You gotta love Salomon shoes, and for absolute living proof check out the Salomon XA Pro 3D Mid LTR GTX. It's a trail runner, a light hiker, an approach shoe for nasty conditions. It's whatever you want it to be, and whatever you use it for you'll love it.
The shoe has great waterproofing, an aggressive tread, the trademark Salomon speed laces that tuck up into a little mesh pocket on the tongue, it's all there. The mid-height construction gives you that little extra bit of protection and support for carrying a pack and overcoming challenging terrain.
The shoe is exceptionally stable with a very low footbed. The sole extends out a bit from the midsole for extra stability, which is great when you're skating down a muddy trail in waterfall conditions. Throw some gaiters on and you're bombproof, Mt. Marathon here you come!
Most people including me love their Salomons, but there are a couple of things to be aware of. For some reason Salomon shoes will sometimes get hungry and eat your socks. Synthetics work better than soft Merino wool, just be aware and give some time for breaking in. Also, as with any textile product, there is the occasional malfunction: laces breaking, sole separating, etc. Personally I haven't seen this any more with Salomons than with other brands. I did have a bad experience with a couple pairs of early model XA Pro 3D XCR low-tops, but I also own multiple pairs of Salomon boots (Deemax I love you!) that have been doing daily winter duty for going on six years with no problems.
If you're looking for a multi-role, all-weather lightweight MMA fighter of a shoe that punches way above its weight class, you have to at least try Salomon's XA Pro 3D series before you die.
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