Salewa Mtn Trainer Mid GTX

8.3

Comfort

9.0 /10

Weight

8.0 /10

Traction and Stability

9.0 /10

Durability

8.0 /10

Water Resistance

7.5 /10

Pros

• Great comfort straight out of the box
• Salewa have employed all the top technology here to keep you stable while carrying substantial weight
• High quality materials that will handle your toughest of hikes
• Climbing lacing

Cons

• There are more robust methods of keeping your feet dry

 
Salewa, the brand has been an established company since 1935, when they were formed in Munich. Nowadays their headquarters are based in the very heart of the Dolomites indicating a real oneness with the outdoors, and especially the alpine environment. This leads us to the Mountain Trainer Mid GTX which, as you may have noticed, has Mountain in the name. This is probably a dead giveaway to how these hiking boots are designed to function and what their purpose is, but of course, we are here to put the success of these aims to the test.
 

Comfort

The simplest ideas are almost always the best ideas. Because of the idea that has been employed in this boot I have no qualms about telling you that Salewa have a genius in their midst. The very simple act of making a hiking boot have an adjustable function to help find a more snug fit has pushed these boots further ahead of the competition in the comfort stakes. Whether you are a wide footed bumbler like me or have dainty ballerina feet, the Mountain Trainer Mid is as good a chance as you have to find your most comfortable hiking boots. Of course, everyone is different and you can never please everyone there are lots of options available for you to maximise your comfort in these boots. The lacing system is great, the heel has a good amount of padding and utilises and external supporting band and the insole decent for a default boot insole. They are comfortable right out of the box as an added bonus, as if the package wasn’t good enough already.

Weight

At around 620 grams these are fairly light hiking shoes. That’s a very simple statement, but these are ‘mountain’ boots, made for intrepid explorers to make their way around above the treeline, on all sorts of rough terrain and jagged rock faces. The real test is how they perform there, but rest assured, these will not weigh you down.

Traction and Stability

As an alpine boot, Salewa have put in a concerted effort to ensure climbing ability with these boots, as well as making them to be robust enough in tackling the approach to your chosen climb. As such the features of this particular hiking boot put it up there with the best mountain hiking boots. They are still to be considered all-rounders though, making them ideal for the more altitudinally challenged among us. The Vibram WTC performs well on both mud and rock and provides a slight stiffness in the sole, making them a stable option of uneven terrain, even with heavy loads. Around the ankle the slightly flexible suede leather provides excellent support, and with the previously mentioned heel padding alongside the adjustability function provided, these feel about as steady and supportive a hiking boot as you can wish for especially considering the weight.

Durability

Well built, good material, excellent design. These statements are all applicable to the Mountain Trainer Mid GTX. The outsole is solid, the suede uppers hold up well against punishing climbs and conditions. However, the usage of Gore-Tex unfortunately undercuts these factors. Because of the nature of what these boots are designed for, after a fair amount of use climbing and flexing, the GTX is liable to stop functioning as it should. This is not a criticism of the technology per se, nor is it a criticism of Salewa even. The materials simply aren’t sympathetic to each other. If you are going to use them for less robust terrain than rock faces these are among the best mid hiking boots and the 360 degree rubber rand will protect your investment and they will last you a long time. It’s when the going gets tough uphill that they may struggle to keep the water out afterwards. Overall it’s a slight and oddly specific issue, but bear in mind what you plan to use it for when you go to buy.

Water Resistance

I highlighted above how Gore-Tex is employed, there isn’t anything wrong with it at first, it prevents water getting in as ever, but there are more robust methods of preventing soggy feet. The construction of the boot is good for water resistance generally though. It uses a gusseted tongue and the decent height of the ankle lend themselves to boots that resist small streams and large puddles.

Conclusion

Salewa have constructed a very impressive mountain hiking boot here, there is no doubt about it and these should be high up on your list of all-rounders to consider. They have firmly cemented themselves as a premier hiking boot manufacturer here. The boot has many industry standard features but also has many cool little tricks that set it apart. The adjustability for instance, sidestepping much of the fitting problems beset by other boots. They even employ Cleansport NXT which neutralises odor-causing microbes (finally some good news for your travelling companions). The bottom line is that you can certainly do a lot worse than the Salewa Mountain Trainer if you’re planning a future sojourn.