Salomon XA Forces Mid tactical and trekking boots review

Állapot: Aktuális

I was really curious about Salomon’s hiking shoe / running boot. Partly because I’ve been training and racing in Salomon trail running shoes for years, and partly because I’d never had boots from them before, even though I’d heard a lot of good things about their gear. The third reason was that for my increasingly frequent rucking sessions, the Salomon XA Forces Mid boots looked like a perfect choice. Theoretically. Of course, the real test is always out on the trail.

Summary 4.67

MAGYAR

01 máj. 2024 Hozzászólás: Hozzászólás Tóth Viktor

Salomon XA Forces Mid tactical and trekking boots review

First impressions

It’s a boot, but still almost trail running shoe weight. This is obvious the moment you pick it up. It’s unusually monochrome (“coyote” – a popular military shade), it doesn’t reflect the usual Salomon color palette. Still, I liked it immediately, because I’ve been training in bright, flashy colors for almost 20 years (in fact, thinking back, I bought my first such “unusual” running shorts for the Vienna–Budapest Ultramarathon in 1996). These days, for hiking, I tend to avoid loud, “sporty” clothing – I prefer gear that blends into the terrain.

A cikk folytatódik a hirdetés után...

The Quicklace system is an old friend – I’ve been running in Salomon shoes since 2008 and I’ve never had any problems with it. I was curious to see whether the lacing on this boot would deliver the same level of security under more extreme use.

The outsole is the well-known and proven Contagrip, and the pattern is familiar too.

The first outing was a 12 km run-hike up to Nagy-Szénás, in dry conditions. Of course – as with every shoe I own – I wore it for 1–2 days in everyday situations first to get used to it, but even then it already felt like I’d been wearing it for years. On the P-marked trail I almost flew uphill, and on the way down I had the same “flying” feeling – the boot remained perfectly stable on the rocky, bouldery section near the edge of Nagykovácsi.

salomon xa forces mid terepsport test full empty

Specs

Heel height: 27 mm

Forefoot height: 17 mm

Drop: 10 mm

Weight: 490 g

Lacing: Quicklace®

Waterproofing: moderate (I deliberately chose a non–Gore-Tex model)

Details, experience

I deliberately chose a non–Gore-Tex version. Why? There are several reasons, and the 300+ km I’ve done so far fully support this decision.

First, I specifically wanted a shoe that is light yet strong and durable. So, uncharacteristically for me, weight was an important factor this time. This way I saved about 60 grams per shoe.

salomon xa forces mid terepsport test running mud heel

Second, I wanted to use it for fast hiking, trail running and rucking, i.e. dynamic movement. In this case – and this is backed up by several decades of trail running experience – fast drying is much more important, since the movement itself generates enough warmth and activity to keep your feet safe.

The third reason is that because of the boot’s relatively low collar, water will get in anyway when crossing streams or boggy ground, so the membrane loses its purpose. And I spend a lot of time in all kinds of water, streams, swamps…

I specifically chose this boot for rucking workouts. That means I want to be able to run longer distances stably and safely even with a heavier pack (10–20 kg), on any terrain and in any weather conditions. The Salomon XA Pro Forces Mid delivers exactly that!

A cikk folytatódik a hirdetés után...

The sole is special in that it performed excellently on every surface (just like the original trail running shoe did earlier). It might not be absolutely outstanding on any single type of terrain, but it’s stable and reliable everywhere: on tarmac, rock, mud, gravel, loose rock…

It dries quickly, is comfortable even when wet, supports the foot and allows for fast movement – even after several days of use in rainy conditions.

I had the chance to experience this during a ruck around the Kevély hills: after several days of rain, the slope from Kis-Kevély towards Mackó Cave was as slippery and muddy as always. Steep, slimy and not friendly at all… Running there with a 15+ kg pack is a real challenge, and I only had to catch myself with my hands once or twice. I didn’t fall, I could keep a decent pace. That was pretty convincing for me! True, I have used shoes with better mud traction, but those were not really good on hard ground or concrete.

Design, materials

The upper of the boot is made of abrasion-resistant Cordura textile, combined with the Sensifit stabilizer, which adds extra comfort, wrapping and protecting the foot. There are reinforcements on the sides of the shoe that help with safety when descending and running on difficult terrain. Extra durability in the front is provided by the Protective Rubber Toe Cap, which protects the feet against strong, sharp impacts. The outsole is further enhanced with High Traction Contagrip®, and the midsole uses three different EVA foam combinations to provide maximum cushioning. All this is delivered at a surprisingly low weight for the Salomon XA Forces Mid tactical / running boot.

salomon xa forces mid terepsport test lead 2

This is the boot version of the iconic Salomon XA Pro trail running shoe. That practically says it all. The shoe has always been known for its stability and safety, but its weight and construction have never been those of a classic trail racing shoe – it’s more like a hiking shoe you can run very well in. The same is true for the boot, but in a good way! It’s a strong, stable hiking boot you can run very well in.

Recommendation, conclusion

I can confidently recommend it for any off-road activity where speed, dynamics, stability and weight all matter. It’s durable, comfortable and light – made specifically for sports and hikes where either the terrain or the load is very demanding, but you still need to cover longer distances as fast as possible.

+ what I liked

weight: 490 grams (or even less)
robustness
dynamics
outsole
the shaping around the Achilles tendon is very comfortable while running

- what I didn’t like

the tongue could be more stable, as in most Salomon shoes I’ve used so far (though it’s possible I’ve just become too used to the good stuff)

Technical matrix summary 4.67

Weight	5	Even the catalog weight (490 g) isn’t much; on two different household scales I measured less (465 and 472 g)
Comfort	4	There was no break-in period, it felt right from the start. Obviously this is partly individual. The only minor issue is the movement of the tongue, which is more annoying than problematic – it never actually caused trouble, I just had to adjust it every 5–10 kilometers.
Material	5	The non-membrane version breathes very well, and didn’t soak through even after a 6-hour hike in serious mud. After 300 km on rocks and in deep wilderness there are still no visible damages.
Outsole	5	My rating is around 5 on all surfaces: road 4.5, rocky terrain 5, forest trails 4.5, sand / loose ground 4, mud 4, deep mud 3, wet rocks / roots 4, mud-shedding 4.5
Lacing	4	It works perfectly about 95% of the time; the only time I had issues (it loosened a bit) was when I was running in deeper mud and the dynamic movement of my feet made the wet, muddy Kevlar cord a bit slippery.
Overall	5	If you’re not planning a trip in high mountains and/or extreme cold, it’s a perfect 3-season boot. For running and run-hikes it’s absolutely recommended even in winter.
Total score	4.67

salomon xa forces mid terepsport test cross

Where to buy (reliable shops)

Official Salomon site: salomon.com

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Utoljára frissítve: vasárnap, 07 december 2025 10:12

Tóth Viktor

A www.terepsport.hu oldal főszerkesztője, koordinátora. A X2S TEAM edzője és versenyzője.

1999 óta vegán sportoló, edző. Tereptriatlon korosztályos Európa-bajnoki dobogós, Európa-kupa ezüstérmes, többszörös országos bajnok.

2012 óta az OCR sport magyarországi bevezetésén dolgozik, többszörös Spartan dobogós. 2016-ban alapítója a Magyar OCR Szövetségnek (HOCRA), azóta is aktív szerepet játszik a sportág fejlődésében, a szövetségi munkában.

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