SALOMON ELIXIR MID GORE-TEX Review: Salomon's new hiking boots are not standard thick-soled cushions, but with amazing stability and propulsion, they are perfect for long trails.

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It has been around 15 years since the creation of a route based on the clear philosophy of "long trails" in Japan. Nowadays, steady route development and maintenance has progressed throughout the country, and specialized guides and magazines have been published. This long-distance walking style seems to be gradually becoming more and more popular among outdoor enthusiasts in Japan.

What used to be an activity for a limited number of people has become popular so that everyone can easily take on challenges, and not only has the maturity of culture and environment, but also the spread of excellent tools has a major impact.

One of the most important gear is shoes. ELIXIR hiking shoes from Salomon that we will introduce today are new concept boots packed with the features required to walk on such long trails. I'd like to review it right away.

Main features of SALOMON ELIXIR MID GORE-TEX

SALOMON ELIXIR MID GORE-TEX is a lightweight hiking boot designed to cover a wide range of applications, including comfortable long-distance hiking. With a very thick midsole using EnergyFoam™, which has soft and premium cushioning, Active Chassis™, which reduces lateral shaking and allows for stable landing, and an upper with a moderate fit with a sensifit™ structure and a luxurious padded tongue and collar that wrap around your feet, allowing you to walk comfortably even on long routes that last tens of kilometers while reducing fatigue to your feet. The gentle curved Reverse Camber sole promotes smooth stride, with a 5mm lug that is non-slip even on rough terrain, and a grip and protection that is safe even on off-road roads, including a 5mm lug that is not slippery even on rough terrain, and a GORE-TEX waterproof membrane that is safe for off-road grip and protection, allowing you to overcome many of the challenges that swell on your long journey. In addition to the mid-cut model we reviewed this time, there are also low-cut models available.

Recommended points

• A midsole that is easy to wear and easy to wear, with a high shock absorption ability of the thick sole and stability that prevents lateral movement.
• Reverse Camber shape with outsole that allows for easy foot movement, just like rolling
• All Terrain Contagrip® outsole with 5mm lugs that grips over a wide range of terrain from roads to trails and off-trails
• Nubuck leather protection with excellent durability and durability, safe for rocks, branches, and roots
• High waterproof (breathable) properties with GORE-TEX and gusset tongue

Points that interest me

• It's bulky and lacks lightness
• Not very breathable and quick drying
• The thick padding makes the inside of the shoe feel a little narrow and the toes are slightly stiff, so it's better to have room to size your shoes and make sure your socks are thick too.

Main Specifications and ratings

Field Details Review

Comfort and durability (appearance and upper): Like basketball shoes? A sophisticated form with luxurious comfort and protection

Over the past few years, many of Salomon's new series have been designed to be aggressive. This time, Elixir also features thick soles and a sturdy shape reminiscent of Y2K fashion, a calm matte coloring, and flat shoelaces that look like mountain boots. Before we even discuss the functionality and usability, this bold look is a complete and fresh look.

The upper is constructed to cover the synthetic mesh area on the front with soft nubuck leather, and is also reinforced with a plastic bumper to protect the toes from scratches.

It weighs around 500g, which is not heavy as a hiking boot, but it is a bit heavy when considered as a lightweight hiking boot. the company's popular model X ULTRA series, the fabric is relatively durable, making it a perfect lightweight hiking boot in terms of protection.

When I put my feet in, it felt a little narrower than usual, perhaps due to the thick padding. However, this model also uses the familiar Sensifit™ upper of Salomon, and offers basic comfort that gently wraps around the soles of the feet to the instep, and as you get used to it, you've become more comfortable to wear.

Thick pads are applied to the tongue, the opening and around the ankles, and the ankle support is extremely high, giving it a sense of security that is closer to a high cut than a mid-cut. In addition, the high-volume midsole, which will be described later, gives you a comfortable fit and a luxurious touch.

The integrated tongue is fully comfortable and cushioned, and is well-height enough to reach the ankle. Combined with the reliable GORE-TEX, which is waterproof and breathable, it significantly prevents the invasion of pebbles, twigs, gravel, water, etc.

The shoelaces settings are surprisingly delicate. We recommend sizing with roomy socks and thick socks. Flat shoe laces are retarded to adjust for the perfect fit

However, as someone who has worn a variety of Salomon shoes up until now, I was a little troubled by the slightly tighter size of this model and the harsh fitting of the shoelaces system. It uses a standard flat lace, and has a hybrid structure of a part that is directly passed through the fabric and a metal eyelet/hook (photo below), but although you can feel the flexibility and high fixation force that allow you to adjust the tightening depending on the location, the part that passes directly through the fabric is not easy to loosen, for better or worse, and if you tighten it too much with the usual tension, your feet may remain cramped.

It may be natural considering that Elixir but In my case, my right foot was about 4mm larger than the left, so my left foot was extremely comfortable, but my right foot felt a slight toe hit, so after I first started walking, I noticed this, I walked a few kilometers, adjusting the tightening of the strings frequently. Eventually I got used to the perfect tightening method and the discomfort eased.

Since the pads are thicker and the toes are stiff, it's better to focus on sizes that are more roomy than usual. Choose the best size more carefully.

Walking comfort (midsole and outsole): Not just the finest cushions! A thick-soled sole unique to Salomon, combining stability, propulsion and grip

As I mentioned in the exterior, the most highlight of this boot is definitely the gorgeous extra-thick midsole. I've never seen a model that has so far been pushed so far into a thick bottom with Salomon hiking boots.

The Elixir sole structure combines the extra-thick midsole with EnergyFoam™ and the Active Chassis™ that suppresses lateral shaking.

The true nature of the material that makes up the thick-soled sole is "EnergyFoam™", which is also used in the company's high-cushion running shoes. This lightweight foam contains olefin [OBC], which is lighter than traditional EVA, and is lighter and more durable and resilience. Not only is it excellent at impact absorption, it also lasts cushioning and moderate resilience even on long hikes, reducing fatigue and giving you even more spring when stepping on.

Due to this thickness and shock absorbing power, even though there is no plate inside, it is difficult to feel the thrust from the road surface on uneven surfaces.

Furthermore, the Reverse Camber shape of the sole has a gentle curve like the bottom of the boat from the toe to the heel, guiding the smooth stride from landing to stepping on, naturally pushing your foot forward (photo below).

Reverse Camber sole with gentle curves like the bottom of the boat

"Active Chassis™" brings gorgeous cushioning and outstanding stability

If this was the only feature of the sole, it might have been the end of the day that Elixir would have thought there was no significant difference in comparison to other manufacturers who are pioneering thick-soled shoes. The unique and excellent part that Elixir is different from other thick-soled high-cushion shoes is in the "Active Chassis™," a stability-enhancing part that combines this high-cushion midsole (photo below).

The "Active Chassis™" is a part embedded in the outer side between the upper and midsole.

This hard resin part inserted on the side of the midsole controls the sinking of the soft foam, reduces lateral shaking of the feet when landing, and supports correct weight transfer.

The "Active Chassis™" located on the outside of the sole prevents lateral blur and makes landing more stable.

When walking, what you actually feel is not the "fluffy" feeling when you landed, which was common with thick-soled shoes in the past, but the sure sense of landing without any unstableness. It's as if you were downhill on a full suspension mountain bike, and the feeling of bouncing along uneven, gentle trails makes walking simple and fun.

All Terrain Contagrip® compound that covers grip performance over a wide range of terrain and directions, and moderately aggressive lug patterns focusing on balance

When hiking long trails that deal with a variety of terrain, it is necessary to have a grip that can evenly accommodate a wide range of terrain.

Elixir's outsole compound uses an All Terrain Contagrip® rubber compound that ensures reliable grip over such a wide range of terrain.

Furthermore, when you turn the shoes over, the outsole area is slightly wider than regular shoes (photo below), and you can see that they are trying to improve stability and grip. The lug pattern is relatively orthodox and balanced, with a focus on mud removal and brakes and stepping on, and is also slightly deep at 5mm at a deep height. However, each of the points is large, so it seems to be durable. It is designed to provide reliable grip not only on dry surfaces, but also on rock scuffs and muddy off-roads.

In fact, we walked from wet, earthy trails to rocky steep slopes, flat sandy and grassy areas, but the tenacious, unconventional wide sole generally avoided the danger without any problems.

Summary: It's a new way to get tired even on long distances, but is easy to walk in the same way as regular hiking boots.

I've been wearing an Elixir for the past month and using it a lot from everyday life to hiking, but I was really impressed by the balance of cushioning and support, comfort, and the smooth stride with a good tempo. These features are not suitable for technical trails and steep slopes where you need to be on toeing for fine rock holds, but they provided momentum forward, slick steps and fatigue-freeness that can be reassured for long walks on any trail. This is not only resistant to long trails, but also provides the convenience of use for camping and other light outdoor activities in general.

If you're planning on taking on a long, long route you've never walked before, why not choose a new generation of thick-soled hiking boots that combine premium cushions and solid support?

Details and purchase of "SALOMON ELIXIR MID GORE-TEX"

For information on the latest models' arrival information and product details, please check the official online store