Got a quest prime, but the winter version (called quest winter gtx), the sole design is the same as regular prime but different compound, called contagrip snow, it’s adherence on wet and rocky surfaces, or snow is really good, tested and approved in patagonian terrain, only cons it’s about their durability, great video!
I have the Salomon Quest Element hiking boots which i absolutely love, however the soles are the one disappointment i have with them, both soles have fully cracked open across the boot rendering them no longer waterproof, albeit after almost 2 years and many miles of use. The rest of the boot is solid and so comfortable. I believe Salomon have changed their country of manufacture from Vietnam on the older models to Pakistan for their newer models like the Daintree and the Ardent etc which just handling these definitely feel cheaper in construction and the sizing being way different. Still i love my Salomon's and usually reach for these over my Merrell's most days of the week.🙂
If hunting for new boots, I can recommend Salewa boots. They are vortex and have vibrant soles. I have never gotten a blister and they way 511g each in size 7.5
I must check them out. A mate of mine has Salewa boots for years and swears by them. I'll check them out. I have a pair of Hanwag Hazcat GTX that I gotta break in. Incredible winter boots. Thanks for the recommendation. 🙂
Salewa have their own brand soles called Pomoca. They make ski skins too. I think the grip of Pomoca is better than Contagrip on wet rocks. If Salewa fit you they have a very good ankle lock and customisable insoles for different foot widths. They make some great shoes. Pomoca is no more durable than Contagrip in my experience (I took some chunks out of the sole of a Mountain Trainer model) but better grip on wet rock is a big plus. Particularly for anyone hiking in Ireland. I'd hate to take Salomon's to the Burren for example.
Altbergs all the way ...if they are good enough for the army they are good enough for me . Have my pair over 10 years only replaced insoles and laces and they have done serious mileage. Great review 👍
@@soletrail I was generally satisfied except when there is a small sharp stone as a base on the trail, that is one of the main reasons why I changed them. I've simply been close to spraining my wrist a lot of times because it can't hold the surface.
"They do not like the wet"... lol. I had to laugh at that because the reason I'm here is to check on other people's experience in the the wet and I can confirm... They don't like it. My own Quest Prime GTXs have done quite a bit of "kilométrage" from Western to Eastern Europe and they really are fantastic. The fit is perfect - I don't even have to wear thick socks and I never get blisters. They are reasonably splash-proof and can take a lot of punishment. BUT... Walking in Snowdonia, Wales, in the rain and on slippery rocks... I was on my arse again and again. A few weeks ago I was on a wet, rocky beach in the UK and over I went again. I'm kind of glad it's not my dodgy middle-aged sense of balance to be honest. In the dry, they are great. But in the wet, watch out.
Hey Peter. Yep so many people I chatted to who have Salomons all say the same thing which is such a pity. The boots are so comfortable. Wish they had Vibram Soles. They don't like the wet should be their logo quote 😂
They look very similar to mine. I have two pairs of Salomon both with the contigrip soles but with different patterns. My mid ultra 3 gtx boots are extremely bad on wet rocks and grass. Also the soles have almost completely come off on both boots which started to happen withing a year of owning them. My 4d quest boots I've yet to test but the grip is different to yours and they are a rigid boot so hopefully they will hold up. Great video, the set up is class 👍
It's disappointing isn't it. They are such solid boots. Light and extremely comfortable. The Contagrip soles I've read are made of a softer rubber compound. I can see that by the chunks goine from the sole after 3 months. The 4D guest have great reviews. Hope they work for you. I know a few people with them and love them.
Nice studio Martin 👌 I've had Salomon shoes before. Loved the comfort but grip is terrible in the wet as you say. Rules them out for me. Shame too as they have so many other things going for them 😔
I have those shoes for about 3 years. Used for hiking in Greek mountains in the autumn, winter and spring. Avoiding deep snow. Well.... the comfort is on another level for me. 10 hours of walking in rocky teren, no issue!! The overall construction is excellent, but the contagrip sole is not as durable as I expected to be. Very soon it started to loses parts and rip...! Also, if the waterproof stop existing, then spray with a relative product, to come alive again.
So many people have complained about the same wet rock problems with Contagrip and Salomon haven't done anything about it. I suspect they just don't think this is a big enough issue in their core markets.
Have a pair of those boots, I was really impressed with the comfort levels and weight of the boot ...until i was walking across a wet boardwalk ... it was like walking on glass , zero grip and ended up on my arse 🤣 wish id seen this video before I got them
Yeah it's an awful pity isn't bit. Such comfortable nice boots and the are let down by the most important part of the boot. They use a different compound of rubber to Vibram and it does not like the wet. Maybe use them for low land hikes. I have a review of my Lowe Renegade GTX boots coming. Really impressive boots.
@@soletrail seriously gutted about them as it took a long time to find comfy boots but coming up to the winter months it'll be dangerous wearing on frosty or wet hills , I look forward to ur next review !
Very nice decor mate, I really love it, so was the review of the boots, I'm in the lookout for a new pair myself, the problems I have is wide feet and bunion, I've gone through 3 pairs of boots and 4 shoes, but still not found the one that fits, any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks
Nice new spot to do your reviews Martin. As you know I swear by the Salomon boots. Never had the Mid versions though, always full. I'll send you on pics of the soles of my pairs. Different to what you have I think. Again, nice video. Thank you !!!!
Cheers Alan. I know you love your Salomon. Heard the 4D Quest are brilliant. Know a few people with them. The mid versions are made light so not surprised. Very interested to see the full version. Cheers man.
So overall would you recommend vibram? I have just tried salomon element,and yes sole is super hard and just walking near my home on a wet flat stone plate I nearly slipped. Not to say that at first these boots feel like wearing plastic pipes on your feet. My previous shoes are classic leather with vibram soles , made in Italy,they were super comfy straight out of box and I can't remember slipping on wet stones in them..
@@vvs3796 absolutely.. Vibram all the way. Brilliant soles and good rubber. It's not all about the shape of the grip but a lot to do with the type of rubber used.
Definitely not ideal to have footwear that is slippery when wet. Asking for trouble. Not good with the Irish weather. I'm breaking in a pair of Grisport vibram boots. First for me. I hope i get on well with them over the autumn,winter, early spring months 🤞
Hi Lisa. Thanks for the comment. Yeah not Ideal. I have a pair of Hanwags Nazcat GTX boots for the winter. Gotta break them in. I must check out the Grisport Vibram Boots. Let us know how you get on with them. Always good to get boot reviews back. Is it taking you long to break in?
@@soletrail I have just worn them 4 times. Only wearing them for an hour at a time. Wearing them around the house and doing a food shop lol. With them being leather the top of the toebox where the boot bends as you walk is very stiff where the toes meet the foot. So causing abit of pressure sores. Everywhere else fits perfectly. But every time i wear them there getting less and less stiff. Abit of breaking in time needed for them but i think it will be worth it.
@@vitamincalmasmr I checked them out.. love the old school look of them. Really do. Well happy breaking them in 😂 sounds like we're robbers. 😁 May they keep your feet safe on the trails. 😉
Yep they can be hit and miss. To be honest they have gone through hell and are still going strong. Such a comfortable boot. It's the soles that let them down for me.
Got a quest prime, but the winter version (called quest winter gtx), the sole design is the same as regular prime but different compound, called contagrip snow, it’s adherence on wet and rocky surfaces, or snow is really good, tested and approved in patagonian terrain, only cons it’s about their durability, great video!
Gotta check them out. Cheers for that. Sounds very interesting. 👍🙂
I have the Salomon Quest Element hiking boots which i absolutely love, however the soles are the one disappointment i have with them, both soles have fully cracked open across the boot rendering them no longer waterproof, albeit after almost 2 years and many miles of use. The rest of the boot is solid and so comfortable. I believe Salomon have changed their country of manufacture from Vietnam on the older models to Pakistan for their newer models like the Daintree and the Ardent etc which just handling these definitely feel cheaper in construction and the sizing being way different. Still i love my Salomon's and usually reach for these over my Merrell's most days of the week.🙂
If hunting for new boots, I can recommend Salewa boots. They are vortex and have vibrant soles. I have never gotten a blister and they way 511g each in size 7.5
I must check them out. A mate of mine has Salewa boots for years and swears by them. I'll check them out. I have a pair of Hanwag Hazcat GTX that I gotta break in. Incredible winter boots. Thanks for the recommendation. 🙂
Salewa have their own brand soles called Pomoca. They make ski skins too. I think the grip of Pomoca is better than Contagrip on wet rocks. If Salewa fit you they have a very good ankle lock and customisable insoles for different foot widths. They make some great shoes.
Pomoca is no more durable than Contagrip in my experience (I took some chunks out of the sole of a Mountain Trainer model) but better grip on wet rock is a big plus. Particularly for anyone hiking in Ireland. I'd hate to take Salomon's to the Burren for example.
Have a look at Asolo boots .
Always loved the look of the Asolo and they have a brilliant reputation. Must do some research into them. Thanks for the recommendation. ✌️🙌
Altbergs all the way ...if they are good enough for the army they are good enough for me . Have my pair over 10 years only replaced insoles and laces and they have done serious mileage. Great review 👍
That is an unreal amount of time. Frame them when they are done. I must check out the brand. Cheers for comment ✌️🙌
Fantastic review bud, I had similar ones and used them for 3 years.
Cheers Man. What make are your ones? Do you find them good?
@@soletrail I was generally satisfied except when there is a small sharp stone as a base on the trail, that is one of the main reasons why I changed them. I've simply been close to spraining my wrist a lot of times because it can't hold the surface.
"They do not like the wet"... lol. I had to laugh at that because the reason I'm here is to check on other people's experience in the the wet and I can confirm... They don't like it. My own Quest Prime GTXs have done quite a bit of "kilométrage" from Western to Eastern Europe and they really are fantastic. The fit is perfect - I don't even have to wear thick socks and I never get blisters. They are reasonably splash-proof and can take a lot of punishment. BUT... Walking in Snowdonia, Wales, in the rain and on slippery rocks... I was on my arse again and again. A few weeks ago I was on a wet, rocky beach in the UK and over I went again. I'm kind of glad it's not my dodgy middle-aged sense of balance to be honest. In the dry, they are great. But in the wet, watch out.
Hey Peter. Yep so many people I chatted to who have Salomons all say the same thing which is such a pity. The boots are so comfortable. Wish they had Vibram Soles. They don't like the wet should be their logo quote 😂
They look very similar to mine. I have two pairs of Salomon both with the contigrip soles but with different patterns. My mid ultra 3 gtx boots are extremely bad on wet rocks and grass. Also the soles have almost completely come off on both boots which started to happen withing a year of owning them. My 4d quest boots I've yet to test but the grip is different to yours and they are a rigid boot so hopefully they will hold up. Great video, the set up is class 👍
It's disappointing isn't it. They are such solid boots. Light and extremely comfortable. The Contagrip soles I've read are made of a softer rubber compound. I can see that by the chunks goine from the sole after 3 months. The 4D guest have great reviews. Hope they work for you. I know a few people with them and love them.
@@soletrail aye this winter will be the test for those boots. Like you said they are great boots but the sole let's them down
How did quests performed on wet rocks?
@@vvs3796 awful, vibram soles all the way now 👍
Nice studio Martin 👌 I've had Salomon shoes before. Loved the comfort but grip is terrible in the wet as you say. Rules them out for me. Shame too as they have so many other things going for them 😔
Yeah it's sad to be honest. Incredible boots both the left out one of the most crucial parts. The soles. Such a pity.
I have those shoes for about 3 years. Used for hiking in Greek mountains in the autumn, winter and spring. Avoiding deep snow. Well.... the comfort is on another level for me. 10 hours of walking in rocky teren, no issue!! The overall construction is excellent, but the contagrip sole is not as durable as I expected to be. Very soon it started to loses parts and rip...! Also, if the waterproof stop existing, then spray with a relative product, to come alive again.
100% agree. Could you picture these boots with vibram soles. The perfect boot.
@@soletrail totally agree 👍
So many people have complained about the same wet rock problems with Contagrip and Salomon haven't done anything about it. I suspect they just don't think this is a big enough issue in their core markets.
True.. it's such a pity thou. They are such a lovely boot and very well made.. if they just teamed up with Vibram it would be perfect.
@@soletrail agreed but that wouid reduce their profit margins so they'll continue to plug away with Contagrip.
@@sdemosi yep.... It's such a pity.
Good honest review thank you .very nice setup Martin keep up the great work stay safe
Cheers Ger Sir. Aw look it's good to keep the reviews real. Saves people money in the long run. Hope all is well with you Sir.
Have a pair of those boots, I was really impressed with the comfort levels and weight of the boot ...until i was walking across a wet boardwalk ... it was like walking on glass , zero grip and ended up on my arse 🤣 wish id seen this video before I got them
Yeah it's an awful pity isn't bit. Such comfortable nice boots and the are let down by the most important part of the boot. They use a different compound of rubber to Vibram and it does not like the wet. Maybe use them for low land hikes. I have a review of my Lowe Renegade GTX boots coming. Really impressive boots.
@@soletrail seriously gutted about them as it took a long time to find comfy boots but coming up to the winter months it'll be dangerous wearing on frosty or wet hills , I look forward to ur next review !
Very nice decor mate, I really love it, so was the review of the boots, I'm in the lookout for a new pair myself, the problems I have is wide feet and bunion, I've gone through 3 pairs of boots and 4 shoes, but still not found the one that fits, any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks
Wide foot as well man. You can get boot stretchers that may help you.
Nice new spot to do your reviews Martin. As you know I swear by the Salomon boots. Never had the Mid versions though, always full. I'll send you on pics of the soles of my pairs. Different to what you have I think. Again, nice video. Thank you !!!!
Cheers Alan. I know you love your Salomon. Heard the 4D Quest are brilliant. Know a few people with them. The mid versions are made light so not surprised. Very interested to see the full version. Cheers man.
@@soletrail Sent ya on a few pics lad...
Is this something permanent with contagrip or it gets softer and grippier with time?
Not sure. Why they don't link up with Vibram I will never know. Such a pity
So overall would you recommend vibram?
I have just tried salomon element,and yes sole is super hard and just walking near my home on a wet flat stone plate I nearly slipped. Not to say that at first these boots feel like wearing plastic pipes on your feet.
My previous shoes are classic leather with vibram soles , made in Italy,they were super comfy straight out of box and I can't remember slipping on wet stones in them..
@@vvs3796 absolutely.. Vibram all the way. Brilliant soles and good rubber. It's not all about the shape of the grip but a lot to do with the type of rubber used.
Definitely not ideal to have footwear that is slippery when wet. Asking for trouble. Not good with the Irish weather. I'm breaking in a pair of Grisport vibram boots. First for me. I hope i get on well with them over the autumn,winter, early spring months 🤞
Hi Lisa. Thanks for the comment. Yeah not Ideal. I have a pair of Hanwags Nazcat GTX boots for the winter. Gotta break them in. I must check out the Grisport Vibram Boots. Let us know how you get on with them. Always good to get boot reviews back. Is it taking you long to break in?
@@soletrail I have just worn them 4 times. Only wearing them for an hour at a time. Wearing them around the house and doing a food shop lol. With them being leather the top of the toebox where the boot bends as you walk is very stiff where the toes meet the foot. So causing abit of pressure sores. Everywhere else fits perfectly. But every time i wear them there getting less and less stiff. Abit of breaking in time needed for them but i think it will be worth it.
@@vitamincalmasmr I checked them out.. love the old school look of them. Really do. Well happy breaking them in 😂 sounds like we're robbers. 😁 May they keep your feet safe on the trails. 😉
I'd never buy another pair of their boots again! Went through 3 pairs in 6 months, they all leaked in identical places. Chinese junk!
Yep they can be hit and miss. To be honest they have gone through hell and are still going strong. Such a comfortable boot. It's the soles that let them down for me.
@@soletrail Glad they've served you well! 👍