Salomon Quest 4D GTX Hiking Boots

First Look;

Salomon Quest 4D GTX hiking Boots 

I have been in the market for a new backpacking boot for a while. 

I currently wear my LOWA Tibet GTX boots on our backpacking excursions & they are phenomenal, but they are also the quintessential heavy load bearing full leather upper backpacking boot. They are no-nonsense task specific boots and are quite heavy to don for a day hike or a trip to the market. 

Prior to the LOWAS I had a pair of Asolo Fugitive GTX’s when we first started backpacking and I had no complaints about those either, they were great boots.  

An unfortunate lack of knowledge at the time saw me shrink my Asolos by a back country campfire and I have wanted a similar weight/style backpacking/hiking boot ever since. 

Earlier in 2011 I purchased a pair of Solomon XA Pro 3D Ultras for trail running after an extended hiatus from the company’s shoes.  

For years after owning an original pair of the Solomon XA Comp trail runners I found that the arch support on their shoes were too defined, and while I loved the foot wear, the arch support made it impossible for me to wear the shoes.  

During the rehab for my ankle surgery the Physical Therapist also determined that my arch had fallen, he devised a strengthening regimen that would ultimately allow me to “re-discover” Solomon’s line of shoes. 

Since that time the XA Pros have been on par with my INOV-8s as my favorite pair of shoes.

Because of the incredibly comfortable fit of their trail runners I started exploring Solomon’s line of hiking/backpacking boots.  

My requirements were as follows;

 -Light Weight

-Good ankle support

- Low Profile (read subdued colors without reflective material)

-Waterproof upper

-A tacky, softer sole than my Asolos 

The Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots fit the profile and when I found the boots at REI in an olive color I was sold. (I haven’t seen these boots in this color combination anywhere else).

The boots seem to be well made with an attention to details and no identifiable defects in the workmanship. 

They have the easily identifiable Salomon toe cap with the raised rubber lip, a feature that took some getting used to with the trail runners. 

The boots lace up with traditional laces as opposed to the snazzy Salomon “quicklace” system found on their XA-Pros, which may be a selling point for some.

I haven’t had them long enough to make an absolute decision on their longevity, but in a matter of 2 weeks time I have worn them for extended periods outdoors in multiple positions and on short runs with 2 days seeing significant rainfall in terrain of  mostly grass and dirt .

So far the Quest 4Ds have been amazing with zero hotspots, great traction, and light wear- ability.

I plan to revisit them on a later post to review their overall durability with an overnight backpacking trip in the works soon.  
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Solomon Quest 4D GTX Backpacking Boots 

Olive/ Dark Olive/Black

$220.00 at rei.com