Cascades National Park and climbing Mount Rainier (14,410 feet). All words just fail to describe the experience. Going to some mountain summits can be like visiting another planet, and it’s exceptionally difficult to put a human vocabulary to the size and scale of some big, steep, majestically glaciated mountains. And by paying this price and assuming occasional risks, we are occasionally rewarded with the indescribable. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate at all and we just suffer and build reps as a Type-II fun artist while humming our favorite songs to take our minds away from the misery. We exert ourselves in the sun, wind, and rain, and endure physical discomfort and occasional suffering to see beautiful parts of nature that others are unwilling or unable to venture. Those of us who spend time in the backcountry intrinsically know this to be true. It’s often said the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. “My feet is my only carriage, so I got to push on through.” – Bob Marley

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Salomon quest 4d 3 gtx rating