[Review] The Men’s XA PRO 3D by Salomon

In part of the description of the XA Pro 3D by Salomon they describe them with the words, “play steady and long” (salomon.com). There couldn’t be a better way to describe the XA Pro 3Ds. Not only are these shoes perfect for just about any terrain, they’re comfortable, stable and relatively light. These are the one and only shoes I took on our 4 week long Europe trip and they proved to be versatile in every sense. I put these on right before we left for our trip (literally the first time I wore them was on our way to the airport) and only took them off to sleep for four weeks.

What made the biggest impression in my mind as I got to know my XA Pro 3Ds was the fact that they were comfortable in almost any terrain. Not only would we be hiking into the high country in Chamonix and gallivanting through the soggy Scottish Highlands, but we’d also be doing a lot of walking on hard city streets. The XA Pro 3Ds quickly proved they could handle any terrain even if it was wet, dry, hard or soft. The Contagrip® MA outsole is the beast behind the adaptability.

The comfort of the XA Pro 3Ds is what truly shined. My feet never hurt at the end of the day even after walking 8-12 miles of concrete and stone through cities. The Ortholite® insole provides ultimate comfort, amazing cushioning, breathability and durability. Which brings me to my next point.

As far as temperature regulation and comfort, my feet are typically always hot. I found that the XA Pro 3Ds did not compromise breathability for overall comfort or durability. For my hot feet, the XA Pros were perfect. If we found ourselves exploring on a bit of a chillier day, I’d wear a thicker sock and still be solid. If it was a hot day, I’d wear my normal socks and they’d be great. Even if I did get sweaty, just leaving the shoes out overnight would allow them to dry out. I can’t say this about too many pairs of shoes. The fact that they would first of all, never get too sweaty, and then second of all dry very quickly made them the ultimate travel shoe.

I wasn’t sure I would be but I’m a huge fan of the Quicklace™ system. Not only is it easy and quick, but this system also ensures a perfect fit every single time you slip these bad boys on. If you’re resisting because of the Quicklace™ system, stop! You’ll really love it.

As far as fit goes, I tried on multiple different shoes from Salomon before deciding on the XA Pro 3Ds. Not only did these fit me the best of all the shoes I tried, I liked the adaptable yet not overly aggressive tread, the color options, and the overall feel. I am normally a size 10 and I went with the 10 in the XA Pros (though bear in mind some Salomons I tried I was a 9.5 and 10.5 so highly recommend trying these at your local shop). I do feel like these shoes have a wider than normal toe box and if it were any wider, it wouldn’t be too comfortable for me.

If you’re looking for one shoe that can do everything, look no further than the XA Pro 3D by Salomon. These shoes can take on anything that you throw at them, keep your feet comfortable even at the end of the longest days, tackle any terrain, and keep you looking cool. I would highly suggest these as a one quiver shoe and keep in mind there is very little break-in period so if you’re a procrastinator like myself, you’ll be just fine.